How is David chosen from Isai’s sons, and how does he later come to serve Saul?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

After seven sons are not chosen, Samuel has the remaining young shepherd brought in; the Lord identifies him, and Samuel anoints David among his brothers. Later a servant recommends Isai’s skilful son as a harp player, Saul sends for David and makes him his armourbearer.

Chapter breakdown

The Lord asks how long Samuel will mourn Saul, whom he has rejected from ruling Israel. He tells Samuel to fill his horn with oil and go to Isai the Bethlehemite, because he has provided a king among Isai’s sons. Samuel asks how he can go, saying Saul will hear and kill him. The Lord tells him to take a calf from the herd and say he has come to sacrifice to the Lord. He must call Isai to the sacrifice; the Lord will show what to do and whom to anoint. Samuel does as told and comes to Bethlehem. The city’s ancients wonder and meet him, asking whether his coming is peaceable. He says it is, that he comes to sacrifice, and tells them to be sanctified and join him. He sanctifies Isai and his sons and calls them to the sacrifice.

When they enter, Samuel sees Eliab and asks whether the Lord’s anointed is before him. The Lord tells him not to look at Eliab’s countenance or height, because he has rejected him. He does not judge as man looks: man sees what appears, but the Lord sees the heart. Isai brings Abinadab, whom the Lord has not chosen, and then Samma, also not chosen. Isai brings his seven sons before Samuel, who says the Lord has chosen none of these. Asked whether all his sons are there, Isai says a young one remains keeping the sheep. Samuel tells him to send and fetch him, because they will not sit down until he comes. The young man is brought: he is ruddy, beautiful to behold and has a comely face. The Lord tells Samuel to rise and anoint him, for this is he. Samuel uses the horn of oil to anoint him among his brothers. The Lord’s Spirit comes upon David from that day forward, and Samuel goes to Ramatha.

The Lord’s Spirit departs from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubles him. Challoner separately explains this as an evil spirit that, by divine permission and for Saul’s punishment, either possessed or obsessed him. Both alternatives are retained. Saul’s servants say an evil spirit from God troubles him and propose that he order them to find a skilful harp player. When the evil spirit from the Lord is upon Saul, the player may play with his hand so Saul may bear it more easily. Saul orders them to find and bring someone who plays well. One servant says he has seen a son of Isai the Bethlehemite who is a skilful player, of great strength, fit for war, prudent in his words and comely, and that the Lord is with him.

Saul sends messengers to Isai asking for David, his son in the pastures. Isai sends by David’s hand an ass loaded with bread, a bottle of wine and a kid of the flock. David comes and stands before Saul, who loves him exceedingly and makes him his armourbearer. Saul tells Isai to let David stand before him because he has found favour in his sight. Whenever the evil spirit from the Lord is upon Saul, David takes his harp and plays with his hand. Saul is refreshed and better, and the evil spirit departs from him. Challoner separately says it is chased away by David’s devotion.

The story inside

The Lord’s instruction answers Samuel’s mourning and his stated danger from Saul with a calf, a sacrifice announcement and promised direction. At Bethlehem the ancients ask about peace. Seven sons are not chosen, and the heart-versus-appearance statement follows Samuel’s question about Eliab. The remaining shepherd is fetched, identified and anointed, and the Spirit comes upon David. The account next describes Saul’s troubling spirit and his servants’ proposed harp player. A servant’s description leads Saul to send for David; Isai sends gifts with him, Saul appoints him armourbearer and repeated harp playing brings relief. The two actual notes explain the spirit and its departure separately.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The choice follows stated direction. Samuel’s question about Eliab is answered by a distinction between outward appearance and the heart. After seven sons are not chosen, he asks for the remaining son and waits before sitting down.
2
The recommendation has several parts. The servant names musical skill, strength, fitness for war, prudent speech, appearance and the Lord’s presence. Saul’s summons and appointment follow that report without a stated suspicion about David’s anointing.
3
The relief and the notes have different speakers. Scripture describes harp playing, Saul’s improvement and the spirit’s departure. Challoner adds divine permission and punishment with either possession or obsession, and explains departure by devotion; no diagnosis or wider treatment claim is added.

Test your recall

How does Samuel’s concern lead to the journey instructions, why is the remaining shepherd fetched, and how do the servants’ proposal and recommendation lead to David’s appointment and Saul’s relief?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 29830–29854
1 Kings Chapter 16 Samuel is sent to Bethlehem, where he anointeth David: who is taken into Saul’s family. 16:1. And the Lord said to Samuel: How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, whom I have rejected from reigning over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and come, that I may send thee to Isai, the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons. 16:2. And Samuel said: How shall I go? for Saul will hear of it, and he will kill me. And the Lord said: Thou shalt take with thee a calf of the herd, and thou shalt say: I am come to sacrifice to the Lord. 16:3. And thou shalt call Isai to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou art to do, and thou shalt anoint him whom I shall shew to thee. 16:4. Then Samuel did as the Lord had said to him. And he came to Bethlehem, and the ancients of the city wondered, and meeting him, they said: Is thy coming hither peaceable? 16:5. And he said: It is peaceable: I am come to offer sacrifice to the Lord, be ye sanctified, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Isai and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
Lines 29856–29884
16:6. And when they were come in, he saw Eliab, and said: Is the Lord’s anointed before him? 16:7. And the Lord said to Samuel: Look not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature: because I have rejected him, nor do I judge according to the look of man: for man seeth those things that appear, but the Lord beholdeth the heart. 16:8. And Isai called Abinadab, and brought him before Samuel. And he said: Neither hath the Lord chosen this, 16:9. And Isai brought Samma, and he said of him: Neither hath the Lord chosen this. 16:10. Isai therefore brought his seven sons before Samuel: and Samuel said to Isai: The Lord hath not chosen any one of these. 16:11. And Samuel said to Isai: Are here all thy sons? He answered: There remaineth yet a young one, who keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said to Isai: Send, and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. 16:12. He sent therefore and brought him. Now he was ruddy and beautiful to behold, and of a comely face. And the Lord said: Arise, and anoint him, for this is he. 16:13. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward: and Samuel rose up, and went to Ramatha.
Lines 29886–29906
16:14. But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. From the Lord.... An evil spirit, by divine permission, and for his punishment, either possessed or obsessed him. 16:15. And the servants of Saul said to him: Behold now an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. 16:16. Let our lord give orders, and thy servants who are before thee, will seek out a man skilful in playing on the harp, that when the evil spirit from the Lord is upon thee, he may play with his hand, and thou mayst bear it more easily. 16:17. And Saul said to his servants: Provide me then some man that can play well, and bring him to me. 16:18. And one of the servants answering, said: Behold I have seen a son of Isai, the Bethlehemite, a skilful player, and one of great strength, and a man fit for war, and prudent in his words, and a comely person: and the Lord is with him.
Lines 29908–29927
16:19. Then Saul sent messengers to Isai, saying: Send me David, thy son, who is in the pastures. 16:20. And Isai took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid of the flock, and sent them by the hand of David, his son, to Saul. 16:21. And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him exceedingly, and made him his armourbearer. 16:22. And Saul sent to Isai, saying: Let David stand before me: for he hath found favour in my sight. 16:23. So whensoever the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, David took his harp, and played with his hand, and Saul was refreshed, and was better, for the evil spirit departed from him. Departed from him.... Chased away by David’s devotion.