16:1 And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for
Saul, a seeing I have rejected him from reigning over
Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee
to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king
among his sons.
(a) Signifying that we should not show ourselves more
pitiful than God, nor to lament those whom he casts
out.
16:2 And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear [it], he will
kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and
say, I am come b to sacrifice to the LORD.
(b) That is, to make a peace offering, which may be done
even though the ark was not there.
16:4 And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to
Bethlehem. And the elders of the town c trembled at his
coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
(c) Afraid, lest some grievous crime had been committed,
because the prophet was not wont to come there.
16:6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on
Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S d anointed [is] before
him.
(d) Thinking that Eliab had been appointed by God to be
made king.
16:14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an e
evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
(e) The wicked spirits are at God's commandment to execute
his will against the wicked.
16:18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I
have seen a f son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, [that is]
cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of
war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the
LORD [is] with him.
(f) Though David was now anointed king by the prophet,
yet God would strengthen and test him in various ways
before he had the use of his kingdom.
16:23 And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from God was
upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his
hand: so Saul was g refreshed, and was well, and the
evil spirit departed from him.
(g) God would have Saul receive this benefit from David's
hand, that his condemnation might be even more
evident, for his cruel hate toward him.
