When Samuel returned to Ramah from Gil gal, perhaps he thought that his work on earth was ended. No longer could he carry messages from God to Israel’s King, because God had rejected Saul and would send no more messages to him!. So Samuel laid aside his: cane and wept, not because his work had ended, but because Saul had proved himself unworthy tio be the leader of God’s people.
As the days passed by, Samuel’s sorrow for Saul did not cease, and his gray head bowed lower upon his breast. Finally God spoke to him, and said, “How long will you mourn for this unworthy man whom I have rejected as the ruler of my people! Now I have chosen another to take his place.”
Samuel raised his head and listened to God’s voice. Then his trembling hands reached again for the cane he had thrown aside, for God gave him some more work to do before he should die. “Fill your empty horn with oil,” God said; “for I am going to send you to Bethlehem to anoint the one whom I have chosen to be Israel’s king in place of Saul.”
At first Samuel feared to go. He said, “Saul will hear of it, and he will surely kill me.” But God told him to take an offering for a sacrifice and prepare a feast for the people of Bethlehem, then to invite an old man named Jesse, who lived near the city, to come with his sons to the feast. “One of his sons I have chosen,” the Lord said, “and I will tell you which one of them shall be Israel’s next king.”
Samuel was no longer afraid to obey God. He rose from his place of weeping and filled his empty horn with oil. Then he took a meat-offering and started toward Bethlehem.
When the rulers of the city saw Samuel coming toward them they were afraid. They asked, “Why have you come?” Samuel told them that he had come to worship God at that place; and when they saw his offering for the sacrifice they made themselves ready to enjoy the feast that would follow. And Samuel invited Jesse and his sons to attend the feast, too.
Now Jesse had eight sons, but only seven came to the feast. The youngest was not yet grown to manhood, and he kept his father’s sheep in the fields outside the city. When Eliab, the eldest son of Jesse, came, Samuel thought, “Surely this must be the man whom God has chosen.” For Eliab was a tall, handsome young man, and Samuel was pleased with his appearance.
But God said, “This is not the man. You are judging by the outward appearance; I am looking at the heart.”
Jesse then brought his other sons to Samuel, and one by one they passed before the prophet. But Samuel shook his head and said, “God has chosen none of these. Have you no other son?”
And Jesse replied, “I have one more, but I did not bring him to the feast. He is my youngest, and he is now in the field caring for my sheep.”
Samuel told Jesse to send for the shepherd-boy at once, because God had chosen him to do a great work. And they waited while a messenger hurried away to bring the lad to Samuel.
David, the shepherd-boy, was surprized to see a messenger running toward him from over the hills near Bethlehem. He knew a religious feast was being held that day in the city, for his father and his brothers had been invited to attend. And when he left them early in the morning they were making preparations to go. Now he wondered what had happened that they should be sending word to him out in the field alone with the sheep. Had some one been killed? or were the Philistines coming to fight against their city?
David rose quickly and drew his shepherd-coat about him. Then, picking up his rod, he hurried to meet the breathless runner. “You are wanted in Bethlehem at once,” gasped the runner. “Samuel, the old prophet, wishes to see you, and your father has sent word that you must leave your sheep and come in hastie.”
Samuel waited patiently, and when at last a rosy-cheeked, bright-eyed youth, clad in a shepherd’s garb, entered the room, the Lord said to Samuel, “Arise and anoint this youth, for he is the one whom I have chosen.” Soi Samuel poured oil from his horn upon the head of David, as God had commanded. And the shepherd-boy understood by that act that God had chosen him to become some day the leader of Israel.
After the feast had ended, Samuel returned again to Ramah, and he did not grieve any more about Saul. He knew God had chosen a better person to sit upon the throne of Israel.