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Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord was sorry that he had made Saul king over Israel.
The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.” Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?” He said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.
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This is the track 1 Old Testament option to be read aloud on the third Sunday after Pentecost, Year B, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will be paired with Psalm 20, which sings, “We will shout for joy at your victory and triumph in the Name of our God; may the Lord grant all your requests.” That will be followed by a reading from Paul’s second letter to the Christians of Corinth, where he wrote: “For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil.” All will precede the Gospel reading from Mark, where Jesus said: “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground … and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how.”
This seems to be a nice little history story, with little to do with modern Christians. The reality is David is a reflection of what a true Christian is supposed to be. Samuel is a reflection of a soul that has married Yahweh and become his obedient wife and servant should be. The other characters, from Saul to Jesse and his named sons, are a reflection of what most people who call themselves Christians really are.
Let me first point out that there are fourteen time “Yahweh” was written in these selected verses, with no times was “the Lord” written. While the translation into English shows zero times "Yahweh" is named, there are sixteen times this reading projects the word “Lord.” In these fourteen verses that bridge two chapters, there are thirteen proper names that are of people and places, which are all translated as written, rather than say, “This guy did that to that guy, over there in that place, before going to another place to see another guy and his sons.” This shows a respect for the specificity of that written, except when it comes to naming Yahweh as “Yahweh.” That is disrespect to one’s professed God.
This makes an analysis of those Hebrew words that have all been given the importance of capitalization, as names. In all Scripture, the names stated are intended to reflect the meaning behind the name, as that meaning assists one in finding the deeper message intended to be found in Scripture. This is a list of the proper names, as they appear in the text, along with the meaning each name carries (according to Abarim Publications):
Samuel – Name Of God, Heard Of God
Ramah – Lofty Place, Deceit, Established, Loose
Saul – Asked For
Gibeah – Hill
Yahweh – I Am Who I Am; He Who Causes That-Which-Is To Be & He Who Causes That-Which-Can't-Be To Fall
Israel – He Retains God, God Is Upright
Bethlehemite – [One Of] House Of Bread, House Of War
Bethlehem – House Of Bread, House Of War
Jesse – My Husband, Yah Exists
Eliab – (My) God Is Father
Abinadab – The Father Is Generous, My Father Is Noble, Father Of Liberality
Shammah – Appalling Desolation
David – Beloved, Weak, Flowing
In the storyline, Saul has been anointed as the King of Israel. He was not the choice of Yahweh. Instead, he was “Asked For” by the Israelites. Samuel was told by Yahweh to give the people what they “Asked For,” which was a king to lead them, like other nations had. Samuel, as a true prophet and judge of Israel, was in the “Name of God,” as one whose soul had married Yahweh, so he “Heard Of God.” Because Saul was not married to Yahweh, Yahweh gave Saul a test, which Samuel told him – step by step – what to do. Saul did not do that. Saul failed to do what Yahweh commanded, thus “Yahweh was sorry that he had made Saul king over Israel.”
Here, it is vital that one see the importance of Saul being a reflection of every soul that has animated dead flesh. Saul symbolizes all souls having “Asked For” the right to be the king over the kingdom that is their flesh. Every soul feels the power and strength that Saul felt, as he thought he could do no wrong. He did as he pleased. He broke the commandment and made up his own rules, thinking he was justified to do whatever he wanted. Everyone who is a reflection of Saul has turned away from Yahweh.
When one sees that Saul had been named King of "Israel," it is important to realize that "Israel" was the changed name of Jacob. The “children of Israel,” who beget the Tribes of Israel, which became the nation of Israel under a king, are all supposed to be elevated from simple sinful souls inhabiting fleshy bodies, as priests on earth whose souls have married to Yahweh. Thus, as “Israel,” they are all expected to be spiritual wives who serve Yahweh, in the same way as did Samuel. Thus, one soul that has earned the right to claim to be an Israelite must then be one whose soul “He Retains God” or one where “God Is Upright” in the flesh [Yahweh incarnate on earth]. Yahweh is therefore the king who reigns over everyone of Israel; and, Saul was not a soul married to Yahweh, not being one who could possibly lead simple souls to become changed into “God Is Upright.”
This then applies to all Christians. Jesus is not a king over anything “of this world,” which means Jesus is not the king of all Christendom. Jesus’ soul is the king that resides over the kingdom of a soul-flesh being, after that soul-flesh being has become married to Yahweh. This then makes Jesus the King of Israel, when oneself has been transformed as was Jacob, from self-serving lowlife to a Son of Yahweh, as His wife. Anyone who claims to be a Christian, who is not “God Is Upright” through their soul’s marriage to Yahweh and His Son being sent to be King of one’s soul-flesh is a lying failure, just as was Saul. Whatever your lowlife soul Asks For, you will deserve to pay the price of that selfishness when your mortal flesh falls away from your soul and you face judgment from Yahweh.
Now, in this story, one cannot forget the lesson of the previous Sunday, where the elders of Israel went to Samuel, demanding he appoint them a king. If the elders of the Twelve Tribes were too lazy to each be a soul married to Yahweh, requiring Yahweh send them a judge who Heard Of God, all the lesser Israelites must be seen as led to ignorance, by the ignorant. From that ignorance, none had ever been taught the truth of being a child of Yahweh, so all did whatever the judge [Samuel] told them to do, none being married to Yahweh and able to hear His voice speaking to their souls. Thus, no one in all Israel was strong. All were weak. The people Asked For Saul, because he seemed willing to do vicious acts and not worry about what he left in his wake. Saul appeared to be strong, when in reality he was like everyone else in Israel – weak.
This is seen in the name David, which primarily means “Beloved.” That is a statement about the love that draws a soul to marry Yahweh, as mutual love shared between the two. Still, the name David also reflects his soul was “Weak” and thereby “Flowing,” meaning he was led to go wherever the Spirit took him. David should then be seen as selected by Yahweh because of that lack of self-ego that makes other souls be headstrong and selfish, like Saul. The sons of Jesse were named as selfish [as “My Father Is Noble” and (My) God Is Father”] or ruin bound to happen [“Appalling Desolation”]. Yahweh knew Jesse [“My Husband, Yah Exists”] was devoted to the Laws of Moses, but still self-concerned.
When we read that Yahweh instructed Samuel to go to Jesse the Bethlehemite because, “ I have provided for myself a king among his sons,” it is good to note that David was born in Bethlehem, just like Jesus. The name of that place means “House Of Bread” or “House Of War.” The Hebrew word “beth” means “house.” The possibilities of “bread” and “war” come from the vowels assumed, as “lahem” refers to “war” or “greedily gulping.” The Hebrew word “lechem” means “bread” or “food.” When this place is recognized as where Yahweh knows a “House Of Spiritual Bread” can come, that makes it be where Micah prophesied the Messiah would be born.
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of
you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.” [Micah 5:2]
When we read that Samuel went to Bethlehem and “the elders of the city came to meet him trembling,” it must be realized that Samuel was a known prophet of Yahweh, possessing all the powers of Yahweh wherever he went. The Hebrew word written is “way·ye·ḥer·ḏū,” from “charad,” meaning “to tremble, to be terrified.” Because the elders had gone to Samuel telling him, “You are old and your sons do not follow your ways,” it was not an overwhelming physical presence that made the elders of Bethlehem “tremble” with fear. This should be read in the same way that the elders of the Israelites feared the glow that came from Moses’ face, after he met with Yahweh in the tent of meeting. This fear says Samuel had the same glow about him [a halo?], which told those Israelites he came upon [by glow] that his soul and Yahweh were married, so be careful what you do and say before Yahweh.
This greeting of Samuel says the elders of Bethlehem feared God, which was a sign of reverence to Yahweh, even though they were not themselves also married to Him. The mistake in reading this is coming away thinking that Samuel was a priest, representing those who served Yahweh in His “Lofty Place,” which was the town of Samuel’s birth [Ramah]. While Samuel was raised in the School of Prophets, tutored by Eli, and Samuel was one of many priests who served as tabernacle servants, Samuel’s soul having married Yahweh’s Spirit brought him the presence of greatness, when Samuel did not take credit for this.
In our modern times, Christians bow down before people whose souls have not married Yahweh, but they wear the robes of priests, possessing titles that do not arouse fear, but delight in having come close to such false gods. Samuel the man was not feared, or no elder would have approached him with the bold demand for him to pass the torch to a human king. The only presence that demands reverence, as seen in fear, is one who comes near, lowly in stature, but Almighty in presence.
When we then read that Samuel “ sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice,” the Hebrew word “way·qad·dêš” is written, which [from “qadash”] means “to be set apart, be hallowed or consecrate.” This means Samuel announced a “sacrifice unto Yahweh,” which was an event only allowed for those made “holy.” When we read of Samuel instructing the elders of Bethlehem: “sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice,” this says the elders were the priests of Bethlehem, who knew rituals of service they needed to perform before such a sacred event. When it is then added that Samuel, “sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice,” that says Jesse and his sons were not members of the Bethlehem priests, as they were just common Israelites. Because they did not know the rituals of sanctification, Samuel guided them through this cleansing.
In those unspecified steps of purification, one can assume that Samuel had all the families of Bethlehem come to a mass sanctification, which included David. He would have been one of a sea of faces and bodies being blessed, although Yahweh would have spoken to Samuel, telling him to specifically invite Jesse and his sons to the sacrifice serving of holy barbeque. Samuel would not have singled anyone out as more special than another, as the eyes and ears of a king were throughout Israel and word would have reached the king, possibly endangering anyone singled out. Because Samuel had confirmed he came “peaceably,” the event was seen as a welcome change of pace, with only the best intentions bringing recognition to Bethlehem.
There should be understood that some time elapsed between the arrival of Samuel and the actual sacrifice, with subsequent anointing. It could mean a day or more, selecting the appropriate sacrificial animals and preparing an altar for the cookout. It would be during this preparation time that the people of Bethlehem would have returned to their normal activities, looking forward to the sacred event they were invited to attend. It is then this delay in time that David, who would have only been around nine years of age, was seen by Jesse as too young for this gathering; and, with flocks to tend, Jesse thought no one would miss a boy sent to watch over the sheep, while the adults did adult things.
When it came time to gather and the sacrifice had been made, with everyone seated at tables for the food to be passed out, it is possible that Samuel made an announcement that Yahweh knew one of the people present was worthy of special recognition [unspecified]. It is possible that he went from table to table, looking upon all the Bethlehemites who were present, knowing only the sons of Jesse were the intent of the whole sacrifice ruse. After all, we know Yahweh told Samuel it was a son of Jesse who needed to be anointed as the one of favor, but everything was still to be kept hush hush.
When we read that Samuel came to Jesse’s son Eliab, saying to himself, “Surely this is the one,” it is very important to remember that Yahweh told him, “Yahweh does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord Yahweh looks on the heart.” In this, the Hebrew text simply says, “kî lō,” which literally states “that not,” whereas the NRSV translates this as “the Lord does not.” Later, when it translates, “the Lord looks on the heart,” the name “Yahweh” is written. There, the word translated as “heart” literally means “inner man,” which means the soul.
This is very important to grasp, because modern Christians will look upon someone wearing a robe and a collar and think special recognition is deserved. Christians look at the outer appearance, incapable of knowing the soul Samuel, whose name means "Heard Of God," listened to the voice of Yahweh guide him. Christians do not possess this unity with Yahweh, so the become easy prey to wolves in sheep's clothing. This falls in line with the worldly axiom that says, “Clothes make the man.” Politicians love to give big smiles and shake hands, wearing the most expensive suits; but the soul of a true holy person would never pander for such recognition.
When we read, “Then Jesse made Shammah pass by,” this is assumed to be the name of Jesse’s third oldest son. However, the name of that son is “Shimea,” whose name means: “He Has Heard, Hearing, Rumor.” The writing of “Shammah” must be seen as a form of “Shimea,” as if not the name is, “drawn from the verb שמם (shamem), meaning to be desolate or appalled.” This means the spelling here can be read as purposeful [not a mistake], placing important focus [capitalization] on the way Samuel was beginning to feel. As this was now the third of Jesse’s eight sons [only seven of eight present] and the three oldest had been rejected by Yahweh, "Shammah" sums up "and all the rest." The fact that the next five are not named says they all fell under the heading of “Appalling, Desolation.” That despair then led Samuel to ask Jesse, “Are all your sons here?”
Jesse responded to Samuel, saying “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” In that, the Hebrew word “haq·qā·ṭān” is written, which [from “qatan”] means “small, young, unimportant.” This should be seen as a reflection on New Testament [Acts] Saul [the Jew who persecuted Christians], when he changed his name to Paul, which means “small.” This is also how the name David bears meaning that says “Weak.”
This is then a most important clue to those who aspire to rise to such lofty heights as popes, cardinals, archbishops and bishops, all puffing out their chests and pretending to be most high, hobnobbing with the rich and famous celebrities of the world. That pretense of piety is obscene, when Yahweh looks at the souls of the “small” and “weak.” It is they who gladly “Keep the sheep,” so others can enjoy barbecues. That makes one recall how Jesus told Peter three times to “feed the lambs of me,” “Shepherd the sheep of me,” and “feed the sheep of me” (John 21). The fact that David was watching the sheep says he took responsibility seriously, with a name that meant “Beloved.”
Knowing that some time had to have elapsed before David could be summoned and brought back, it is quite possible that Yahweh had planned this delay before the actual anointment. To keep this anointment less public, the delay would have been when the cooked meat was served and eaten. Afterwards, everyone would have thanked Samuel for the cookout and left, leaving Jesse and his sons alone with Samuel, when David arrived. Possibly, one the sons of Jesse had departed, taking David’s place in the field; or, one of Jesse’s two daughters took his position of responsibility.
When David is described as “ruddy” or “red,” this could mean his cheeks were flushed from running to his father, once he heard the call. Flushed cheeks could mean pale skin, easily reddened by the sun. Still, it could mean David had red hair.
In a prophetic trance that Edgar Cayce entered, when asked to describe the Last Supper, he said of Jesus: “The Master's hair is 'most red, inclined to be curly in portions, yet not feminine or weak - STRONG, with heavy piercing eyes that are blue or steel-gray.” Here, in the reading, David’s eyes are said to be “bright” or “fair, beautiful” [from “yapheh”].
It is common to find one with red hair having brown [hazel] or green eyes, with red hair and blue eyes being the most rare. With red hair being in itself unique [as a percentage] among people on earth, the combination with blue eyes makes a statement that the souls of both David and Jesus projected their purity through that rarity. Again, this is not some physical trait that can be looked upon as humans see things, but these descriptive terms should be seen as being what hidden traits one can look for, in order to see the soul. As the saying goes, the eyes are the window to the soul.
Finally, when we read, “the spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon David from that day forward,” this says the soul of David was sanctified by that Spirit [“rū·aḥ-Yah-weh”]. While all had been consecrated by Samuel beforehand, the Spirit of Yahweh possessed the soul of David when Samuel poured oil upon his head. This anointment would be akin to John baptizing with water, while Jesus would baptize with the Spirit that makes one Holy [Sacred, Set apart by Yahweh]. Thus, this is stating that David’s soul was a “Christ” [from the Greek “Christos,” meaning Messiah – Anointed one].
This needs to be seen as the missing link today, as so many Christians place full value on baptism by water, by ashes mixed with oil smudged on foreheads, wafers blessed by some man or woman, or wine consecrated in the same way. Nothing poured on or rubbed on or eaten physically can ever bring a union of soul spirit to Holy Spirit. All modern pretenses of being equals to Samuel, who was a true prophet of Yahweh and had his soul married to God Almighty, are lame excuses of consecration.
With that said, not even Samuel could become Yahweh’s Spirit and merge it with the soul of David, remaining there “from that day forward.” Just as Yahweh knew which soul of Jesse's sons He planned to marry, Samuel was blind to the outcome, until it was done.
Christians today fall well short of being the brothers of David, who could look upon their younger sibling as being an Anointed one of Yahweh, sensing they were in the presence of Yahweh merged with their brother. As brothers of a Christ, I would expect David to receive resistance at first, from all his male siblings. David would have sensed little change; and, he probably would have had a spiritual affect on his family. We will never know; but being close to a true Saint has become lost in the worship of religion, one that is afraid to call Yahweh by name.
As the Old Testament track 1 optional Old Testament reading, during the third Sunday of the Ordinary season after Pentecost, this speaks loudly that all souls fall short in the eyes of Yahweh, until they turn to Him in marriage. The season after Pentecost is all about entering ministry; and, for that to take place one must become an Anointed one. That clearly means being a Christ, which comes from being in the name of Yahweh, as His wife. That marriage of soul to Spirit then gives birth to the soul of Jesus, which make the body of flesh he is resurrected within be a new Jesus reborn. This ministry comes from being able to hear the voice of Yahweh lead one through ministry. It is not a temporary assignment, as once it comes upon one, it remains forever. This is how one knows salvation has been obtained; and, it is the motivation to go into the world to save others for the Father.