1 Samuel 16:2

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

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.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Sh'mu'el said, "How can I go? If Sha'ul hears of it, he will have me killed."ADONAI said, "Take a female cow with you and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to ADONAI.'

Berean Standard Bible:

“How can I go?” Samuel asked. “Saul will hear of it and kill me!” The LORD answered, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’

American Standard Version:

And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And Jehovah said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to Jehovah.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And Samuel^{H8050} said^{H559}, How can I go^{H3212}? if Saul^{H7586} hear^{H8085} it, he will kill^{H2026} me. And the LORD^{H3068} said^{H559}, Take^{H3947} an heifer^{{H1241}{H5697}} with thee^{H3027}, and say^{H559}, I am come^{H935} to sacrifice^{H2076} to the LORD^{H3068}.

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Commentary for 1 Samuel 16:2

1 Samuel 16:2 is a pivotal verse in the narrative of the transition of leadership from King Saul to David in the history of Israel. The context is set during a period of spiritual and political turmoil, where the prophet Samuel is grappling with the Lord's command to anoint a new king, as Saul has fallen out of favor due to his disobedience.

In this verse, Samuel expresses his apprehension about going to Bethlehem to anoint a new king, fearing that Saul might see this as an act of treason and kill him. The Lord's response is both a reassurance and a strategic directive: Samuel is to take a heifer, a young cow, and use the pretext of a sacrificial ceremony to conceal his true mission. This command serves multiple purposes: it provides a plausible reason for Samuel's visit to Bethlehem, maintains the secrecy necessary to protect Samuel and the future king, and also symbolizes the sacred nature of the task at hand.

The themes present in this verse include divine guidance and human fear, the sovereignty of God over human affairs, and the importance of obedience despite personal risk. It underscores the tension between divine imperatives and the realpolitik of the time, highlighting the need for wisdom and subtlety in navigating God's plans within the complexities of human power structures. The verse also prefigures the central role of sacrifice in the religious life of Israel, pointing forward to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, which would be central to the New Testament message.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H8050
   There are 120 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שְׁמוּאֵל
   Transliteration: Shᵉmûwʼêl
   Pronunciation: sehm-oo-ale'
   Description: from the passive participle of שָׁמַע and אֵל; heard of God; Shemuel, the name of three Israelites; Samuel, Shemuel.
   
2. Strong's Number: H559
   There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָמַר
   Transliteration: ʼâmar
   Pronunciation: aw-mar'
   Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.
   
3. Strong's Number: H3212
   There are 938 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָלַךְ
   Transliteration: yâlak
   Pronunciation: yaw-lak'
   Description: a primitive root (compare הָלַךְ); to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses); [idiom] again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, [phrase] follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, [phrase] pursue, cause to run, spread, take away (-journey), vanish, (cause to) walk(-ing), wax, [idiom] be weak.
   
4. Strong's Number: H7586
   There are 335 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׁאוּל
   Transliteration: Shâʼûwl
   Pronunciation: shaw-ool'
   Description: passive participle of שָׁאַל; asked; Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two Israelites; Saul, Shaul.
   
5. Strong's Number: H8085
   There are 1072 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׁמַע
   Transliteration: shâmaʻ
   Pronunciation: shaw-mah'
   Description: a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.); [idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, [idiom] surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.
   
6. Strong's Number: H2026
   There are 158 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: הָרַג
   Transliteration: hârag
   Pronunciation: haw-rag'
   Description: a primitive root; to smite with deadly intent; destroy, out of hand, kill, murder(-er), put to (death), make (slaughter), slay(-er), [idiom] surely.
   
7. Strong's Number: H3068
   There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יְהֹוָה
   Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
   Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
   Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.
   
8. Strong's Number: H3947
   There are 909 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: לָקַח
   Transliteration: lâqach
   Pronunciation: law-kakh'
   Description: a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications); accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.
   
9. Strong's Number: H1241
   There are 172 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בָּקָר
   Transliteration: bâqâr
   Pronunciation: baw-kawr'
   Description: from בָּקַר; beef cattle or an animal of the ox family of either gender (as used for plowing); collectively, a herd; beeve, bull ([phrase] -ock), [phrase] calf, [phrase] cow, great (cattle), [phrase] heifer, herd, kine, ox.
   
10. Strong's Number: H5697
    There are 13 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: עֶגְלָה
    Transliteration: ʻeglâh
    Pronunciation: eg-law'
    Description: feminine of עֵגֶל; a (female) calf, especially one nearly grown (i.e. a heifer); calf, cow, heifer.
    
11. Strong's Number: H3027
    There are 1447 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יָד
    Transliteration: yâd
    Pronunciation: yawd
    Description: a primitive word; in distinction from כַּף, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote (as follows); a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),; ([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, [idiom] enough, [phrase] fellowship, force, [idiom] from, hand(-staves, -y work), [idiom] he, himself, [idiom] in, labour, [phrase] large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, [idiom] mine, ministry, near, [idiom] of, [idiom] order, ordinance, [idiom] our, parts, pain, power, [idiom] presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, [phrase] swear, terror, [idiom] thee, [idiom] by them, [idiom] themselves, [idiom] thine own, [idiom] thou, through, [idiom] throwing, [phrase] thumb, times, [idiom] to, [idiom] under, [idiom] us, [idiom] wait on, (way-) side, where, [phrase] wide, [idiom] with (him, me, you), work, [phrase] yield, [idiom] yourselves.
    
12. Strong's Number: H935
    There are 2307 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בּוֹא
    Transliteration: bôwʼ
    Pronunciation: bo
    Description: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications); abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way.
    
13. Strong's Number: H2076
    There are 127 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: זָבַח
    Transliteration: zâbach
    Pronunciation: zaw-bakh'
    Description: a primitive root; to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice); kill, offer, (do) sacrifice, slay.