God’s Word Translation
1 Samuel 16:2
2“How can I go?” Samuel asked. “When Saul hears about it, he’ll kill me.” The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I’ve come to sacrifice to the Lord.’
1 Samuel 16:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me." And the Lord said, "Take a heifer with you and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.'
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” But the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’
Context of 1 Samuel 16:2
1The Lord asked Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul now that I have rejected him as king of Israel? Fill a flask with olive oil and go. I’m sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem because I’ve selected one of his sons to be king.” “How can I go?” Samuel asked. “When Saul hears about it, he’ll kill me.” The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I’ve come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3Invite Jesse to the sacrifice. I will reveal to you what you should do, and you will anoint for me the one I point out to you.” 4Samuel did what the Lord told him. When he came to Bethlehem, the leaders of the city, trembling with fear, greeted him and said, “May peace be with you.”
Read all of 1 Samuel 161 Samuel 16:2 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֵ֣יךְ אֵלֵ֔ךְ וְשָׁמַ֥ע שָׁא֖וּל וַהֲרָגָ֑נִי ס וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֗ה עֶגְלַ֤ת בָּקָר֙ תִּקַּ֣ח בְּיָדֶ֔ךָ וְאָ֣מַרְתָּ֔ לִזְבֹּ֥חַ לַֽיהוָ֖ה בָּֽאתִי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Samuelשְׁמוּאֵלshemû'êl · SamuelH8050
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- How can I goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- if Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- he will killהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
- me. And the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- Takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- an heiferעֶגְלָה‛eglâh · heiferH5697
- an heiferבָּקָרbâqâr · cattleH1241
- with theeיָדyâd · hand: themselvesH3027
- I am comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- to sacrificeזָבַחzâbach · to sacrificeH2076
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 16:2
- Exodus 3:11But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the people of Israel out of Egypt?”
- 1 Kings 18:9Obadiah asked, “What have I done wrong to make you hand me over to Ahab to be killed?
- Matthew 10:16“I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as cunning as snakes but as innocent as doves.
- Luke 1:34Mary asked the angel, “How can this be? I’m a virgin.”
- 1 Samuel 9:12The girls answered, “He’s there ahead of you. Hurry! He ⌞just⌟ went into the city today since the people are offering a sacrifice on the worship site.
- 1 Samuel 20:29David said to me ‘Please let me go. Our relatives will offer a sacrifice in the city, and my brother ordered me to be there. If you will permit it, please let me go to see my brothers.’ This is why he hasn’t come to your banquet.”
- Jeremiah 38:26If they come to you, say to them, ‘I asked the king not to send me back to Jonathan’s house to die there.’ ”
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 16:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Take a heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice - This was strictly true; Samuel did offer a sacrifice; and it does not appear that he could have done the work which God designed, unless he had offered this sacrifice, and called the elders of the people together, and thus collected Jesse's sons. But he did not tell the principal design of his coming; had he done so, it would have produced evil and no good: and though no man, in any circumstances…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2It was the purpose of God that David should be anointed at this time as Saul‘s successor, and as the ancestor and the type of His Christ. It was not the purpose of God that Samuel should stir up a civil war, by setting up David as Saul‘s rival. Secrecy, therefore, was a necessary part of the transaction. But secrecy and concealment are not the same as duplicity and falsehood. Concealment of a good purpose, for a good purpose, is clearly justifiable. There…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2say, ‘I have come to sacrifice': God sometimes guides his followers into risky situations. He protects them, sometimes through miracles, sometimes through strategy (compare Exodus 3:18–22). As a priestly judge, Samuel would not have seemed suspicious by offering a sacrifice (see 1 Samuel 10:8).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. How can I go?--This is another instance of human infirmity in Samuel. Since God had sent him on this mission, He would protect him in the execution. I am come to sacrifice--It seems to have been customary with Samuel to do this in the different circuits to which he went, that he might encourage the worship of God.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 16:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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