What is the meaning of 1 Samuel 16:20? And Jesse took 1 Samuel 16:20 begins, “And Jesse took…” • The action starts with Jesse, showing paternal obedience to Saul’s royal request (1 Samuel 16:19). • Like Jacob sending Joseph (Genesis 37:13-14), a father dispatches a son into God’s unfolding plan. • The initiative highlights orderly submission to authority (Romans 13:1) without hesitation. a donkey • Donkeys were standard pack animals for substantial loads (Genesis 22:3; Judges 19:21). • Providing a mount signals respect and generosity toward Saul’s court (1 Samuel 10:27). • It also frees David to arrive rested and ready for service (cf. Luke 19:30-34, another kingly donkey moment). loaded with bread • Bread represents basic sustenance (Exodus 16:4; Matthew 6:11). • Jesse sends more than token gifts; he supplies tangible nourishment for Saul’s household (2 Kings 4:42-44). • In Scripture, bread often prefigures spiritual provision—David will soon feed Israel with leadership just as this bread feeds Saul’s table. a skin of wine • Wine in the ancient Near East refreshed and celebrated covenant fellowship (Genesis 14:18; Psalm 104:15). • A single skin balances honor with humility—enough to bless, not enough to boast (Proverbs 3:9). • The gift anticipates David’s future role in lifting Saul’s troubled spirit (1 Samuel 16:23). and one young goat • Goats were acceptable food and sacrifice (Leviticus 1:10; 17:3-4). • Jesse’s inclusion of meat completes a well-rounded offering—bread, wine, protein (Genesis 18:7-8). • Symbolically, the goat hints at substitutionary themes later echoed in David’s psalms (Psalm 32:1-2). and sent them to Saul • Saul, though spiritually faltering, remains Israel’s anointed king (1 Samuel 10:1). • Jesse’s gifts acknowledge monarchy as God-ordained, paralleling Abigail’s later tribute to David (1 Samuel 25:18-31). • Honoring leadership even amid its flaws exemplifies 1 Peter 2:17: “Honor the king.” with his son David • David travels as both courier and gift; God is positioning him in Saul’s court (1 Samuel 18:2). • Personal delivery fosters relationship—David will minister musically and militarily (1 Samuel 16:21-23). • The scene foreshadows Christ, the Son sent by the Father with grace-filled provision (John 3:16; Luke 4:18-19). summary 1 Samuel 16:20 pictures a father wisely equipping his son for royal service: Jesse takes decisive action, loads a donkey with bread, wine, and a young goat, and sends everything—along with David—to King Saul. Each element underscores respect for God-appointed authority, practical generosity, and the quiet unfolding of divine purpose. David enters the palace carrying ordinary supplies, yet God is ushering in extraordinary destiny. |
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