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CHAPTER 10 : Samuel Mourns for Saul - He is directed to the house of
Jesse -Anointing of David - Preparation of David for the Royal Office -
The "Evil Spirit from the Lord" upon Saul - David is sent to Court - War
with the Philistines - Combat between David and Goliath - Friendship of
David and Jonathan. (1 SAMUEL 16-18:4)
IF the tragic events just recorded, and the share which Samuel had in them, had left
on the mind a lingering feeling as of harshness or imperiousness on the part of the
old prophet, the narrative which follows must remove all such erroneous
impressions. So far from feeling calm or satisfied under the new state of things
which it had been his duty to bring about, Samuel seems almost wholly absorbed by
sorrow for Saul personally, and for what had happened; not unmixed, we may
suppose, with concern for the possible consequences of his rejection.^154
It needed the voice of God to recall the mind of the prophet to the wider interests of
the theocracy, and to calm him into complete submission by showing how the
difficulties which he anticipated had been provided for. A new king had already
been fixed upon, and the duty was laid on Samuel to designate him for that office.
Accordingly Samuel was now sent to anoint one of the sons of Jesse to be Saul's
successor. From the first, and increasingly, Samuel's public career had been difficult
and trying. But never before had his faith been so severely tested as by this
commission. He who had never feared the face of man, and who so lately had boldly
confronted Saul at Gilgal, now spake as if afraid for his life, in case Saul, who no
doubt was already under the influence of the "evil spirit," or rather the spirit of evil,
should hear of what might seem an attempt to dethrone him. But, as always in such
circumstances, the fears, which weakness suggested, proved groundless. As in the
case of Saul, so in that of David, it was not intended that the anointing should be
followed by immediate outward consequences. Hence there was no need for
publicity; on the contrary, privacy served important purposes. The chief present
object seems to have been a solemn call to David to prepare himself, as having been
set apart for some great work.
Besides, in view of the meaning of this symbol, and of its results in Saul and David
(1 Samuel 16:13), the anointing may be regarded as an ordinance in connection with
the gift of the Spirit of God, Who alone qualified for the work. In view of all this,
God directed Samuel to combine the anointing of Jesse's son with a sacrificial
service at Bethlehem, the home of Jesse. Only the latter, or public service, required
to be made generally known. Many reasons will suggest themselves why the other
part of Samuel's commission should have remained secret, probably not fully
understood by Jesse, or even by David himself.^155
(^)