DAWN
Daily Arts Web Nucleus
Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture plus an explanation with links 2014 June 20
Image 1: The Anointing of David (1564)
Paolo Veronese (1528-1588)
Italian Renaissance Style
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria
Image Credit: Telegraph CO UK
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Image 2: Saul and David (1655-1660)
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606-1669)
Dutch Golden Age Baroque Style
Mauritshuis, The Hague, South Holland, Netherlands
Image Credit: Web Gallery of Art
Explanation: In 1 Samuel 16 Samuel anoints David as the next king of Israel; and Saul takes David into his court as a minstrel and an armor bearer. Both of these incidents are illustrated above. Rembrandt's painting is similar to an earlier version of the same setting by the artist which appeared previously in DAWN.
The LORD told Samuel to stop mourning for Saul and anoint one of Jesse's sons to take Saul's place as king. To avoid the wrath of Saul the LORD told Samuel to go to Bethlehem and announce a sacrifice and leave his main purpose (to anoint a new king) a secret; and he told Samuel to call Jesse and his sons to the sacrifice. He did this and assembled the townspeople and Jesse and his sons (1-5). As Jesse's sons passed before Samuel, the LORD rejected each one, saying, "man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." An eighth son, David, the youngest, was in the field watching the sheep. And Samuel had him brought before him. As David entered the room the LORD said, "Arise, anoint him: for this is he." Samuel anointed him in the midst of his brothers and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that time on. After the anointing Samuel returned to Ramah (6-13).
On the question of David's age at this time, various commentators estimate it to be around fifteen, and about the same when he entered Saul's service. An age in his teens seems probable from the various references and allusions to his youth.
Another question concerns the amount of information, if any, which Samuel disclosed as to the purpose of the anointing. Opinion varies from full disclosure to no disclosure. I hold to the no disclosure theory. Certainly an anointing would single out the person anointed as a recipient of a special honor (i.e., as a guest of honor). The recipient and the onlookers may have also speculated that a special blessing was in store for the recipient. This was the first of many things that called the attention of others to David. But the mission of Samuel was secret (1 Samuel 16:1-3). So it is credible that it stayed secret -- the LORD revealing the full purpose of the act to David and to others as time went on and multiple factors pointed to David as the next king and to his calling and enabling for that task by the LORD. Neither Saul (1 Samuel 17:55-58) nor David's family (particularly his elder brother Eliab -- 1 Samuel 17:28) seems to have had any inkling of the special calling of God upon David's life.
When the Spirit of the LORD came upon David He departed from Saul; and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. So Saul's servants proposed that he bring in a man who could play well on a harp and soothe Saul. Saul agreed; and one of his servants suggested that David be brought in because of his skill with a harp; and he also commended him as a mighty man of valor. Saul was very pleased with him; and he made him his armor bearer. And he obtained permission from David's father to bring David to his court. Then, when the evil spirit from the LORD came upon Saul, David played the harp; and Saul was refreshed; and the evil spirit left (14-23).
1 Samuel 16
1 And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
2 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.
3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.
4 And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
5 And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him.
7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.
11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.
18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.
19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.
20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.
21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.
23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
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