4 And Samuel doth that which Jehovah hath spoken, and cometh in to Beth-Lehem, and the elders of the city tremble to meet him, and `one' saith, `Is thy coming peace?'
and Adonijah son of Haggith cometh in unto Bath-Sheba, mother of Solomon, and she saith, `Is thy coming peace?' and he saith, `Peace.'
And it cometh to pass, at Jehoram's seeing Jehu, that he saith, `Is there peace, Jehu?' and he saith, `What `is' the peace, while the whoredoms of Jezebel thy mother, and her witchcrafts, are many?'
and David goeth out before them, and answereth and saith to them, `If for peace ye have come in unto me, to help me, I have a heart to unite with you; and if to betray me to mine adversaries -- without violence in my hands -- the God of our fathers doth see and reprove.' And the Spirit hath clothed Amasai, head of the captains: `To thee, O David, and with thee, O son of Jesse -- peace! peace to thee, and peace to thy helper, for thy God hath helped thee;' and David receiveth them, and putteth them among the heads of the troop.
`And I -- in my coming in from Padan-`Aram' Rachel hath died by me in the land of Canaan, in the way, while yet a kibrath of land to enter Ephrata, and I bury her there in the way of Ephrata, which `is' Bethlehem.'
And she saith unto Elijah, `What -- to me and to thee, O man of God? thou hast come unto me to cause mine iniquity to be remembered, and to put my son to death!'
Therefore I have hewed by prophets, I have slain them by sayings of My mouth, And My judgments to the light goeth forth.
And Simon Peter having seen, fell down at the knees of Jesus, saying, `Depart from me, because I am a sinful man, O lord;'
And the whole multitude of the region of the Gadarenes round about asked him to go away from them, because with great fear they were pressed, and he having entered into the boat, did turn back.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Samuel 16
Commentary on 1 Samuel 16 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 16
At this chapter begins the story of David, one that makes as great a figure in the sacred story as almost any of the worthies of the Old Testament, one that both with his sword and with his pen served the honour of God and the interests of Israel as much as most ever did, and was as illustrious a type of Christ. Here
1Sa 16:1-5
Samuel had retired to his own house in Ramah, with a resolution not to appear any more in public business, but to addict himself wholly to the instructing and training up of the sons of the prophets, over whom he presided, as we find, ch. 19:20. He promised himself more satisfaction in young prophets than in young princes; and we do not find that, to his dying day, God called him out to any public action relating to the state, but only here to anoint David.
1Sa 16:6-13
If the sons of Jesse were told that God would provide himself a king among them (as he had said, v. 1), we may well suppose they all made the best appearance they could, and each hoped he should be the man; but here we are told,
1Sa 16:14-23
We have here Saul falling and David rising.