1 Samuel 16:21

21 When David came to Saul and entered his service, Saul loved him very much, and David became his armor-bearer.

1 Samuel 16:21 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 16:21

And David came to Saul, and stood before him
As a servant, and ministered to him in the way, and for the purpose for which he was sent:

and he loved him greatly;
being a comely person, and a well behaved youth, and especially as he was serviceable to him with his music, in driving away melancholy from him:

and he became his armourbearer;
that is, he appointed him to this office, though we never read that he exercised it; nor did he go with Saul in this capacity to the battle related in the following chapter: it may be literally rendered: "and he was to him a bearer of vessels", or "instruments" ^F17; and Abarbinel thinks this is to be understood not of instruments of war, but of instruments of music to play with; which he brought in and bare before him when he went in to the king.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 (Mylk avn wl yhyw) "et fuit ei ferens vasa", Montanus; "ferens instrumenta", Piscator.

1 Samuel 16:21 In-Context

19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.”

20 And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and one young goat and sent them to Saul with his son David.

21 When David came to Saul and entered his service, Saul loved him very much, and David became his armor-bearer.

22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”

23 And whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would pick up his harp and play. Then Saul would find relief and feel better, and the spirit of distress would depart from him.