1Sa 16:1-13 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 1Sam 16:1-23: 16:1-23 David was Saul’s replacement. There are striking similarities between the two: Samuel anointed both. Neither was pursuing the position. Both were unlikely candidates (Saul was from the smallest tribe; David was the youngest son). Both were impressive in appearance (9:2 ; 16:12 ). And the Spirit came mightily on each when he was anointed king (10:10 ; 11:6 ; 16:13 ). The key difference was that David was “a man after [God’s] own heart” (13:14 ; cp. 16:7 ), while Saul was not. 16:1 mourned long enough: See study note on 15:35. • Bethlehem was about five miles south of Jerusalem. It was later known as the City of David (Luke 2:11 ) and the birthplace of Jesus. • Jesse was the grandson of Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 4:22 ). • I have selected: This Hebrew verb implies that God had seen one of [Jesse’s] sons and based his choice on what he saw. God, the eternal king, knows better than the people of Israel how to choose a good king to serve the nation, and he provided a replacement for Saul who would lead Israel well.

Summary for 1Sam 16:1-23: 16:1-23 ^a David was Saul’s replacement. There are striking similarities between the two: Samuel anointed both. Neither was pursuing the position. Both were unlikely candidates (Saul was from the smallest tribe; David was the youngest son). Both were impressive in appearance (9:2 ^b; 16:12 ^c). And the Spirit came mightily on each when he was anointed king (10:10 ^d; 11:6 ^e; 16:13 ^f). The key difference was that David was “a man after [God’s] own heart” (13:14 ^g; cp. 16:7 ^h), while Saul was not. 16:1 ⁱ mourned long enough: See study note on 15:35.

• Bethlehem was about five miles south of Jerusalem. It was later known as the City of David (Luke 2:11 ^j) and the birthplace of Jesus.

• Jesse was the grandson of Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 4:22 ^k).

• I have selected: This Hebrew verb implies that God had seen one of [Jesse’s] sons and based his choice on what he saw. God, the eternal king, knows better than the people of Israel how to choose a good king to serve the nation, and he provided a replacement for Saul who would lead Israel well.
16:2 ^l say that you have come to make a sacrifice: God sometimes leads his servants into dangerous situations. He protects his own—sometimes by miracle, sometimes by strategy (cp. Exod 3:18-22 ^m). In Samuel’s role as a priestly judge, he would not have raised any suspicions by offering a sacrifice (see 1 Sam 10:8 ⁿ).
16:4 ^o the elders ... came trembling: News of Samuel’s rebuke of Saul and execution of Agag had likely reached Bethlehem.
16:5 ^p Purify yourselves: Self-purification included bathing and abstaining from sexual intercourse (see Exod 19:10-15 ^q; cp. Gen 35:2-4 ^r).

• The sacrifice likely took place the following morning (see Num 11:18 ^s; Josh 3:5 ^t; 7:13-14 ^u).

• Samuel performed the purification rite for Jesse and his sons to make sure they were ready for the sacrifice and for the anointing of the new king (cp. Exod 19:10 ^v; Josh 3:5 ^w).
Summary for 1Sam 16:6-7: 16:6-7 ^x his appearance or height: Like Saul, Eliab, Jesse’s oldest son, had an impressive outward appearance (cp. 9:2 ^y). Also like Saul, he was rejected (cp. 15:23 ^z). God had another man in mind to anoint as king.

• the Lord looks at the heart: God can give a new heart (10:9 ^aa), touch hearts (10:26 ^ab), and peer into the deep motivations of the heart (Ps 139:1 ^ac). God sees what people cannot see—a person’s true character. Eliab’s character comes out in 1 Sam 17:28 ^ad.
16:13 ^ae The Spirit of the Lord came ... upon David, as was consistently evident (e.g., 16:23 ^af; 17:48-54 ^ag; 18:5 ^ah, 12-16 ^ai). The Spirit of the Lord had also come upon Saul (10:10 ^aj) but had left him because of disobedience (16:14 ^ak).

• Ramah: Samuel’s hometown (1:1 ^al).