The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 293

EXPOSITION. DAVID ANOI~TED AS THE FUTURE KING, AND HIS FIRS'!' INTRODUC'fION TO SAUL, (ea. XVI.) CH.APTER XV I. anarchy would return, and Israel become even more hopelessly a·prey to its former troubles. CHOICE OF DAVID AS SUCCESSOR TO SAUL Samuel, therefore, is to go to Bethlehem (vers. 1-13). Ver. 1.-How long wilt thou and anoint there a son of Jesse. As this place mou.m 1 The grief of Samuel was prolonged lay at some distanr e from Rnmah, and out of .almost to a sinful extent, nor can we wonder the circuit habitually traversed hy Samuel as .at it. We who see Saul's whole career, and judge, he probably had but a general know- know how deeply he fell, are in danger of ledge of the family. Evidently he had no discrediting his high qualities ; but those acquaintance with David (vers. 11, 12) ; but who were witnesses of his military skill and as Jesse was a man of wealth and importance, prowess, and saw him and his heroic son raising his reputation had probably reached the pro- the nation from its feebleness anJ thraldom phet''S ears. to might and empire, must have given him Ver. 2.-And Samuel said, Howcan I go1 an ungrudging admiration. Both David's if Saul hear it, he will kill me. Saul WD.l dirge (2 Sam. i. 19- 27) and Samuel's actually king, and the anointing of another long mourning, and the unqualified obe- in his stead would be regarded as an act of dience which he was able so quickly to open treason, and the stirring up of civil war. extort from a high-spirited people unused to This was not indeed intended. Th!' anoint- being governeJ, bear decisive testimony to his ing of David was 11 prophetic indication of powers as a ruler and commander in war. the man whom God, in his own way and at But God now wams Samuel to mourn no his own time, would place upon Saul's throne, longer. Saul's rejection has become final, without either scheming or action thereto on and God's prophet must sacrifice his personal the part either of Samuel or of David. Its fecling9, and prepare to carry out the pnr- value would chiefly lie in the careful training r,ose indicated in eh. xiii. 14; xv. 28. We he would receive from Samuel ; but when must not, however, conclude that Samuel's David was king, it would• • also greatly ... _,·,ow had only been for Saul r,ersonally; strengthen his position.; for it would be tLcre was danger for the whole nation in his known that from his boyhood he had been <:u!1dnct. If wilfulness and passion gained in marked out for his high office. 1-f ever did him the npper hand, the band of authority man mount a throne with purer hands than 'lrnnld b~ loosed, and the old feebleness and Davi<l; and if San! ,ronlcl have permitted it en. xv1. 1-23.J THE FIUST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 295