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1 Samuel 16:18-23

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

18. Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, [that is] cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD [is] with him. 19. Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which [is] with the sheep. 20. And Jesse took an ass [laden] with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent [them] by David his son unto Saul. 21. And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer. 22. And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight. 23. And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

1 Samuel 16:18-23 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on 1 Samuel 16:18

Theological / Devotional

Son of Jesse. Apparently David’s reputation as a musician and a man of bravery, sound judgment, and tact was already established before his appearance at court and his victory over Goliath. David was probably a youth on the verge of manhood, for a little later, at the time of his encounter with Goliath, he is described both as a “boy,” Heb. na‘ar (“young man,” ch. 17:58), and as a “young man,” Heb. ‘elem (“stripling,” v. 56).

Lord is with him. Though it was not generally known that David had been anointed king, nothing could hide the fact that the Holy Spirit, who had taken control of his life in a special way at the time of his anointing (see on v. 13), was successfully preparing him for the important tasks that lay ahead.

By SdaBc