Tu‘apulelulu Tisema 16, 2021
Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse
Fakafonu lolo ho‘o nifo‘i manu, pea ‘alu, ‘o fai ‘eku fekau kia Sese
1 Samiuela 16 (1 Samuel 16)
(v. 1-3) PEA folofola ‘a Sihova kia Sāmiuela, Ko futu ho‘o fakamamahi koe‘uhi ko Saula, ka kuo u li‘aki ia mei he‘ene Tu‘i ‘Isileli? Fakafonu lolo ho‘o nifo‘i manu, pea ‘alu, ‘o fai ‘eku fekau kia Sese ko e tangata Pētelihema: he kuo u tokonaki haku tu‘i mei hono ngaahi foha. Pea fakatau folofola ‘e Sāmiuela, ‘O u ‘alu fēfē? ka fanongo ki ai ‘e Saula, te ne fakapoongi au. Pea folofola ‘a e ‘Eiki, ‘Alu mo koe ha pulu mui fefine, pea te ke pehē, Ko ‘eku ha‘u ke fai feilaulau kia Sihova. Pea ke tala ‘a e feilaulau kia Sese, pea te u fakahā kiate koe ‘a e me‘a te ke fai: pea te ke pani ma‘aku ‘a ia te u tala kiate koe.
(v. 1-3) Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.” And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” But the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.”
Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible
We now come to the third section of this Book, throughout which David is the principal figure. It would seem that Samuel had given himself over to the sadness occasioned by Saul's failure. Jehovah rebuked him. Perfect conformity to the will of God forbids any kind of prolonged mourning over human failure. If Saul had failed, God had not, and Samuel was now commissioned to arise and anoint His king.
This time the choice was to be made on an entirely new basis. Israel had had a king of physical magnificence, one likely to appeal to their desire for conformity to the ideals of surrounding nations. Jehovah would now appoint a man after His own heart.
The deterioration of Saul became more marked. The chronicler tells us that "an evil spirit from Jehovah troubled him." This is naturally a very arresting and remarkable statement. Its meaning, however, is perfectly clear in its revealing of God's sovereignty of the fact that all the forces of evil, whether they will or no, are still under the government of God.
In preparation for his work as king in the economy of God, David found his way to the court. The occasion of his coming there was the melancholy of the king and his own musical ability. The principal value of this story is its clear revelation of the authority and activity of God in government. Under that government all things are seen moving toward the accomplishment of the divine purpose.
David Guzik :: Study Guide for 1 Samuel 16
How long will you mourn for Saul: There is a time to mourn, but there is also a time to move on. Fill your horn with oil must have excited Samuel, because he knew that God wanted him to anoint someone else as king over Israel.
God will never allow His work to die with the death or failure of a man. If it is God’s work, it goes beyond any man. Perhaps Samuel was paralyzed with mourning because of Saul’s tragic rebellion, but God was not paralyzed.
I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite: Israel’s next king would be found among his sons, the sons of Jesse. Jesse was the grandson of Ruth and Boaz (Ruth 4:17, 22).
How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me: We can certainly understand Samuel’s fear. There isn’t any doubt that Saul would consider this treason. At the same time, it shows a note of fear in Samuel we are almost surprised to see. Perhaps Samuel’s excessive mourning over Saul introduced an element of fear and unbelief in his heart. Samuel didn’t have anything to worry about, because God promised I will show you what you shall do.
Was God telling Samuel to lie? Not at all. “This was strictly true; Samuel did offer a sacrifice; and it does not appear that he could have done the work which God designed, unless he had offered this sacrifice, and called the elders of the people together, and this collected Jesse’s sons. But he did not tell the principle design of his coming; had he done so, it would have produced evil and no good:.” (Clarke)
For I have provided Myself a king among his sons: Years before this, Israel rejected the Lord as their king and they wanted a human king instead. God gave them a human king after their own desire (Saul) but God was still on the throne, crowning who He pleases as He pleased.
The simple fact was that God did rule Israel. They could recognize His rule, submit to it, and enjoy the benefits. Or they could resist His reign over Israel and suffer because of it. It does not matter what my attitude towards God is as far as it affects His ultimate victory. The Lord is God and King, and will always triumph. But my attitude matters a great deal as it affects my ultimate destiny.
We don’t have to fear for the future when we know God has provided for Himself leaders. In some unlikely place God is raising up leaders for His people. He will keep them obscure and hidden until the right time then He will raise them up.
You shall anoint for Me the one I name to you: The first king of Israel was anointed for the people. He was the “king from central casting,” the kind of king the people wanted. Now the “people’s choice” failed and disqualified himself. “Now,” the Lord said, “It’s time for a king for Me.” God was going to show Israel His king.
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