1 Samuel Chapter 16

“And the Lord said unto Samuel, etc.] In a vision or dream, or by an articulate voice: how long wilt thou mourn for Saul? he does not blame him for mourning, but for mourning so long; but how long that was cannot be said; and though his affection for him might cause him to indulge to it, yet it was in vain, seeing the sentence was irreversible: seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? that is, his posterity; for he himself reigned as long as he lived, though in a very inglorious manner: fill thine horn with oil; with common oil; for that this was the holy anointing oil kept in the tabernacle, as the…”

“SAMUEL SENT BY GOD TO BETHLEHEM. (Sa1 16:1-10) the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul--Samuel's grief on account of Saul's rejection, accompanied, doubtless, by earnest prayers for his restitution, showed the amiable feelings of the man; but they were at variance with his public duty as a prophet. The declared purpose of God to transfer the kingdom of Israel into other hands than Saul's was not an angry menace, but a fixed and immutable decree; so that Samuel ought to have sooner submitted to the peremptory manifestation of the divine will. But to leave him no longer room to doubt of its…”

“It was the purpose of God that David should be anointed at this time as Saul’s successor, and as the ancestor and the type of His Christ. It was not the purpose of God that Samuel should stir up a civil war, by setting up David as Saul’s rival. Secrecy, therefore, was a necessary part of the transaction. But secrecy and concealment are not the same as duplicity and falsehood. Concealment of a good purpose, for a good purpose, is clearly justifiable. There is therefore nothing in the least inconsistent with truth in the occurrence here related. Compare Exodus 7:16; Exodus 8:1; Exodus 9:13. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Mourn - And pray for his restitution, which the following words imply he did. Oil - Which was used in the inauguration of kings. But here it is used in the designation of a king; for David was not actually made king by it, but still remained a subject. And the reason of this anticipation was the comfort of Samuel, and other good men, against their fears in case of Saul's death, and the assurance of David's title, which otherwise would have been doubtful. I have provided - This phrase is very emphatical, and implies the difference between this and the former king. Saul was a king of the people's providing, he was…”

“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…”

“am 2941, bc 1063, An, Ex, Is, 428 How long: Sa1 15:11, Sa1 15:35; Jer 7:16, Jer 11:14 seeing: Sa1 16:15, Sa1 16:23, Sa1 13:13, Sa1 13:14, Sa1 15:23, Sa1 15:26; Jer 6:30, Jer 14:11, Jer 14:12, Jer 15:1; Jo1 5:16 horn with oil: Sa1 9:16, Sa1 10:1; Kg2 9:1, Kg2 9:3, Kg2 9:6 Jesse: Sa1 13:14; Gen 49:8-10; Rut 4:18-22; Ch1 2:10-15; Psa 78:68-71, Psa 89:19, Psa 89:20; Isa 11:1, Isa 11:10, Isa 55:4; Act 13:21, Act 13:22; Rom 15:12 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 16:2”

“Anointing of David. - Sa1 16:1. The words in which God summoned Samuel to proceed to the anointing of another king, "How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, whom I have rejected, that he may not be king over Israel?" show that the prophet had not yet been able to reconcile himself to the hidden ways of the Lord; that he was still afraid that the people and kingdom of God would suffer from the rejection of Saul; and that he continued to mourn for Saul, not merely from his own personal attachment to the fallen king, but also, or perhaps still more, from anxiety for the welfare of Israel. He was now to put an end to this…”