1 Samuel 16:2

2 —¿Y cómo voy a ir? —respondió Samuel—. Si Saúl llega a enterarse, me matará.—Lleva una ternera —dijo el SEÑOR—, y diles que vas a ofrecerle al SEÑOR un sacrificio.

1 Samuel 16:2 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 16:2

And Samuel said, how can I go?
&c.] Which argues weakness of faith in Samuel, and fear of man, and a diffidence in and distrust of divine power; for otherwise he that sent him on such an errand could protect him:

if Saul hear it, he will kill me;
should hear that Samuel went and anointed another king, it would so enrage him, that he would either immediately lay hands on him, and put him to death, or order him to be put to death; and indeed were it not that this was done by the command of God, he would deserve to die; it being an overt act of treason to anoint another king:

and the Lord said, take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to
sacrifice to the Lord;
a peace offering, which might be done any where in those unsettled times, the ark being at one place, and the tabernacle at another; and might be offered upon a private altar, and by a private person; and as it seems Samuel used to sacrifice at different places; see ( 1 Samuel 7:9 ) ( 11:15 ) . Ben Gersom relates it as the sense of one of their Rabbins in his age, that there was a person slain in those parts, not known by whom he was slain; and so Samuel is ordered to take an heifer to fulfil the law in ( Deuteronomy 21:1-9 ) and therefore Saul would make no inquiry into his reason of going thither with an heifer, and this is commended both by him and Abarbinel.

1 Samuel 16:2 In-Context

1 El SEÑOR le dijo a Samuel:—¿Cuánto tiempo vas a quedarte llorando por Saúl, si ya lo he rechazado como rey de Israel? Mejor llena de aceite tu cuerno, y ponte en camino. Voy a enviarte a Belén, a la casa de Isaí, pues he escogido como rey a uno de sus hijos.

2 —¿Y cómo voy a ir? —respondió Samuel—. Si Saúl llega a enterarse, me matará.—Lleva una ternera —dijo el SEÑOR—, y diles que vas a ofrecerle al SEÑOR un sacrificio.

3 Invita a Isaí al sacrificio, y entonces te explicaré lo que debes hacer, pues ungirás para mi servicio a quien yo te diga.

4 Samuel hizo lo que le mandó el SEÑOR. Pero cuando llegó a Belén, los ancianos del pueblo lo recibieron con mucho temor.—¿Vienes en son de paz? —le preguntaron.

5 —Claro que sí. He venido a ofrecerle al SEÑOR un sacrificio. Purifíquense y vengan conmigo para tomar parte en él.Entonces Samuel purificó a Isaí y a sus hijos, y los invitó al sacrificio.