Contents ▼▲
Front Matter The Garden of Eden The First Great Crime The Flood The Tower of Babel Abraham Moves into Canaan Sodom and Gomorrah The Trial of Abraham's Faith Searching for a Wife for Isaac Isaac and Rebekah Esau Sells his Birthright Jacob Serves for Rachel Jacob Returns to Canaan Joseph is Sold into Egypt Pharaoh's Dream Joseph's Brethren Buy Corn Jacob Moves into Egypt The Early Life of Moses Egyptians Smitten with Plagues Egyptians Drowned in Red Sea The Lord Provides for Israel Plan to Build the Tabernacle The Golden Calf Wanderings of the Israelites Spying Out the Land of Canaan Punishing the Israelites Balaam is Made to Prophesy Border of the Promised Land Last Days of Moses Rahab Saves the Spies The Destruction of Jericho The Capture of Ai Joshua Conquers Canaan Gideon is Given a Sign Gideon Overcomes Midianites The Punishment of Abimelech Jephthah's Daughter The Young Samson Samson and the Philistines The Death of Samson Naomi and Ruth Ruth and Boaz The Young Samuel Philistines Capture the Ark Philistines Return the Ark Saul in Anointed King Jonathan and the Philistines The Disobedience of Saul Samuel Anoints David David and Goliath Saul is Jealous of David David and Jonathan The Madness of Saul David Spares the Life of Saul The Last Days of King Saul David Becomes King The Rebellion of Absalom The Death of Absalom Solomon Becomes King The Wisdom of Solomon Solomon Builds the Temple Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon Revolt of the Ten Tribes The Wickedness of Jeroboam Elijah Begins His Ministry Elijah Destroys the Prophets Elisha is Made a Prophet Death of Ahab Sickness of Ahaziah Last Days of Elijah Miracles of Elisha Naaman is Cured of Leprosy Flight of the Syrians Jehu is Appointed King The Story of Joash Last days of Elisha Destruction of Sennacherib Judah Led into Captivity Destruction of Jerusalem Daniel Interprets the Dream The Fiery Furnace Madness of Nebuchadnezzer Handwriting on the Wall Daniel in the Lion's Den Jonah Swallowed by a Fish Jonah Warns Nineveh Esther Becomes Queen The Vengeance of Haman Esther Saves Her People The Return from Captivity Nehemiah Rebuilds Jerusalem

Heroes of Israel - Lawton Evans




Samuel Anoints David

Saul was no longer pleasing in the sight of the Lord and He had rejected him from reigning over Israel. Therefore, he said to Samuel: "Fill your horn with oil, and go to Jesse, the Bethlemite, for I have chosen a king among his sons."

"How can I go? If Saul hear it he will kill me," said Samuel. But the Lord told him to take a heifer and say he had come to sacrifice, and when he had called Jesse to the sacrifice the Lord would tell him what to do and whom to anoint to be king over Israel.

Samuel did as the Lord had told him and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the town trembled when they heard he had come, and said: "Do you come peaceably?" And Samuel told them he came peaceably and that he had come to sacrifice to the Lord. He then called Jesse and his sons to the sacrifice.

When they had come, Samuel looked upon Eliab, one of the sons of Jesse, and said: "Surely, the Lord's anointed is before me." But the Lord said to Samuel: "Look not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature, because I have refused him. The Lord sees not as man sees, for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."

Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel, but Samuel replied: "Neither has the Lord chosen this one."

Then Jesse called Shammah and made him pass before Samuel, but Samuel said again: "Neither has the Lord chosen this one."

In the same way Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and to each one the old prophet made the same answer: "Neither has the Lord chosen this one."

"Are these all of your children?" he asked Jesse. To which Jesse replied: "There remains yet the youngest but he keeps the sheep."

"Send and have him brought here, for I shall not sit until he is brought before me," ordered Samuel. And they sent and brought him in, and Samuel saw that he was ruddy and of a beautiful countenance and goodly to look upon. Then the Lord said: "Arise, anoint him, for this is he."

Samuel then took the horn of oil and anointed David as he stood before him in the midst of his brethren and from that day the spirit of the Lord was upon David.

At the same time the spirit of the Lord departed from King Saul and an evil spirit troubled him. His servants said to him: "It is an evil spirit from God that troubles you. Command your servants to seek out some one who can play on the harp so that when the evil spirit is upon you he shall play the harp and you shall be well again."

"Go, find a man that can play well and bring him to me," said the king.

One of the servants said: "I have seen a son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing and a valiant man and a man of war. He is prudent in all matters, comely to look upon and the Lord is with him."

Saul at once sent messengers to Jesse telling him to send David, his son, to him. David came to Saul and stood before him, and Saul loved him greatly so he made him his armor bearer. When the evil spirit was upon Saul, David took his harp and played to him.