1 Samuel 16:19

_WHEREFORE SAUL SENT MESSENGERS UNTO JESSE, AND SAID, SEND ME DAVID THY SON, WHICH IS WITH THE SHEEP._ Saul sent messengers unto Jesse ... Send me David. In the East the command of a king is imperative; and Jesse, however reluctant and alarmed, had no alternative but to comply....

14-23 Saul is made a terror to himself. The Spirit of the Lord departed from him. If God and his grace do not rule us, sin and Satan will have possession of us. The devil, by the Divine permission, troubled and terrified Saul, by the corrupt humours of his body, and passions of his mind. He grew fretful, peevish, and discontented, and at times a madman. It is a pity that music, which may be serviceable to the good temper of the mind, should ever be abused, to support vanity and luxury, and made an occasion of drawing the heart from God and serious things. That is driving away the good Spirit, not the evil spirit. Music, diversions, company, or business, have for a time often been employed to quiet the wounded conscience; but nothing can effect a real cure but the blood of Christ, applied in faith, and the sanctifying Spirit sealing the pardon, by his holy comforts. All other plans to dis...

DAVID ANOINTED AS THE FUTURE KING, AND HIS FIRST INTRODUCTION TO SAUL. (1 Samuel 16:1) EXPOSITION CHOICE OF DAVID AS SUCCESSOR TO SAUL (1 Samuel 16:1). 1 SAMUEL 16:1 HOW LONG WRIT THOU MOURN? The grief of Samuel was prolonged almost to a sinful extent, nor can we wonder at it. We who see Saul's whole career, and know how deeply he fell

WHEREFORE SAUL SENT MESSENGERS TO JESSE,.... For David; not choosing to take him without his leave, though Samuel suggests that kings would do so, 1 Samuel 8:11 AND SAID, SEND ME DAVID, THY SON, WHICH IS WITH THE SHEEP; he had learnt his name, and what was his employment; and which last he mentions not by way of contempt, it not being reckoned mean and despicable even in the sons of great personages, in those times and countries, to attend flocks and herds: so with the Arabs, as Philo n testifies, young men and maids of the most illustrious families fed cattle; and with the ancient Romans, the senator o fed his own sheep. Paris, son of Priamus, king of Troy, is said p to feed his father's oxen and sheep; and Saul himself had done the same; but to describe him particularly. n De Vita Mosis, l. 1. p. 610. o "Pascebatque suas", c. Ovid. Fast. l. 1. p Coluthi Ra

III. DAVID, THE KING AFTER GOD'S HEART--HIS EXILE AND SUFFERING 1. David Anointed King and the Departure of the Spirit from Saul CHAPTER 16 _ 1. David anointed king (1 Samuel 16:1)_ 2. The Spirit departs from Saul and David with Saul (1 Samuel 16:14) The king after the people's heart has failed and is set aside, and now Jehovah brings forth His king after His own heart. That king like Jonathan, a man of faith, is devoted to Jehovah and in perfect subjection unto Him. Furthermore, from the tribe of Judah (Judah means “praise”) he is a worshipper through whom the Spirit of God pours forth the sweetest strains of praise and worship. He prospers into a great kingdom and Jehovah makes an oathbound covenant with him ...

DAVID, SAUL'S MINSTREL. (J), the ancient narrative, continues 1 Samuel 14:52. The earlier and more authentic of the two accounts of David's introduction to Saul (_cf._ 1 Samuel 17:55 ff.). Saul became possessed with some form of recurrent mania, which the primitive combination of pathology and theology explained by saying that the Spirit of Yahweh had departed from him, and that Yahweh had sent an evil spirit to torment him; so, according to Micaiah, 1 Kings 22:23, Yahweh put a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahab's prophets. For us such statements connect themselves with the problem of the relation between the Divine Omnipotence and the origin of evil, but here they show that the Israelites did not yet ful

David's introduction to the Court of Saul 14. _But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul_ Note the contrast to 1 Samuel 16:13. As David rose, Saul sank. _an evil spirit from the Lord_ The cause of Saul's mental disorder is described as "an evil spirit from Jehovah," or "of Jehovah" (1 Samuel 19:9); "an evil spirit of God" (1 Samuel 16:15; 1 Samuel 18:10); "the spirit of evil" (1 Samuel 16:23); even "the spirit of God" (1 Samuel 16:23

SAUL SENT MESSENGERS UNTO JESSE, &C.— The explanation of the chronology of this book given in the foregoing note, renders every difficulty clear and easy. David had vanquished the Philistine, was become a favourite of the people, and on that account the object of Saul's jealousy; to avoid the ill effects of which, he prudently retired. During his recess, Saul was seized with his disorder. His servants supposed that it might be alleviated by music; Saul consents to the remedy, and orders an artist to be sought for. They were acquainted with David's skill on the harp, and likewise with Saul's ill disposition towards him. It was a delicate point, which required address; and therefore they recommend him in that artful manner, 1 Samuel 16:16 which signifies, "As you must have one constantly in attendance both at court and in your military expeditions, to be always at hand on occasion, the

_Saul Seeks a Musician._ 1 Samuel 16:14-23 14 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. 15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. 16 Let our lord now command thy servants, _which are_ before thee, to seek out a man, _who is_ a cunning player on a harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well. 17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring _him_ to me. 18 Then answered one of the servants and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, _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. 19 Wheref

DAVID IS ANOINTED KING OVER ISRAEL From 1 Samuel 16 on, the interest centres in David rather than in Saul....