1 Samuel 16:13

Then Samuel took the horn of oil,.... Out of his pocket, which he brought along with him by the direction of God: and anointed him in the midst of his brethren; not in the presence of them, they

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. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

In the midst of his brethren: according to this translation, his brethren were present at this act, and knew that David was anointed king. But this seems, to some, neither consistent with Samuel’ s design of secrecy, nor with Eliab’ s scornful words concerning him after this, . But to this others reply, that David’ s brethren saw David’ s unction, but did not particularly understand that he was anointed to the kingdom; but were only told by Samuel at he was anointed to some great service, which hereafter they should know, but at present it was fit to be concealed. Thus Jesse only and David understood the whole business, and his brethren were able to attest to that act of Samuel’ s anointing him, which, with other collateral evidences, was abundantly sufficient to prove David’ s right to the kingdom, if need should be. And this seems fairly to accord and explain the matter. But the words may be otherwise translated out of the Hebrew, that he anointed him out of the midst of his brethren, i.e. he selected him from amongst the rest of his brethren to be king; as Christ is said to be raised from the midst of his brethren. And whereas the Hebrew word is bekereb, in the midst, not mikkereb, out of the midst; it is confessed that the preposition beth, in, is oft used for min, of, or out of, as hath been formerly showed by many instances; and so it may be here. And further, the place may be thus rendered, that Samuel anointed him, being taken out of the midst of his brethren; and so these words may be added, to signify that Samuel took him out from the rest of the company, and privately anointed him; Jesse only being present at the action. And thus there is an ellipsis of a verb or particle, which is frequent; as , The woman was taken (i.e. was taken and carried) into Pharaoh’ s house; and many such places. The Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward, i.e. he was immediately endowed with extraordinary gifts of God’ s Spirit, as strength, and courage, and wisdom, and magnanimity, and other excellent qualities, which fitted him for and put him upon noble attempts; for which he presently grew famous, even whilst he lived a private life. See below, 17:34, &c.

1 Samuel 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. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.Ver. 13. Then Samuel took the horn of oil.] Not a cruse or phial, as when Saul and Jehu were anointed, to show the short continuance of their kingdom, say some. And anointed him in the midst of his brethren,] i.e., Amongst them all, as Deuteronomy 18:15 Exodus 33:5. Not in the presence of them all; for then Saul might soon have heard all. Seven may keep counsel, if six be away. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon David.] Not the spirit of felicity only, as R. Levi, but the spirit of fortitude, of prudence, of prophecy, and of piety, whereby he became, as his name David signifieth, dilectus et desiderabilis, amiable and acceptable to all, able to do great exploits, and famous for them; so that the courtiers took notice of him, and commended him to their prince.

(13) Anointed him in the midst of his brethren.—The history here simply relates the bare fact that the young shepherd was anointed in the presence of his brethren. No words of Samuel on this occasion are recorded; we are left, therefore, uncertain whether any reason was given for the choice of David, or any explanation of this peculiar anointing. It would seem most probable that Samuel kept silence for the present respecting the high destinies of the boy standing before him, and that he merely anointed him as one chosen to be his assistant in the sacrifice he was about to offer, stating probably that the Spirit of the Lord had directed him thus to associate the young son of Jesse with himself, and to adopt him in some way as a pupil in his prophetic school. From this time forward much of David’s time was doubtless spent in Samuel’s company. From him he received his training in poetry and music, for which he subsequently became distinguished; from the wise seer, too, the future king derived those early lessons of wisdom and learning which enabled him later to fill so nobly the great position for which he was thus early marked out. David was, before everything, Samuel’s pupil, and the last years of that long and memorable career of the prophet were spent in moulding the life of Israel’s greatest king. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon David . . . (14) But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul.—This “Spirit of the Lord” which on the day of his anointing by Samuel came upon the shepherd boy, was the “Holy Ghost, or good Spirit of God,” and is clearly and formally opposed to those evil spirits which (to use the words of Bishop Pearson) “must be acknowledged persons of a spiritual and intellectual subsistence, as the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. Now, what those evil spirits from the Lord were is apparent from the sad example of Ahab, concerning whom we read, There came out a spirit and stood before the Lord, and said, I will entice him; and the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? and he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail; go out, and do even so. From whence it is evident that the evil spirits from God were certain persons—even bad angels—to which the one good Spirit as a person is opposed, departing from him to whom the other cometh” (Bishop Pearson, Creed, Art. 8). The effect of this descent of the Spirit of the Lord upon David was that the shepherd boy grew up into a hero, a statesman, a scholar, and a wise, far-sighted king.

Verse 13. The Spirit of the Lord came upon David] God qualified him to be governor of his people, by infusing such graces as wisdom, prudence, counsel, courage, liberality, and magnanimity.

13. in the midst of his brethren] This can only mean “in the presence of his brethren.” As in the subsequent history they do not seem to have any idea of their brother’s high destiny, the true significance of the act appears to have been concealed from them. Whether it was made clear even to Jesse and David himself may be doubted. They may have supposed that Samuel had selected David for a pupil in his prophetic school. See 1 Samuel 19:18 ff. the spirit of the Lord came upon David] As upon Saul at the first (1 Samuel 10:6). For “came upon” see note on 1 Samuel 11:6. The special supernatural preparation for his office began from that hour. David] The name means “beloved” or “darling,” and was probably given to him as the youngest of the family.

The Spirit ... came upon David - The exact phrase used of the Judges and Saul. See 1 Samuel 10:6, note; Judges 3:10, note; Judges 6:34, note; Judges 11:29, note; Judges 14:18, note; Judges 15:14, note.

13. Anointed him in the midst of his brethren — But though these sons of Jesse saw this honour conferred on their youngest brother, they seem not to have understood its meaning.