Samuel Anoints David as King
1 Samuel 16:1-13 NLT
16:1 Now the Lord said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.”
2 But Samuel asked, “How can I do that? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”
“Take a heifer with you,” the Lord replied, “and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord. 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me.”
4 So Samuel did as the Lord instructed. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town came trembling to meet him. “What’s wrong?” they asked. “Do you come in peace?”
5 “Yes,” Samuel replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then Samuel performed the purification rite for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice, too.
6 When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!”
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
8 Then Jesse told his son Abinadab to step forward and walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “This is not the one the Lord has chosen.” 9 Next Jesse summoned Shimea, but Samuel said, “Neither is this the one the Lord has chosen.” 10 In the same way all seven of Jesse’s sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” 11 Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats.”
“Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”
12 So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes.
And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.”<
13 So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.
Examine the Scriptures
Similarities between Saul and David.
Both men were anointed by Samuel.
Neither one was pursuing the position.
Both were unlikely candidates.
Saul was from the smallest tribe.
David was the youngest son.
Both were impressive in appearance.
The Spirit came mightily on each when he was anointed king.
1 Samuel 16:1-13 NLT
Samuel Anoints David as King
16:1 Now the Lord said to Samuel,
The Lord spoke to Samuel.
1 Samuel 3:1 NLT
The Lord Speaks to Samuel
3:1 Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.
The Lord spoke to Samuel.
The Lord spoke to Samuel when he was a boy. (1 Samuel 3)
The Lord spoke to Samuel when he was an adult.
1 Samuel 9:17
17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said, “That’s the man I told you about! He will rule my people.”
In today’s lesson:
1 Samuel 16:12 NLT
12 So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes.
And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.”
- In those days messages from the Lord were very rare, but God did speak to Samuel.
“You have mourned long enough for Saul.
1 Samuel 15:34-35 NLT
34 Then Samuel went home to Ramah, and Saul returned to his house at Gibeah of Saul. 35 Samuel never went to meet with Saul again, but he mourned constantly for him.
- After Saul and Samuel parted company, Samuel mourned constantly for Saul.
I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem.
Bethlehem is in Judah, about 5 miles south of Jerusalem, and about 10 miles from Ramah.
Luke 2:11 NLT
11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!
Find a man named Jesse who lives there,
Jesse was a descendant of Perez, son of Judah and Tamar. (Refer to family tree of Ruth)
Jesse was the Grandson of Boaz and Ruth.
Ruth 4:21-22 NLT
21 … Boaz was the father of Obed.
22 Obed was the father of Jesse.
Jesse was the father of David.
Ruth 4:18-22 NLT
18 This is the genealogical record of their ancestor Perez:
Perez was the father of Hezron.
19 Hezron was the father of Ram.
Ram was the father of Amminadab.
20 Amminadab was the father of Nahshon.
Nahshon was the father of Salmon.
21 Salmon was the father of Boaz.
Boaz was the father of Obed.
22 Obed was the father of Jesse.
Jesse was the father of David.
Genesis 49:10 NLT
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants,
until the coming of the one to whom it belongs,
the one whom all nations will honor.
- David was a descendent of Judah.
for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.”
- God chose David to be the next king of Israel.
At this point in time, Samuel did not know that David would be chosen as the next king of Israel.
Romans 13:1 NLT
13:1 Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.
Scripture describes David as:
A man after God’s own heart. A man better than you (Saul). A neighbor of yours (Saul).
1 Samuel 13:14 NLT
14 But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”
1 Samuel 15:28 NLT
28 And Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to someone else—one who is better than you.
1 Samuel 15:28 ESV
28 And Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, (KJV, NIV, RSV, ASV) who is better than you.
- God commissioned Samuel to anoint the next king of Israel.
2 But Samuel asked, “How can I do that? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”
The road from Ramah to Bethlehem passed through Gibeah of Saul. (Refer to a map)
1 Samuel 15:34 NLT
34 Then Samuel went home to Ramah, and Saul returned to his house at Gibeah of Saul.
Saul already knew that the Lord had chosen someone to replace him as king.
Samuel fears that jealousy will incite Saul to violence.
“Take a heifer with you,” the Lord replied, “and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord.
The Lord told Samuel to say, “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord” so it should not be considered morally wrong.
- God’s strategy is always right.
Isaiah 55:9 NLT
9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me.”
Samuel did not know that David would be chosen as the next king of Israel.
Anoint:
Set apart as king.
Separation to the Lord for a particular task and divine equipping for the task.
- Note: David will actually be anointed three times.
First here, second as king of Judah, and third as king of Israel.
4 So Samuel did as the Lord instructed. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town came trembling to meet him. “What’s wrong?” they asked. “Do you come in peace?”
News of Samuel’s rebuke of Saul and execution of Agag had likely reached Bethlehem.
5 “Yes,” Samuel replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.”
Then Samuel performed the purification rite for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice, too.
Purification and Sacrifice
ESV & NIV: Consecrate yourself (setting apart to the worship or service of God.)
ASV: sanctify (setting apart for a sacred purpose)
CEB: make yourself holy.
CEV: Get yourself ready.
Exodus 19:10 NLT
10 Then the Lord told Moses, “Go down and prepare the people for my arrival. Consecrate them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their clothing.
Numbers 8:21NLT
21 The Levites purified themselves from sin and washed their clothes, and Aaron lifted them up and presented them to the Lord as a special offering. He then offered a sacrifice to purify them and make them right with the Lord.
Numbers 19:19
… the people being cleansed must wash their clothes and bathe themselves, …
- Worship of God was always preceded by cleansing or washing and putting on clean clothes.
6 When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!”
Eliab had an impressive outward appearance.
This had also been true for Saul.
1 Samuel 9:2 NLT
2 His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.
- Samuel thought that Eliab “looked” like the perfect candidate to be Israel’s next king.
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him.
We learn a little more about Eliab in 1 Samuel 17:28.
1 Samuel 17:28 NLT
28 But when David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. “What are you doing around here anyway?” he demanded. “What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!”
The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Psalm 139:1 NLT
1 O Lord, you have examined my heart
and know everything about me.
The “heart” in Scripture refers to a person’s inward moral and spiritual life, including the emotions, will, and reason.
- People judge by outward appearance, but the Lordlooks at the heart.”
8 Then Jesse told his son Abinadab to step forward and walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “This is not the one the Lord has chosen.” 9 Next Jesse summoned Shimea, but Samuel said, “Neither is this the one the Lord has chosen.” 10 In the same way all seven of Jesse’s sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” 11 Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?”
Jesse’s sons names come from the books of 1 Samuel and 1 Chronicles. Jesse is mentioned to have eight sons, but only seven are mentioned by name.
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats.”
The Lord’s chosen one is a shepherd.
Psalm 78:70-72 NLT
70 He chose his servant David,
calling him from the sheep pens.
71 He took David from tending the ewes and lambs
and made him the shepherd of Jacob’s descendants—
God’s own people, Israel.
72 He cared for them with a true heart
and led them with skillful hands.
“Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”
12 So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes.
And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.”
- The Lord’s chosen one was a shepherd.
13 So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil.
This is the first time in this narrative that David is mentioned by name.
David’s brothers witnessed this anointing.
The Elders of the town also witnessed this anointing. (verse 5)
The small circle of witnesses to David’s anointing assured its confidentiality, but also provided ample testimony for the future that David had been anointed by Samuel.
And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on.
- David was being equipped and empowered by God to fulfill a new role.
Then Samuel returned to Ramah.
Later David was anointed king over Judah and then over Israel.
2 Samuel 2:4 NLT
4 Then the men of Judah came to David and anointed him king over the people of Judah.
2 Samuel 5:3 NLT
3 So there at Hebron, King David made a covenant before the Lord with all the elders of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel.
