1 Samuel 16:11
And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
Samuel passed in review the seven sons Jesse presented without the Lord indicating any of them, and left perplexed he asked if these were all, was told the youngest had been left out as a mere youth keeping his father's sheep in the field, and ordered him fetched declaring they would not sit down till he came hither. God had chosen that youngest shepherd boy to succeed Saul after his rejection as the anointed ruler and captain of Israel with the promise of the throne. He refused every noble-appearing elder brother, though handsome in countenance and lofty in stature, because they were proud, self-centered and not right in heart, for man looks on the outward appearance but the Lord looks on the heart. David's lowly, faithful and courageous filling of the humble office of shepherd did not hinder his choice but fitted him to in time exchange the shepherd's crook for the scepter, for being little in his own sight, humble, sincere and open to the Holy Spirit, God trained his character and gave him a prudent and understanding heart. So no human judgment can tell beforehand which youth will prove most promising and render the best service, since God sees in many a child passed by as unpromising capabilities far above those of apparent promise, and therefore all youth must receive thorough training to fit them for the highest usefulness.
Samuel Questions Jesse
Samuel had first looked closely at Eliab and then in turn at the six other sons who were present at the service, and the Lord gave no sign that any of them was His choice. With all seven passed over, he was left perplexed and bewildered, waiting in painful suspense.
When asked if these were all his children, Jesse answered that there still remained the youngest, who was out keeping his father's sheep in the field. He had been left out of those brought forward because he was regarded as a mere youth and was not counted among the promising children. His early life had been spent in the humble home at Bethlehem, tending the sheep in that lowly and humble work.
Samuel then directed that the shepherd boy be summoned from the sheepfold and from the field. He declared that they would not sit down till he came hither.
God Chooses David
God had selected David, Jesse's youngest son, to be ruler and captain and anointed king of Israel in Saul's place after Saul was rejected, giving him the promise of the throne and appointing him to succeed Saul. The Lord refused every noble-appearing older son whom Samuel would have chosen by handsome countenance, fine stature, and dignified appearance, because man looks on the outward appearance while the Lord looks on the heart. The elder brothers were set aside because Eliab's heart was not right with God and he did not fear the Lord, and they were proud, self-centered, and self-confident and lacked the qualifications God saw as essential in a ruler, for Eliab would have made a proud, exacting ruler.
David's lowly work as a shepherd did not prevent his being chosen to rule, but his faithful and courageous filling of that humble office was the reason God chose him to in time exchange the shepherd's crook for the scepter. David was not of lofty stature, but his beautiful countenance expressed humility, honesty, and true courage; he had preserved the simplicity and sincerity of his youth, was little in his own sight, and was open to the Holy Spirit, so in providence God trained and prepared him and shaped his character, and from his anointing gave him a prudent and understanding heart. Guided by the angel of God, Samuel was shown that David was God's chosen, summoned him from his humble work, and anointed him; David thus became one of the lowly whom God raised up as a representative man taught by inspiration to convey truth to His people.
At that time David was strict in all the ceremonies of religion and distinguished by boldness and unwavering trust in God, remarkable for fidelity and reverence, with firmness, humility, love of justice, sincerity, fervor, and decision of character that qualified him to carry out God's high purposes, to instruct Israel in devotion, and to rule as a generous and wise monarch, and while thus true to God, God calls him a man after His own heart. Though utterly helpless in himself, the shepherd lad's trust in God's word and promise of the throne enabled him to withstand Saul, the established monarch bent on holding fast his power, and thus to withstand the power of the whole world, as a witness to the power of God's word against human power and policy in support of evil. David was pre-eminently qualified to bear the responsibilities of the kingdom, and when exalted to the throne his course contrasted with the kings of other nations because he abhorred idolatry and zealously kept Israel from being seduced into idolatry by surrounding nations, so he was greatly beloved and honored by his people; yet Abner knew of this divine appointment and was unwilling for David to succeed Saul, working to divide Israel to exalt himself.
Training Promising Youth
No human judgment can tell beforehand which youth will prove most promising and render the best service to God, for human estimates of promise often prove at fault. When the noble sons of Jesse passed before Samuel, his eye rested on the handsome countenance and fine stature of the eldest son and he judged by outward appearance that this must be the Lord's anointed, but God refused him and every noble-appearing older son, because man looks on the outward appearance while the Lord looks on the heart. Those brothers whom Samuel would have chosen were proud, self-centered and self-confident and did not possess the qualifications God saw to be essential in a ruler of His people, so they were set aside for the one they lightly regarded. David, the youngest son, a mere youth left in the field keeping the sheep and not counted among the promising children, had to be sent for from the field at Samuel's word that they would not sit down till he came, and when he passed before Samuel God commanded that he be anointed, for this was he.
God sees in many a child whom parents would pass by capabilities far above those revealed by others thought to possess great promise. Therefore no family member can be judged unpromising by age or appearance, and no one can decide what is great and small in life's possibilities. David had preserved the simplicity and sincerity of his youth and, while little in his own sight, could be trained by God for the responsibilities of the kingdom.
For this reason all children and youth must receive thorough general education to fit them for usefulness, places of responsibility, and the highest service as laborers together with God. Though utterly helpless in himself, the shepherd lad to whom God gave the promise of the throne trusted in God's word so as to withstand Saul, the established monarch bent on holding fast his power, and thus to withstand the power of the whole world. His stand is the result of faith and a witness to the power of God's word against human power and policy in support of evil, placing him in the world's true nobility and royal line in which youth today are called to take their places through the same faith.