2
1 Samuel 16:2
英文原文
It was the purpose of God that David should be anointed at this time as Saul's successor, and as the ancestor and the type of His Christ. It was not the purpose of God that Samuel should stir up a civil war, by setting up David as Saul's rival. Secrecy, therefore, was a necessary part of the transaction. But secrecy and concealment are not the same as duplicity and falsehood. Concealment of a good purpose, for a good purpose, is clearly justifiable. There is therefore nothing in the least inconsistent with truth in the occurrence here related. Compare Exodus 7:16; Exodus 8:1; Exodus 9:13.
4
1 Samuel 16:4
「戰戰兢兢」——撒母耳來到伯利恆，顯然有不尋常之處；長老們知道撒母耳已與掃羅不再相善，便預感有災禍要來。
英文原文
Trembled - There was evidently something unusual in Samuel's coming to Bethlehem; and the elders, knowing that Samuel was no longer at friendship with Saul, foreboded some evil.
10
1 Samuel 16:10
「七個」——即包括那已經經過的三位在內。看來耶西本有八個兒子；但在 1 Chronicles 2:13-15，只記載他有七個。
英文原文
Seven - i. e., including the three who had already passed. It appears that Jesse had eight sons; but in 1 Chronicles 2:13-15, only seven are ascribed to him.
11
1 Samuel 16:11
「我們必不坐席……」——按字面意思，是「我們不轉身就席」。
英文原文
We will not sit down ... - . literally, we will not turn round to sit at the table.
13
1 Samuel 16:13
「耶和華的靈……臨到大衛身上」——這正是用於士師們和掃羅身上的那一措辭。見 1 Samuel 10:6 註釋；Judges 3:10 註釋；Judges 6:34 註釋；Judges 11:29 註釋；Judges 14:18 註釋；Judges 15:14 註釋。
英文原文
The Spirit ... came upon David - The exact phrase used of the Judges and Saul. See 1 Samuel 10:6, note; Judges 3:10, note; Judges 6:34, note; Judges 11:29, note; Judges 14:18, note; Judges 15:14, note.
15
1 Samuel 16:15
這裏所說的「惡」靈或「令人憂鬱」的靈，乃是「神的靈」，或稱「耶和華的靈」，因為它是神的使者與僕役，奉差遣在掃羅身上執行神公義的旨意（見 1 Kings 22:19-22 註釋）。
英文原文
The "evil" or "melancholy" spirit here spoken of was "the Spirit of God," or "of Jehovah," as being God's messenger and minister, sent by Him to execute His righteous purpose upon Saul (see 1 Kings 22:19-22 note).
16
1 Samuel 16:16
音樂對心身的效果，尤其是平息憤怒、安撫並平靜煩躁之靈的作用，是人所共知的。年輕的大衛如此呈現在我們眼前，把音樂用於其最高的目的——使靈魂轉向和平與愛的和諧——實在令人深感興味。我們可以推斷，他的詩篇中有一些，例如 Psalm 23:1-6，當時已經寫成。
英文原文
The medicinal effects of music on the mind and body, especially as appeasing anger, and soothing and pacifying a troubled spirit, are well known. It is deeply interesting to have the youthful David thus brought before us, as using music for its highest purpose, that of turning the soul to the harmony of peace and love. We may infer that some of his Psalms, such e. g. as Psalm 23:1-6, were already composed.
18
1 Samuel 16:18
「大有勇敢的戰士……」——大衛的勇氣、技巧、見識與堂堂的儀表，早已有口皆碑。自「耶和華的靈感動他」以來，他天生的資質與能力大得增強。他打死獅子和熊的壯舉（見邊註串珠），正如參孫的力士作為（Judges 14:6、Judges 14:19；Judges 15:14）一樣，是在同一超自然影響之下成就的，而且大概已有相當程度為人所知。
英文原文
A mighty valiant man ... - David's reputation for courage, skill, discretion, and manly beauty, was already great. Since "the Spirit of the Lord came upon him," his natural qualities and powers had been greatly enhanced. His feat of killing the lion and the bear (see the marginal references) had been performed, like Samson's feats of strength Judges 14:6, Judges 14:19; Judges 15:14, under the same supernatural influence, and was probably more or less known.
21
1 Samuel 16:21
本節與 1 Samuel 17:55-58 難以調和的問題，可以這樣解決：這裏的話是大衛初次謁見掃羅及其音樂才能的最終結果，因此記在這裏；但這事實際成就，是在大衛戰勝歌利亞之後（見 1 Samuel 18:2）。完全可以設想：大衛若只在掃羅面前彈奏過一兩次，隨後回了父家數月，掃羅可能認不出他來。
英文原文
The difficulty of reconciling this verse with 1 Samuel 17:55-58, is met thus: The words here are the ultimate sequence of David's first visit to Saul, and of his skill in music, and are therefore placed here; but they did not really come to pass until after David's victory over Goliath (see 1 Samuel 18:2). It is quite conceivable that if David had only played once or twice to Saul, and then returned to his father's house for some months, Saul might not recognize him.
按神的目的，大衛此時要受膏，作掃羅的繼承者，並作祂的基督的先祖與預表；但按神的目的，撒母耳卻不是要立大衛與掃羅抗衡而挑起內戰。因此，行事的隱密是這件事必要的部分。然而，隱密與隱藏並不等於詭詐與虛謊。為着良善的目的而隱藏良善的意圖，顯然是正當的。所以這裏所記的事，與真理絲毫沒有相悖之處。比較 Exodus 7:16；Exodus 8:1；Exodus 9:13。