Antiquities Book 6, Chapter 8
How, Upon Saul's Transgression Of The Prophet's Commands, Samuel Ordained Another Person To Be King Privately, Whose Name Was David, As God Commanded Him.
1. Now Saul being sensible of the miserable condition he had brought
himself into, and that he had made God to be his enemy, he went up to
his royal palace at Gibeah, which name denotes a hill, and after that
day he came no more into the presence of the prophet. And when Samuel
mourned for him, God bid him leave off his concern for him, and to take
the holy oil, and go to Bethlehem, to Jesse the son of Obed, and to
anoint such of his sons as he should show him for their future king. But
Samuel said, he was afraid lest Saul, when he came to know of it, should
kill him, either by some private method or even openly. But upon God's
suggesting to him a safe way of going thither, he came to the
forementioned city; and when they all saluted him, and asked what was
the occasion of his coming, he told them he came to sacrifice to God.
When, therefore, he had gotten the sacrifice ready, he called Jesse and
his sons to partake of those sacrifices; and when he saw his eldest son
to be a tall and handsome man, he guessed by his comeliness that he was
the person who was to be their future king. But he was mistaken in
judging about God's providence; for when Samuel inquired of God whether
he should anoint this youth, whom he so admired, and esteemed worthy of
the kingdom, God said, "Men do not see as God seeth. Thou indeed hast
respect to the fine appearance of this youth, and thence esteemest him
worthy of the kingdom, while I propose the kingdom as a reward, not of
the beauty of bodies, but of the virtue of souls, and I inquire after
one that is perfectly comely in that respect; I mean one who is
beautiful in piety, and righteousness, and fortitude, and obedience, for
in them consists the comeliness of the soul." When God had said this,
Samuel bade Jesse to show him all his sons. So he made five others of
his sons to come to him; of all of whom Eliab was the eldest, Aminadab
the second, Shammall the third, Nathaniel the fourth, Rael the fifth,
and Asam the sixth. And when the prophet saw that these were no way
inferior to the eldest in their countenances, he inquired of God which
of them it was whom he chose for their king. And when God said it was
none of them, he asked Jesse whether he had not some other sons besides
these; and when he said that he had one more, named David, but that he
was a shepherd, and took care of the flocks, Samuel bade them call him
immediately, for that till he was come they could not possibly sit down
to the feast. Now, as soon as his father had sent for David, and he was
come, he appeared to be of a yellow complexion, of a sharp sight, and a
comely person in other respects also. This is he, said Samuel privately
to himself, whom it pleases God to make our king. So he sat down to the
feast, and placed the youth under him, and Jesse also, with his other
sons; after which he took oil in the presence of David, and anointed
him, and whispered him in the ear, and acquainted him that God chose him
to be their king; and exhorted him to be righteous, and obedient to his
commands, for that by this means his kingdom would continue for a long
time, and that his house should be of great splendor, and celebrated in
the world; that he should overthrow the Philistines; and that against
what nations soever he should make war, he should be the conqueror, and
survive the fight; and that while he lived he should enjoy a glorious
name, and leave such a name to his posterity also.
2. So Samuel, when he had given him these admonitions, went away. But
the Divine Power departed from Saul, and removed to David; who, upon
this removal of the Divine Spirit to him, began to prophesy. But as for
Saul, some strange and demoniacal disorders came upon him, and brought
upon him such suffocations as were ready to choke him; for which the
physicians could find no other remedy but this, That if any person could
charm those passions by singing, and playing upon the harp, they advised
them to inquire for such a one, and to observe when these demons came
upon him and disturbed him, and to take care that such a person might
stand over him, and play upon the harp, and recite hymns to him. 16
Accordingly Saul did not delay, but commanded them to seek out such a
man. And when a certain stander-by said that he had seen in the city of
Bethlehem a son of Jesse, who was yet no more than a child in age, but
comely and beautiful, and in other respects one that was deserving of
great regard, who was skillful in playing on the harp, and in singing of
hymns, [and an excellent soldier in war,] he sent to Jesse, and desired
him to take David away from the flocks, and send him to him, for he had
a mind to see him, as having heard an advantageous character of his
comeliness and his valor. So Jesse sent his son, and gave him presents
to carry to Saul. And when he was come, Saul was pleased with him, and
made him his armor-bearer, and had him in very great esteem; for he
charmed his passion, and was the only physician against the trouble he
had from the demons, whensoever it was that it came upon him, and this
by reciting of hymns, and playing upon the harp, and bringing Saul to
his right mind again. However, he sent to Jesse, the father of the
child, and desired him to permit David to stay with him, for that he was
delighted with his sight and company; which stay, that he might not
contradict Saul, he granted.
himself into, and that he had made God to be his enemy, he went up to
his royal palace at Gibeah, which name denotes a hill, and after that
day he came no more into the presence of the prophet. And when Samuel
mourned for him, God bid him leave off his concern for him, and to take
the holy oil, and go to Bethlehem, to Jesse the son of Obed, and to
anoint such of his sons as he should show him for their future king. But
Samuel said, he was afraid lest Saul, when he came to know of it, should
kill him, either by some private method or even openly. But upon God's
suggesting to him a safe way of going thither, he came to the
forementioned city; and when they all saluted him, and asked what was
the occasion of his coming, he told them he came to sacrifice to God.
When, therefore, he had gotten the sacrifice ready, he called Jesse and
his sons to partake of those sacrifices; and when he saw his eldest son
to be a tall and handsome man, he guessed by his comeliness that he was
the person who was to be their future king. But he was mistaken in
judging about God's providence; for when Samuel inquired of God whether
he should anoint this youth, whom he so admired, and esteemed worthy of
the kingdom, God said, "Men do not see as God seeth. Thou indeed hast
respect to the fine appearance of this youth, and thence esteemest him
worthy of the kingdom, while I propose the kingdom as a reward, not of
the beauty of bodies, but of the virtue of souls, and I inquire after
one that is perfectly comely in that respect; I mean one who is
beautiful in piety, and righteousness, and fortitude, and obedience, for
in them consists the comeliness of the soul." When God had said this,
Samuel bade Jesse to show him all his sons. So he made five others of
his sons to come to him; of all of whom Eliab was the eldest, Aminadab
the second, Shammall the third, Nathaniel the fourth, Rael the fifth,
and Asam the sixth. And when the prophet saw that these were no way
inferior to the eldest in their countenances, he inquired of God which
of them it was whom he chose for their king. And when God said it was
none of them, he asked Jesse whether he had not some other sons besides
these; and when he said that he had one more, named David, but that he
was a shepherd, and took care of the flocks, Samuel bade them call him
immediately, for that till he was come they could not possibly sit down
to the feast. Now, as soon as his father had sent for David, and he was
come, he appeared to be of a yellow complexion, of a sharp sight, and a
comely person in other respects also. This is he, said Samuel privately
to himself, whom it pleases God to make our king. So he sat down to the
feast, and placed the youth under him, and Jesse also, with his other
sons; after which he took oil in the presence of David, and anointed
him, and whispered him in the ear, and acquainted him that God chose him
to be their king; and exhorted him to be righteous, and obedient to his
commands, for that by this means his kingdom would continue for a long
time, and that his house should be of great splendor, and celebrated in
the world; that he should overthrow the Philistines; and that against
what nations soever he should make war, he should be the conqueror, and
survive the fight; and that while he lived he should enjoy a glorious
name, and leave such a name to his posterity also.
2. So Samuel, when he had given him these admonitions, went away. But
the Divine Power departed from Saul, and removed to David; who, upon
this removal of the Divine Spirit to him, began to prophesy. But as for
Saul, some strange and demoniacal disorders came upon him, and brought
upon him such suffocations as were ready to choke him; for which the
physicians could find no other remedy but this, That if any person could
charm those passions by singing, and playing upon the harp, they advised
them to inquire for such a one, and to observe when these demons came
upon him and disturbed him, and to take care that such a person might
stand over him, and play upon the harp, and recite hymns to him. 16
Accordingly Saul did not delay, but commanded them to seek out such a
man. And when a certain stander-by said that he had seen in the city of
Bethlehem a son of Jesse, who was yet no more than a child in age, but
comely and beautiful, and in other respects one that was deserving of
great regard, who was skillful in playing on the harp, and in singing of
hymns, [and an excellent soldier in war,] he sent to Jesse, and desired
him to take David away from the flocks, and send him to him, for he had
a mind to see him, as having heard an advantageous character of his
comeliness and his valor. So Jesse sent his son, and gave him presents
to carry to Saul. And when he was come, Saul was pleased with him, and
made him his armor-bearer, and had him in very great esteem; for he
charmed his passion, and was the only physician against the trouble he
had from the demons, whensoever it was that it came upon him, and this
by reciting of hymns, and playing upon the harp, and bringing Saul to
his right mind again. However, he sent to Jesse, the father of the
child, and desired him to permit David to stay with him, for that he was
delighted with his sight and company; which stay, that he might not
contradict Saul, he granted.