1 Samuel 16:21

21 And David came to Saul and stood before him; and he loved him greatly, and he became his armorbearer.

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.

---

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 unto Jesse and said, "Send me David thy son, who is with the sheep."

20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread and a bottle of wine and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.

21 And David came to Saul and stood before him; and he loved him greatly, and he became his armorbearer.

22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Let David, I pray thee, stand before me, for he hath found favor in my sight."

23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took a harp and played with his hand; so Saul was refreshed and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.