Click
here to show/hide instructions.
Instructions on how to use the page:
The commentary for the selected verse is is displayed below.
All commentary was produced against the King James, so the same verse from that translation may appear as well. Hovering your mouse over a commentary's scripture reference attempts to show those verses.
Use the browser's back button to return to the previous page.
Or you can also select a feature from the Just Verses menu appearing at the top of the page.
Selected Verse: 1 Samuel 16:21 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| 1Sa 16:21 |
King James |
And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
David came to Saul--Providence thus prepared David for his destiny, by placing him in a way to become acquainted with the manners of the court, the business of government, and the general state of the kingdom.
became his armour-bearer--This choice, as being an expression of the king's partiality, shows how honorable the office was held to be. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
| The difficulty of reconciling this verse with Sa1 17:55-58, is met thus: The words here are the ultimate sequence of David's first visit to Saul, and of his skill in music, and are therefore placed here; but they did not really come to pass until after David's victory over Goliath (see Sa1 18:2). It is quite conceivable that if David had only played once or twice to Saul, and then returned to his father's house for some months, Saul might not recognize him. |
| The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917] |
And David
Compare (Sa1 17:55-56).
The order of events is:
(1) David, whose skill on the harp, and valour in the combat with the lion and bear (Sa1 17:34); (Sa1 17:36) were known to "one of the servants" of Saul, was brought to play before the king (Sa1 16:17); (Sa1 16:18).
(2) David returns to Bethlehem (Sa1 17:15).
(3) David is sent to Saul's camp (Sa1 17:17); (Sa1 17:18) and performs his great exploit.
(4) Saul's question (Sa1 17:55); (Sa1 17:56) implies only that he had forgotten the name of David's father -- not remarkable certainly in an oriental king. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Stood before him - That is, waited upon him. And he loved him greatly - So there was something good in Saul still: he had not lost all, tho' he had lost the kingdom. Armour - bearer - He had that place conferred upon him, though we do not read that he ever exercised it; for it seems he was gone back to his father upon some occasion not related; and had abode with him some considerable time before the war described, 1Sa. 17:1-53, happened. |
2 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.
55 And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.
56 And the king said, Enquire thou whose son the stripling is.
57 And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.
58 And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.
56 And the king said, Enquire thou whose son the stripling is.
55 And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.
18 And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.
17 And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren;
15 But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.
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.
17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.
36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
55 And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.
56 And the king said, Enquire thou whose son the stripling is.