1 Samuel 16:2 - Forerunner Commentary

1 Samuel 16:2

David Anointed King

1 Now the Lord said to Samuel, ^a“How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? ^bFill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to ^cJesse the Bethlehemite. For ^dI have provided Myself a king among his sons.”

2 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, ^a‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’

3 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.”

4 So Samuel did what the Lord said, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town ^atrembled at his coming, and said, ^b“Do you come peaceably?”

5 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. ^aSanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice.

6 So it was, when they came, that he looked at ^aEliab and ^bsaid, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!”

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, ^a“Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have¹ refused him. ^bFor the Lord does not see as man sees; for man ^clooks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the ^dheart.”

Verse Comparison: 1 Samuel 16:2

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American Standard Version
And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And Jehovah said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to Jehovah.

Amplified® Bible
Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take a heifer with you and say, I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.

Contemporary English Version
Samuel answered, "If I do that, Saul will find out and have me killed." "Take a calf with you," the LORD replied. "Tell everyone that you've come to offer it as a sacrifice to me,

Darby English Version
And Samuel said, How shall I go? if Saul hear [it], he will kill me. And Jehovah said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to Jehovah.

Good News Bible
"How can I do that?" Samuel asked. "If Saul hears about it, he will kill me!" The LORD answered, "Take a calf with you and say that you are there to offer a sacrifice to the LORD.

King James Version
And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.

New American Standard Bible
But Samuel said, "How can I go? When 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.'"

New International Version
But Samuel said, "How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me."
The LORD said, "Take a heifer with you and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.'

New King James Version
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.’

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
But Samuel said, "How can I go? When 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.'

Revised Standard Version
And Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me." And the LORD said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.'

Young's Literal Translation
And Samuel saith, `How do I go? when Saul hath heard, then he hath slain me.' And Jehovah saith, `A heifer of the herd thou dost take in thy hand, and hast said, To sacrifice to Jehovah I have come;

New English Translation
Samuel replied, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me!” But the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you¹ and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’

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