1 Samuel 16 – Study

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: 1 Sam 16:1-3,7,13

1 The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.’

2 But Samuel said, ‘How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.’

The Lord said, ‘Take a heifer with you and say, “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.” 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.’

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’

13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.

A. Find Out:

1. What did the Lord tell Samuel to stop doing? v.1a
2. What did he tell him now to do? v.1b
3. Why was Samuel fearful of doing this? v.2a
4. How was he to overcome this problem? v.2b,3
5. How does God decide on men? v.7
6. What happened when Samuel anointed David? v.13

B. Think:

1. What, do you think, was behind the Lord’s objection to Samuel mourning for Saul?
2. What characteristic of Samuel was necessary to choose David as the new king?
3. How was the Lord’s choosing of David different from His choosing of Saul?

C. Comment:

      Samuel receives a mild rebuke: stop going on about Saul! While he still mourned for Saul it meant he wasn’t coming in line with the Lord’s heart and that would stop him moving on to the next thing on the Lord’s agenda. The Lord isn’t going to waste time. Israel needs a king to replace Saul and so God will choose a man of His own choosing, not of the people’s.  Oh yes, God actually chose Saul but He chose him in accordance with the people’s wishes. They wanted a big tough man who looked good, so God gave them one.

     Now the Lord chooses a man whose heart is in tune with the Lord and that is far more important than what he looks like!   To choose David, Samuel needed two characteristics: first he needed to be sensitive to the Lord’s quiet voice and second he needed to be obedient to it. It’s a funny picture seeing him working his way through these older sons until he runs out but there is a very strong lesson here: when God is choosing people we MUST let HIM choose, and they may not look good, they may not naturally be the people we would choose, but God knows.

D. Application?

1. Is our heart in tune with God’s or do we espouse dead causes?
2. Do we look on the outside or have we learnt to look on the heart?

Passage: 1 Sam 16:1,7-13

1 The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.’

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, ‘The Lord has not chosen this one either.’ 9 Jesse then made Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, ‘Nor has the Lord chosen this one.’ 10 Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, ‘The Lord has not chosen these.’ 11 So he asked Jesse, ‘Are these all the sons you have?’

‘There is still the youngest,’ Jesse answered. ‘He is tending the sheep.’

Samuel said, ‘Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.’

12 So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.

Then the Lord said, ‘Rise and anoint him; this is the one.’

13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.

A. Find Out:

1. What did the Lord say He had done? v.1a
2. What was Samuel NOT to look at when making his choice? v.7a
3. What did the Lord say He looked at? v.7b
4. How was David first described? v.11
5. What did the Lord tell Samuel to do to David? v.12
6. What happened to David from that time on? v.13

B. Think:

1. Look back to 13:14 and read Acts 13:22 What sort of man has the Lord obviously chosen in David?
2. What was the key to Samuel successfully choosing David?
3. What happened outwardly and inwardly to David?

C. Comment:

     Observe first God’s decision to have a new king. Everything that follows is a result of the Lord decreeing His purposes. He has rejected Saul, because Saul had proved to be unworthy of the role of king. (See previous studies in this Series)

     Second, He has chosen another to take his place, for He will not leave Israel rudderless now they have chosen to be led by a king, so now God will choose His king.

     So let’s observe next the criteria for God’s choice. Saul has failed because he was self centred and disobedient. Saul’s heart was not pointed in the right direction. The critical issue about God’s choice is the heart of the man He chooses. We are told that David is “a man after His own heart”, a man who will feel as God feels, and walk in the ways of the Lord, who will lead Israel righteously. Therefore when it comes to choosing the right man from all of Jesse’s sons, it is not who “looks good” but whose heart is good, and only the Lord can see the heart, so Samuel, you will need to let the Lord lead you.

     The lesson for us here? It is what we are inside that matters to God, not what we may pretend to be on the outside. When we have dealings with others, remember it is true of them as well!

D. Application:

1. Am I a person “after God’s own heart”?
2. Will I stop looking on the outside of others?

Passage: 1 Sam 16:14-23

14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.

15 Saul’s attendants said to him, ‘See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the lyre. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes on you, and you will feel better.’

17 So Saul said to his attendants, ‘Find someone who plays well and bring him to me.’

18 One of the servants answered, ‘I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with him.’

19 Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, ‘Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.’ 20 So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.

21 David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armour-bearers. 22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, ‘Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.’

23 Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.

A. Find Out:    

1. What was now happening to Saul and why? v.14,15
2. What was seen to be the remedy for this? v.16
3. How was David described (5 things)? v.18
4. What did Jesse send with David? v.20
5. Why did David stay with Saul? v.21,22
6. What happened when David played his harp? v.23

B. Think:

1. How would you describe what Saul was feeling?
2. Why was David able to alleviate Saul’s feelings?

C. Comment:

     There are two levels to what we have read in this passage. First there is the purely material level, what could be observed, but second there is the spiritual level, behind the observable.

     First the material level. If we looked at Saul we would probably have said he was suffering from stress! He was highly distressed, and humanistic observers might have said it was because he had made mistakes, was worried about his rulership and even his loss of relationship with Samuel and the Lord. The answer is seen to be to provide a soothing influence – David playing his harp!

    Next the spiritual level, what is really behind the outward signs. It is that God is disciplining Saul and allowing demonic activity to come against Saul so that the purposes of God might be worked out.  We see God using such activity in Judges 9:22-24, 1 Kings 22:19 -23 and 1 Corinthians 5:5.  The result here is that God’s chosen man is brought into the “court circle” and when the anointed man plays, the demonic has to retreat.

    Lessons for us? God uses the demonic by allowing them access to unbelievers to chasten and discipline. The man or woman of God with the anointing upon them has no need to fear, and indeed the enemy will flee before them.

D. Application:

1. Thank the Lord that He is sovereign Lord of all.
2. Ensure your life is right with God, giving no room to the enemy.