1 Samuel 20

1 Samuel 20:1-5

11. 21. Chap. x. 1. 9. PC. Ierum. 30. 8 Stat. 1. 16. 9. Chap. ix. 11. 5. 4. 9. 7. Chap. xii. 1. Hol. 10. 20. 9. Heb. Is thy coming peace. 1. Kings ii. 11. 3. Kings 16. 12. 8. Exud. xix. 20. 1. AND the LORD said unto Samuel, ‘How long will thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel?’ ’till thine horn with oil, and op, I will send thee to Jef’s the Beth-lehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons. 2. And Samuel said, ‘How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with Hors, and say, ‘I am come to sacrifice to the LORD. 3. And call Jef’s to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee. 4. And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Beth-lehem: and the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, ‘Cometh thou peaceably? 5. And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: I sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jef’s and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. The prophet long bewailed in Ramah his rejected friend, and now retired from public eyes, spent his time in the care of the school of the prophets. Here God again appears to him, either in a vision of the night, or speaking with an articulate voice. 1. He blames his inordinate grief for Saul, which was not only excessive in measure and duration, but fruitless also, seeing he was rejected for ever. Note, We are not forbidden to mourn, but immoderate grief is sinful. 2. He finds him on an important errand, even to anoint another king in the room of Saul, or rather as his successor. An employment full of danger, considering the state of Saul’s mind, and at which Samuel befriars through fear, least Saul should hear of it and kill him; but God instructs him how to proceed, so as to be without suspicion or danger, ver. 2. and there he would fix upon the person, and give him directions for his conduct. Note, (1.) The best of men, this side the grave, have fears at times; ’tis recorded for the comfort of those who have weak faith. (2.) They who follow God in his ways shall be directed aright. 3. Samuel obeys, goes to Beth-lehem with his sacrifice, and being met by the elders, who were in fear least such an unexpected visit bodied no good, or least Saul should resent their entertainment of him, if he came thither as a place of refuge, they ask if he came peaceably. Samuel quickly removes their fears, and invites them to come to the sacrifice he had provided; in order to which they are commanded to sanctify themselves with the usual ablutions, and Jef’s and his sons are particularly called to the feast. Note, They who would draw near to God with acceptance, must have their consciences sanctified through the blood of Jesus, and the washing of regeneration. 6. And it came to pass when they were come, that he looked on ‘Elish, and said, Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him. 7. But the LORD said unto Samuel, ‘Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD fetch not as man fetch; for man looketh on the ‘outward appearance, but’ the LORD looketh on the heart. 8. Then Jef’s called Abinadah, and made him pass before Samuel: and he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. 9. Then Jef’s made ‘Shammah to pass by: and he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. 10. Again Jef’s made fevers of his sons to pass before Samuel: and Samuel said unto Jef’s, The LORD hath not chosen thefe. 11. And Samuel said unto Jef’s, Are here all thy children? and he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jef’s, ‘Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. 12. And he sent, and brought him in: Now ‘he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Aefe, anoint him: for this is he. 13. Then Samuel ’took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and ’the spirit of the LORD came upon David, from that day forward: so Samuel took up and went to Ramah.

1 Samuel 20:6-13

The king being to be chosen out of the sons of Jef’s, which was probably communicated to their father, though not to them, we have them here passing in review before Samuel. 1. The eldest came, and being a goodly personage, tall, majef’s, Samuel was ready to conclude this was God’s elect; so much does a noble presence prejudice us in a man’s favour: but God let him know he is mistaken. God judgments not as man, by outward qualifications, but by the heart, the dispositions of which he regards, and with the inquest thought of it he is acquainted. Six more of Jef’s sons appear, yet none of these doth God chuse. Note, God’s choice is sovereign; he often makes the full to be full. For herespan. 2. Samuel asks Jef’s if he has no other children, and receives answer that the youngest, the little one, was with the sheep. Infantly he is first for, his presence was the most needed of any at the feast; he appears in his Shepherd’s dress, the bloom of youth was on his ruddy cheek, his countenance, or, as the word signifies, his eyes beautiful and sparkling, and his aspect and manner bespoke the more pleasing dispositions of his mind: this is he. God commands and Samuel shews; the horn of oil is poured upon him, in token of the divine designation, and in or rather from the midst of his brethren he is anointed, as chosen out of them, or in private from them, as it was a secret which required concealment. Note, (1.) Youth and beauty are pleasing recommendations; and when the mind is fraught with divine grace, and natural sweetness, it spreads a new lustre on the gifts of nature, and makes the possessor twice smack. (2.) Diligence in an inferior station is the way to rise to greater honour. (3.) This Shepherd-king is the type of that anointed Jesus, his son and successor, who should feed his flock like a Shepherd. 3. He is no sooner anointed, than the Lord pours out upon him an extraordinary measure of his spirit, fitting him for the great designs he has in view; increasing not only his spiritual gifts and graces, but filling him with courage, and probably beflowing an extraordinary still in music and poetry. Note, Every foul whom God chudes to the heavenly kingdom, hath an ancision from the Holy One; and they who experience the work of his spirit, may be assured of the election of his grace. 4. Samuel now retires to Ramah, where he lives and dies in peace, and is but once more mentioned in this history. He had finished his work, and God brings him shortly to his reward. 14. ¶ But

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 troubled thee. 16. Let our Lord now command thy servants which are before thee, to find out a man who is a cunning player on an 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 been 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 it with him. 19. ¶ Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep. 20. And Jesse took an old laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul. 21. And David came to Saul, and stood before him; and he loved him greatly, and he became his armour-bearer. 22. And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight. 23. And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

15. 14—23. Behold,

16. Saul a miserable spectacle, forsaken of God, deprived of his wonted wisdom and courage, and haunted by an evil spirit, terrified with the gnawing of remoris, gloomy, injurious, cruel, raving; disfarced with suspicion and envy, and mad with despair. Note, How like a devil may man become in this world, when the restraints of God’s spirit are taken from him, and he is given up to an evil conscience and the power of Satan?

17. His servants, perhaps his physicians, beholding his strange disease, knew medicine was vain; they tell him their apprehension of his case, and prescribe a palliative, if not a cure, to soothe the ruffled paffians of his mind, and kill his troubled bosom to repose. Music hath magic powers, and melody might harmonize the jarring discord of his soul; a cunning player on the harp would be his best physician. Saul resolves to try the prescription, and commands such an one to be procured: one of his servants bearing his order, recommends the son of Jesse, a man eminent for every endowment of mind and person, handsome, wise, valiant, and, for musical skill and execution pericles. Him therefore Saul instantly sends for to court. Note, (1.) It were pray that so divine a science as music should ever, by lewd sonnets, be prostituted to inflame those paffians; it was designed to calm and suppress. (2.) It is fatally dangerous for the soul to seek ease in sensual delights, instead of carrying a troubled conscience to a pardoning God. (3.) When God is pleased to distinguish a soul by his gifts and graces, obituary cannot hide the lustre.

18. No sooner is he sent for than he comes. His father, according to the custom of the times, sends a pretext by him, to testify his dutiful subjection, and Saul is charmed with his behaviour, makes him his armour-bearer, and defines his father’s leave to keep him continually about his person; for soon he experienced the efficacy of David’s music. The evil spirit bearing him as usual, his melancholy reflections returned, then David took the harp, and in sounds melodious softened his sorrows, and, as Josephus saith, joined to his melting by a voice foraphe as the song: at this the ravings of the king outside, the evil spirit leaves him, and he regains his usual serenity. Note, (1.) Music hath power over some souls, which they who feel can only tell. (2.) It once was found successful to drive the evil spirit from the soul: Satan perceived the good, and lifted music in his cause; and how hath it served since to convey to the enchanted mind, with deeper poison, the sentiments of lust, revelling, and creature idolatry, and to drive from the soul not the evil spirit, but the good!