1 Samuel 16:21

21 And David came to Saul ¹and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he 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 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, "Send me David your son, who is with the sheep."

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

21 And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer.

22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight."

23 And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.

Cross References

• 1. See ver. 16