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…

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, 1 Sam. 19:20.

If the sons of Jesse were told that God would provide himself a king among them (as he had said, 1 Sam. 16:1), 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, I.

We have here Saul falling and David rising. I. Here is Saul made a terror to himself : The Spirit of the Lord departed from him. He having forsaken God and his duty, God, in a way of righteous judgment, withdrew from him those assistances of the good Spirit with which he was directed, animated, and…