1 Samuel 16:21

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 16:14-23

We have here Saul falling and David rising. I. Here is Saul made a terror to himself (1 Sam. 16:14): The Spirit of the Lord departed from him. He having forsaken God and his duty, God, in a way of righteous judgment, withdrew from him those assistances of the good Spirit with which he was directed, animated, and encouraged in his government and wars. He lost all his good qualities. This was the effect of his rejecting God, and an evidence of his being rejected by him. Now God took his mercy... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 16:21

And David came to Saul, and stood before him ,.... As a servant, and ministered to him in the way, and for the purpose for which he was sent: and he loved him greatly ; being a comely person, and a well behaved youth, and especially as he was serviceable to him with his music, in driving away melancholy from him: and he became his armourbearer ; that is, he appointed him to this office, though we never read that he exercised it; nor did he go with Saul in this capacity to the battle... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 16:14-23

Disquietude caused by sin. The facts are— 1 . Saul, being left to himself, is troubled by an evil spirit from the Lord. 2 . His servants, in their concern for his peace, suggest music as an alleviation, and obtain permission to provide it. 3 . David, being famed for music, is sent for, and finds favour with Saul. 4 . The music of David brings relief to Saul's troubled spirit. The narrative relates the effect of God's judicial abandonment of Saul to the impenitent spirit he... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 16:21-23

David came to Saul, and stood before him. The latter phrase means, "became one of his regular attendants." This, and his being appointed one of Saul's armour bearers, happened only after the lapse of some time. The armour bearer, like the esquire in the middle ages, had to carry his lord's lance, and sword, and shield, and was always a tried soldier, and one whom the king trusted. It was apparently after the combat with Goliath that Saul sent to Jesse, and asked that David might be always... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 16:21

The difficulty of reconciling this verse with 1 Samuel 17:55-58, is met thus: The words here are the ultimate sequence of David’s first visit to Saul, and of his skill in music, and are therefore placed here; but they did not really come to pass until after David’s victory over Goliath (see 1 Samuel 18:2). It is quite conceivable that if David had only played once or twice to Saul, and then returned to his father’s house for some months, Saul might not recognize him. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Samuel 16:21

1 Samuel 16:21. David came to Saul and stood before him Ministered unto him among the rest of his servants. This sufficiently shows that Saul had no knowledge of the anointing of David, otherwise it cannot be supposed that he would have had him brought to his court. And he loved him greatly So there was something good in Saul still; he had not lost all, though he had lost the kingdom. He became his armour-bearer He had that place conferred upon him, though we do not read that he ever... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 16:1-23

16:1-19:24 THE RISE OF DAVIDDavid brought to the royal court (16:1-23)When told by God to go and anoint a king to replace Saul, Samuel feared to, lest Saul kill him. God therefore told Samuel to keep the matter secret (16:1-3). Reassured by this additional word from God, Samuel went to Bethlehem, where he met the leading men of the important families in that area (4-5).The outcome of Samuel’s visit was that he anointed David, youngest son of the family of Jesse. Anointing was a way of marking... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Samuel 16:21

he = Saul. him = David. read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 Samuel 16:21

1 Samuel 16:21. His armour-bearer— The literal rendering of the original word כלים נשׂא nose kelim is, bearer of the instruments or weapons. Of these there were three different sorts; the shield, the spear, and the sword. Of these bearers of arms, princes and generals had many: Joab had ten, Saul seems to have had two thousand, chap. 1 Samuel 13:2. And David's being made armour-bearer to Saul, implies no more than that he was constituted one of his guards; to bear what instrument, is not... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 16:21

21. David came to Saul—Providence thus prepared David for his destiny, by placing him in a way to become acquainted with the manners of the court, the business of government, and the general state of the kingdom. became his armour-bearer—This choice, as being an expression of the king's partiality, shows how honorable the office was held to be. read more

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