Samuel anoints David

At first, the people of Israel were ruled by judges, but then they wanted a king to rule over them. They wanted to be like the other nations around them. So the Lord told Samuel to anoint Saul to be Israel’s first king. King Saul listened to Samuel’s advice at first and obeyed the Lord. But then he began to follow his own path. By that time, Samuel was an old man, and Saul’s disobedience made him sad.

The Lord said to him, “Don’t be sad about Saul any longer. I have chosen a new king. Put olive oil in an animal horn and go to Bethlehem. That’s where Jesse lives. One of his sons will be Israel’s new king.”

Samuel took a young cow with him to Bethlehem. He told the leaders of the town that he wanted to offer a sacrifice to the Lord. He knew that the Lord was going to show him the young man he had to anoint.

When Jesse and his sons arrived for the sacrifice, Samuel saw Eliab, Jesse’s eldest son. He was a tall, handsome young man. Samuel thought, “This has to be the one the Lord wants me to anoint.”

But the Lord said to Samuel,

“I haven’t chosen him. I don’t look at the things people look at. People look at the outside of a person.

I look at what is in the heart.”

Jesse’s six other sons came to greet Samuel. But the Lord hadn’t chosen any of them. Eventually Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these the only sons you have?” “No,” Jesse answered, “I have another son. He is with the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him. We won’t sit down to eat until he arrives.” Jesse sent for his youngest son. David was handsome, fit and healthy. He was brave. He kept his father’s sheep safe from wild animals. David had already killed a lion and a bear. He also loved making music. When David arrived the Lord told Samuel, “This is the one.”

Samuel took the horn filled with olive oil and poured the oil over David’s head. In this way he anointed him. He showed everyone that God had chosen David to be the second king of Israel. David went quietly back to his job looking after his father’s sheep, but from that day the Spirit of the Lord worked powerfully in him. 1 Samuel 9, 10 and 16