1 Samuel 16:5

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 16:1-5

Samuel had retired to his own house in Ramah, with a resolution not to appear any more in public business, but to addict himself wholly to the instructing and training up of the sons of the prophets, over whom he presided, as we find, 1 Sam. 19:20. He promised himself more satisfaction in young prophets than in young princes; and we do not find that, to his dying day, God called him out to any public action relating to the state, but only here to anoint David. I. God reproves him for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 16:5

And he said, peaceably I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord ,.... Which he could say with truth, it being one end of his coming, though not the only one for which he came, and which he was not obliged to tell: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice ; prepare themselves for it, which was done by washing their garments, &c.; and then attend with him, and assist him in the sacrifice: and he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice ; he ordered... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 16:5

Sanctify yourselves - Change your clothes, and wash your bodies in pure water, and prepare your minds by meditation, reflection, and prayer; that, being in the spirit of sacrifice, ye may offer acceptably to the Lord. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 16:1-5

The progression of Providence. The facts are— 1 . Samuel is aroused from his sorrow for Saul by a command from God to anoint a son of Jesse. 2 . Being in fear, be is directed to go and offer sacrifice and await further instructions. 3 . Arriving at Bethlehem, he quiets the trembling elders and makes preparation for the sacrifice. It was natural for Samuel in his retirement to cherish sorrow for Saul; and his brooding over disappointment would become more habitual as no active... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 16:3-5

Call Jesse to the sacrifice. The word used is zebach, and means a sacrifice followed by a feast, at which all the elders of the town, and with them Jesse and his elder sons, would be present by the prophet's invitation. It is plain that such sacrifices were not unusual, or Saul would have demanded a reason for Samuel's conduct. As the ark remained so long in obscurity at Kirjath-jearim, and the solemn services of the tabernacle were not restored until Saul at some period of his reign... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Samuel 16:5

1 Samuel 16:5. I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord That was one intention of his coming; and though there was another, namely, to anoint one of Jesse’s sons to be king, he was not bound to declare it. For where there are two ends of any action, a person may, without any injury to truth, declare the one and conceal the other. Thus Moses did when he told Pharaoh they must go and sacrifice to God in the wilderness; but suppressed their intention to march to the land of Canaan. This is set in... 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 16:5

Jesse and his sons . He had eight sons and two daughters, Zeruiah (mother of Abishai, Joab, and Asahel) and Abigail (mother of Amasa). David is the eighth here (verses: 10, 11), but called the seventh in 1 Chronicles 2:15 . One son must have died shortly after this, or been the son of a concubine, or died without issue and so not reckoned in the genealogy. Samuel is history, Chronicles is genealogy. read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 16:5

5. sanctify yourselves—by the preparations described (Exodus 19:14; Exodus 19:15). The elders were to sanctify themselves. Samuel himself took the greatest care in the sanctification of Jesse's family. Some, however, think that the former were invited only to join in the sacrifice, while the family of Jesse were invited by themselves to the subsequent feast. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Samuel 16:1-13

David’s anointing 16:1-13This time God’s choice was not a king for the people according to their desires, but a king for Himself (1 Samuel 16:1) who would put Yahweh first (1 Samuel 13:14; cf. Galatians 4:4-5). Saul would have perceived Samuel’s act of anointing another man king as treason (1 Samuel 16:2). He continued to show more concern for his own interests than for the will of God. Evidently Samuel had gained a reputation as an executioner since he had killed Agag (1 Samuel 16:4; cf. 1... read more

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