David Is Anointed
"The LORD sees the heart"
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- A verse number shows the Bible’s exact words.
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Story
What happened?
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The whole story, in shortWhat happens, start to finish. Open it if you want the ending first.
God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint one of Jesse's sons as the next king. When Samuel saw the tall oldest son, God said, "Man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart," and seven sons were passed over. The youngest, David, was out with the sheep, and when he came in, God said, "He is the one," and Samuel anointed him.
Where it is in the Bible: 1 Samuel 16:1-13
Who’s who and what came beforePeople, places, and the story so far. Open it anytime.
Scene Card
Cast
- Samuel: God's prophet. He anointed Saul as Israel's first king.
- Saul: Israel's king. He has turned away from God.
- Jesse: A man from Bethlehem with eight sons.
- Eliab and his brothers: Jesse's seven older sons. They are tall and strong.
- David: Jesse's youngest son. He is out taking care of the sheep.
- The LORD: God. LORD in capital letters stands for God's personal name. Jewish readers traditionally don't say it aloud, out of respect.
Setting
- Bethlehem, a small town in the hills of Judah.
When
- About 3,000 years ago, while Saul was king.
Before the Story
Israel asked for a king. They wanted to be like the other nations. God gave them Saul (8:5, 10:1).
Saul looked like a king. He was a head taller than everyone else (9:2).
But Saul stopped obeying God. So God rejected him as king (15:23). Samuel was heartbroken.
Map of the Story
| Scene | Verses | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Fill your horn with oil | 16:1-5 | God sends Samuel to Bethlehem |
| 2. Not this one | 16:6-10 | Seven sons pass before Samuel |
| 3. The youngest | 16:11-13 | David is anointed |
Plain Retelling
Scene 1 of 3Fill Your Horn With Oil
The LORD said to Samuel, "How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel?" (16:1).
"Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself" (16:1).
Samuel was afraid. If Saul heard, he might kill him.
God told Samuel to take a young cow and go to offer a sacrifice. God would show him what to do.
The leaders of Bethlehem trembled when Samuel came. "Do you come in peace?" they asked (16:4).
"In peace," Samuel said (16:5). He invited Jesse and his sons to the sacrifice.
Scene 2 of 3Not This One
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab, Jesse's oldest son. He was tall and impressive.
Samuel thought, "Surely this is the one God has chosen!"
But the LORD said, "Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart" (16:7).
Then Jesse brought his next son. Not this one. And the next. Not this one either.
Seven sons passed in front of Samuel. "The LORD has not chosen any of these" (16:10).
Scene 3 of 3The Youngest
Samuel asked Jesse, "Are these all the sons you have?" (16:11).
"There is still the youngest," Jesse replied, "but he is tending the sheep" (16:11).
Nobody had even thought to invite him.
"Send for him," Samuel said. They wouldn't sit down to eat until he came (16:11).
So they brought David in from the fields.
The LORD said, "Rise and anoint him, for he is the one" (16:12).
Samuel poured the oil on David's head in front of his brothers. To anoint means to pour oil on someone to show God has chosen them.
From that day on, the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully on David.
Meaning
What does it mean?
Read It
What Does This Mean?
| The text says | It means |
|---|---|
| "How long are you going to mourn for Saul" (16:1) | God had a new plan, even in Samuel's sadness. |
| "I have selected from his sons a king" (16:1) | God chose the king. People didn't. |
| "Do not consider his appearance or height" (16:7) | Looks don't show what someone is really like. |
| "The LORD sees the heart" (16:7) | God knows who we really are on the inside. |
| "There is still the youngest" (16:11) | The one nobody counted was the one God chose. |
| "The Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David" (16:13) | God gave David his power to do what he called him to do. |
Back Then
Oil was kept in an animal horn. Pouring oil on someone's head showed that God had chosen them for a special job, like priest or king.
"Anointed one" in Hebrew is "Messiah." In Greek, it is "Christ." Jesus is the Anointed One, the King God promised.
The youngest son had the least important job. Watching sheep was often left to the youngest or to servants.
Literal Reader Alert
Does God not care how I look? God made your body, and it is good. But he loves you for who you are, not for how you look.
Did David become king right away? No. Saul stayed king for years. David waited, served Saul, and fled from him before he finally became king.
Was David perfect? No. David later did terrible wrongs. God's choice was about grace, not about David being perfect.
How People Feel
| Who | Feeling | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Samuel | Sad | He was mourning for Saul (16:1) |
| Samuel | Afraid | Saul might kill him (16:2) |
| The town leaders | Nervous | They trembled when Samuel came (16:4) |
| David's brothers | Surprised | Their youngest brother was chosen (16:13) |
For you
What does it mean for me?
Your Turn
Have you ever felt overlooked? Tap one.
Yes, often
Nobody even invited David. God chose him anyway.
I judge by looks
Everyone does. God sees the heart. Ask him to help you see that way.
I feel too small
David was the youngest. God doesn't need you to be big.
I'm waiting
David waited years to become king. God keeps his promises.
You Might Have Heard
"God only uses impressive people."
What's true: God gives people many gifts, including strength and talent.
What the story is mainly about: Seven impressive brothers were passed over. The forgotten youngest, out with the sheep, was God's choice. God sees the heart, and he often chooses people the world overlooks.
Where Jesus is: About a thousand years later, another king was born in Bethlehem, from David's family. Jesus is the Good Shepherd and the Anointed King. He too was overlooked: he had "no stately form or majesty to attract us" (Isaiah 53:2).
Good News
Everyone looked at the tall older brothers. God looked at the shepherd boy.
"For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart" (16:7).
God sees you completely, and he loves you. In Jesus, the true Anointed King from Bethlehem, he chose you as his own.
God chose the youngest shepherd boy to be king. He sees the heart, and he chooses people the world overlooks.
Big Idea
God sent Samuel to anoint a new king, and chose David, the youngest shepherd boy. Man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.
If this story brings up big feelings, talk with someone you trust, like a parent, pastor, or counselor.
For leaders and parentsLuther, church readings, and notes for teaching.
From Luther
Luther taught that God doesn't find people lovable and then love them. God's love creates what is lovable. He loves people who seem like nothing.
In Church
Many churches follow the Revised Common Lectionary. In Year A, it reads 1 Samuel 16:1-13 on the Fourth Sunday in Lent, next to Jesus healing a man born blind.
We quote Luther for what he got right about grace. He also wrote terrible things about Jewish people. Read our note on that.
Memorize
How do I keep it?
One line from this story to learn by heart. Practice a little now. It will come back later so it sticks.
For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.
How did that feel?
Using this at church
Read in church on
- Fourth Sunday in Lent Year AFirst reading, 1 Samuel 16:1–13
For a newsletter or sermon notes
David Is Anointed, explained in plain words. Seven tall brothers are passed over. God chooses the shepherd boy. About 8 minutes. https://freescripture.org/stories/david-is-anointed/
Lines for the next eight Sundays, on Digital Lutheran Church