I Samuel 15:34-16:13
34 Then Samuel went to
Ramah; and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. 35 Samuel did
not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul.
And the LORD was sorry that he had made Saul king over Israel.
The Lord
said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from
being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to
Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” 2
Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And
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 you shall
do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.” 4 Samuel
did what the Lord commanded, and
came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said,
“Do you come peaceably?” 5 He said, “Peaceably; I have come to
sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify
yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he sanctified Jesse and his
sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his
appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for
the Lord does not see as mortals see;
they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord
looks on the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass
before Samuel. He said, “Neither has the Lord
chosen this one.” 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said,
“Neither has the Lord chosen this
one.” 10 Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel
said to Jesse, “The Lord has not
chosen any of these.” 11 Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons
here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the
sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down
until he comes here.” 12 He sent and brought him in. Now he was
ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” 13
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his
brothers; and the spirit of the Lord
came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to
Ramah.
In I Samuel
15:34-35, we learn that Saul (to his house in Gibeah, four miles north of Jerusalem) and Samuel (to Ramah)
separate. Samuel is in grief or distressed. It shows a surprisingly emotional side of the aged prophet and judge
that contrasts sharply with his grim ritual dismemberment of the Amalekite king
Agag just verses before (15:33). Given Samuel’s displeasure in the institution
of kingship per se (see I Samuel 8), his sustained grief over the rejection of
Saul is even more puzzling. It may have been regret for having chosen
the wrong person to be Israel’s first king (an error for which Samuel could
hardly bear full responsibility, acting, as he did, as the instrument of the
divine. Samuel’s grief may also have been sorrow over the impending defeat of
Israel’s army by the Philistines and Saul’s death in battle. Saul’s
unfaithfulness, manifest repeatedly during his kingship, may also have prompted
the prophet’s grief. The text does not indicate what about Saul was the precise
source of Samuel’s grief and it is likely that the ambiguity is deliberate. We
then have the interesting anthropomorphic statement that the Lord was sorry or in sorrow in
making Saul king.
Granting the
anthropomorphic nature of the comment, this story raises the question of
whether we can also make the Lord sorry or sorrowful. The New Testament
indicates we can when it refers to grieving the Holy Spirit. John Wesley
responds to the question of how even mature Christians can grieve the Holy
Spirit. He has an interesting turn phrase, “Their soul is out of tune and
cannot make true harmony.” How does this happen? Well, they have conversation
that does not minister grace, they lack kindness, they give in to anger, they
lack forgiveness, and they gossip. They lack patience, gentleness, goodness,
faithfulness, meekness, quietness of spirit, and temperance. In referring to
the failing of some who made claims of great advances in their spiritual life,
but who did not seem to exhibit the fruit I just mentioned, he said that they
prefer preaching, reading, or conversation that gives them temporary joy and
comfort rather than that which brings godly sorrow or instruction in
righteousness. Such faith has more focus upon itself than on God.[1]
Christian character is as simple, profound, and difficult, as is all of that.
We do not often look for leadership in such places. Maybe we should.
I
Samuel 16:1-13 has the theme of Samuel bringing oil for the anointing of a new
king. This story is transitional in the canonical text in that it prepares the
way for the story of the decline of Saul and rise of David that we find in I
Samuel 16:14-II Samuel 1:27. It arises from prophetic circles. It arose as part
of the legends around David in the time of Judah.[2]
The main point is that David did not get to be king by ambition or his own
action, but by divine appointment. A
secondary point is that God did not give the expected choice, but rather chose
the unexpected. The Lord said to Samuel,
“How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over
Israel. The text gives us no indication of how much time has passed. The
question suggests the grief is immoderate. Fill
your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. The
Lord merely instructs Samuel to get on with it and go to Bethlehem to find
Jesse, a man with eight sons, one of whom will be the new king. Jesse was of
the house of Perez and grandson of Boaz and Ruth, for which see Ruth 4:17-22
and 1 Chronicles 2:3-12. The reason Samuel can do this is that I have provided for myself a king among his
sons.” 2 Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will
kill me.” Samuel rightly sees the problem with this when he expresses fear
for his safety. After all, why would Saul allow the prophet to anoint a rival
to his throne? Samuel’s hesitancy to go to Bethlehem
for fear of reprisal from Saul (16:2) is in marked contrast to his earlier
fearless confrontation with the king over the issue of contraband (15:10-31).
Saul’s ability to inspire fear in the hearts of his subjects will figure
prominently again in the final encounter between Saul and Samuel (chapter 28;
but note that the roles are also reversed, with Saul fainting in fear at the
words of Samuel, 18:20). Moreover,
the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to
the Lord.’ The fact that God no longer cares for Saul is clear when God
instructs Samuel on how to deceive Saul about his true intent. He is to pretend
simply to be fulfilling a ritual obligation to sacrifice, in case anyone asks. 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice,
and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom
I name to you.” Anointing (rather than crowning)
was the primary ritual associated with the designation of kings in ancient
Israel and throughout the ancient Near East. Anointing was also the primary means
by which one designated objects, human and nonhuman, as having a special
relationship with the divine. Jacob’s pillar at Bethel, a sacred object at a
sacred site, was anointed with oil (Genesis 28:18), as were the tabernacle and
its furnishings, especially the altar (Exodus 29:36). The power of anointing to
render an object sacrosanct is probably the reason David refused to harm Saul,
“the LORD’s anointed,” when the latter was in his power (1 Samuel 24:6, 10).
However, anointing placed on the king the burden of a divinely designated duty
as well as divine patronage (and, apparently, to some extent, protection). He
was the earthly representative of the heavenly ruler. The expectation was that
the earthly king was to administer justice befitting his quasi-divine status
(adoption being an important metaphor for the king’s relation to the divine;
cf. Psalm 2:7). The protection of society’s most vulnerable, symbolized by the
widow and the orphan, was the paramount expression of the king’s justice, and
failure in that regard was viewed throughout the Bible as rank dereliction and
a serious breach of the covenantal relationship between God, king and people. 4 Samuel did what the Lord
commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling.
The Bethlehemites obviously have some question as to why Samuel is in
Judahite territory. Thus, the intriguing
uncertainties in the story continue. They said, “Do you come peaceably?” Why the
residents of Bethlehem would need reassurance of Samuel’s irenic intentions is
unclear. The prophet, like his king, may have acquired a reputation for
fearsomeness (which his treatment of Agag would not have meliorated), or the
elders’ question may reflect hostilities otherwise unmentioned in the biblical
text. They want to know if he has come for peaceful purposes. The fact
that he is Saul's councilor of war, who did not receive the support of everyone
unconditionally (10:27), may have made them think that Samuel's visit had
military overtones. 5 He said,
“Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come
with me to the sacrifice.” He sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to
the sacrifice.
6 When they came, he looked on
Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord.” Both
Samuel and Jesse appear convinced they know what constitutes a pleasing,
upright individual before God. Samuel
the priest is sure that the first of Jesse's sons, Eliab, is the cone intended
for kingly anointing. However, Samuel
the prophet receives quite a different message from the Lord.7 However, the Lord said to Samuel, likely by
casting lots, “Do not look on his
appearance or on the height of his stature. The mention of the height of
Eliab as something attractive about him is interesting. The height of Saul also
made him attractive. The reason is because
I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the
outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” We look at people and
rush to judgment based on first impressions or outward appearances. Yet, image
is not everything. Appearances can deceive. The Lord cuts through all the
appearances and masks we love to wear for each other, and looks deep into the
real self that we often hide under all those layers of makeup, material things
and make-believe roles we play. Beauty and goodness do not automatically
equate. Eliab may have been a new Saul, since his appearance may have been
striking. A
traditional proverb reminds us that a mule dressed in a tuxedo is still a mule.
People have often commented that our concern ought to be with character rather
than reputation. After all, reputation is who you are in public. Character is
whom you are when no one is looking.
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and
made him pass before Samuel. Jesse becomes the next one eager to select the
most likely of his sons for Samuel’s scrutiny.
Though the text does not record Samuel telling Jesse of his true
mission, Jesse recognizes that this old prophet and kingmaker is on the lookout
for someone for some great purpose. He said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this
one.” 9 Then Jesse made Shammah, called Shimea in I Chronicles
2:13, 20:7, and II Samuel 21:21, pass by.
He said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 Jesse made seven
of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not
chosen any of these.” 11 Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons
here?” Jesse's response demeans his eighth son. He said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.”
The youngest is not present when dad invited the rest to an important
sacrificial ceremony. Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him;
for we will not sit down until he comes here.” Samuel immediately demands
that they not only bring this eighth son to him for consideration, but he
further elevates this boy's importance by refusing to begin any of the feasting
rituals until they bring him. The story
now treats the uninvited as the long-awaited guest of honor. 12 He sent and brought him in.
Now he was ruddy, had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. Ruddiness was a
characteristic coupled with pale, milky skin.
Indeed, the Philistine Goliath found David's fragile beauty a matter for
soldierly contempt and dismissal.
Physical symptoms give evidence of divine favor. It is the familiar biblical theme of the younger son being divinely
favored in preference to his older brother(s), one of the several biblical
reminders of the variance between divine and human ways. Nevertheless,
the Lord sees the heart. This would have to be true, because the text does not
try to deny, even after all of David's brothers have been rejected and he, the
unlikely youngest, has been chosen, that David himself was physically
attractive! The Lord may have valued his heart, but David was also, like Saul,
good to look at. The beauty of kings (as well as
queens) was commonplace in the ancient world, of course, but the text before us
is at pains to repudiate such mundane and unreliable characteristics of a
ruler’s true merit. What seems more likely than the biblical writer’s
unreflectively adopting a royal cliché is a foreshadowing of the troubles ahead
for David and his various interpersonal relationships, especially those (such
as with the wife of Uriah the Hittite, Bathsheba, 2 Samuel 11; and Saul’s son,
Jonathan, 1 Samuel 18) predicated upon his personal charisma. David’s physical
and emotional attractiveness would work to his life’s woe as well as its weal. The Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; for
this is the one.” The text shows the importance of prophetic anointing and
divine election. The emphasis is on the divine freedom to choose the next
king. As unlikely candidates for
kingship, both David and Saul represent Israel's own self-perception as an
underdog nation. It is no strength or worthiness of their own that results in
God's favor. It is only because the Lord saw into the hearts of Israel's
founders that the Lord found them worthy. In this, we can see that God's choice
of David and Saul, flawed as they both were, mirrors God's choice of Israel,
and God's choice of us all. The Lord's message to Samuel, however, is
unequivocal -- "This is the one" (v. 12). With no hesitation, therefore, Samuel anoints
David -- although only in the presence of his immediate family. 13
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his
brothers. Prophetic anointing replaces the pattern similar to the Judges
period of popular acclamation. Now the free divine election of a shepherd boy
from Judah replaces the popular election of the handsome, from a wealthy
nobleman's family. This text is an
important example of the thought that the election traditions of Israel always
connect with an historical act on the part of the Lord that forms the starting
point and basis of salvation history with the people of the Lord. Related to
this concept are statements about the election of individuals, especially King
David. The point is that the election of individuals has a close attachment to
the social relation on behalf of the people. [3]
Further, the spirit of the Lord came
mightily upon David from that day forward. The breath of life given to all
of us at creation becomes a special endowment with the Spirit of God. Yet, this
does not mean a special and momentary ecstatic experience, but of forms of
lasting endowment with the Spirit of God. From the moment of his anointing, the
nature of David's kingship is radically different from Saul's kingship. This abiding Spirit makes possible the
Davidic covenant theology that establishes David's house forever. [4] The notion
of this divine presence that accompanied David for the rest of his life was the
theological construal later generations, probably around 750-721 BC. It
explained his phenomenal success in establishing a monarchy that lasted nearly
half a millennium. He was both a witness and the one who enabled the
transformation of Israel from an insignificant tribal confederation to one of
the most important presences of the area. This is in stark contrast to the
following passage in which the text says that an evil spirit had come upon Saul
(16:14). Samuel then set out and went to
Ramah. Samuel returns to Ramah. In the face of Israel's greatest threat,
the Philistine army, Samuel oversees the establishment of Israel's greatest
experiment -- the monarchy.
I
offer a brief meditation based upon this passage.
The
choices God makes have no necessity attached to them. We can see this fact in
the story of the decline and fall of Saul
and the rise of David . At one time,
God chose Saul , the first king of the
twelve tribes. However, later, through a series of choices Saul made, God rejects Saul
and tells Samuel to anoint another.
The choices of God are always free. It took Samuel
a while to adjust. He seemed to grieve over this rejection, but in the mind of
the Lord, a little too long (I Samuel 16:1). It was time for Samuel , and for Israel
Samuel
himself seems confused by the choices of God. He looks at the sons of Jesse , finds all of them handsome, but discovers that
God does not choose any of the sons brought forward by Jesse .
Of course, in this familiar story, the end consists of God choosing the
youngest, David, for the future king.
Things
have not changed. The beautiful, the tall, and the eldest, often receive preferential
treatment. A little honesty and self-examination will show that the Samuel bias runs through most of us. If people are
beautiful, they must be interesting. If they are wealthy, they must be wise. If
they show strength, they must be confident. We assume the internals based on
the externals and the appearance rather than the heart (I Samuel 16:7).
What can we learn from this story? We need to look
for God at work in unlikely places. We can all develop an intentional process
of suspending our appearance biases. Finally, maybe God is calling us to anoint
someone in such a way that he or she can see the God-given potential he or she
has.
[1] A Plain Account of Christian Perfection section
25, question 27-28
[2]
Under a theory I happen to like, prophetic legend and the development of what
we might think of as saints occurs in the 750-721 BC period. The influence is
from the same circle who put together the E Document in the Pentateuch. The
story is more like a saga, even if some historical elements remain. Such
stories attach to specific persons because of who they are, showing how unique
and close to the Lord they were.
[3]
Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume
3, 443.
[4]
Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume
3, 9.
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