Tree of Life Version
1 Samuel 16:2
2But Samuel replied, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” Adonai said, “Take a heifer with you and say: ‘I have come to sacrifice to Adonai.’
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
1Now Adonai said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse the Beth-lehemite, for I have selected for Myself a king among his sons.” But Samuel replied, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” Adonai said, “Take a heifer with you and say: ‘I have come to sacrifice to Adonai.’ 3Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will let you know what you are to do. You will anoint for Me whom I tell you.” 4So Samuel did what Adonai said and went to Beth-lehem. The elders of the town came out to meet him trembling, and asked, “Do you come in shalom?”
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 Bnei-Yisrael out of Egypt?”
- 1 Kings 18:9“How have I sinned,” he replied, “that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab, to put me to death?
- Matthew 10:16“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
- Luke 1:34Miriam said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am not intimate with a man?”
- 1 Samuel 9:12They answered them and said, “He is there, ahead of you. Hurry now, for he has come today to the town because people have a sacrifice at the high place today.
- 1 Samuel 20:29as he said, ‘Please let me go, for we are going to have a family feast in the town, and my brother has commanded me. So now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me go, please, to see my brothers. That’s why he hasn’t come to the king’s table.”
- Jeremiah 38:26Then you will tell them, ‘I was presenting my petition before the king, not to make me return 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
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