June 2, 2025 • 30 mins
# 162 - David is Anointed - In this episode of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein, we explore the quiet calling of a shepherd boy overlooked by his family but chosen by God. Through the story of 1 Samuel 16:1–13, we’re reminded that while the world values status and appearance, God looks at the heart and crowns the humble.
Episode 162 of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein is inspired by the Book of Joshua.
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For more information about Yael Eckstein and IFCJ visit https://www.ifcj.org/
Today's opening prayer is inspired by Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
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Show Notes:
(01:22) Intro with Yael Eckstein
(02:19) David is Anointed
(23:12) Reflection with Yael Eckstein
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Previously on the Chosen People.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
You can't see everything. You can't see my heart.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
The Lord can. He sees your soul. For all your strength,
height and stature, you are a pathetic, weak, small little man.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord. He
has rejected you as king. Now as you have torn
(00:31):
my robe. So the Lord has torn the kingdom from you.
He will give it to another. The Lord has already
chosen him. He is a man that seeks after the.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Heart of God more than the heart of the people.
A good shepherd always lays his life for the sheep.
And young David, son of Jesse, was a good shepherd.
The boy lifted his face to the sky and closed
his eyes. The Lord is Usha I shall not want
(01:11):
makes me lie down in green Past.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Jersey, He leads me.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Besides still the waters, he restores my soul.
Speaker 5 (01:25):
The world crowns the mighty, but God he crowns the
humble Shelloh, my friends, from here in the holy land
of Israel, i'm l Extein with international Fellowship of Christians
and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen People. Have you
ever wondered why God sees things so differently than we do,
(01:45):
Why he delights and overturning expectations, and lifting up the
lowly and casting down the mighty. For Samuel sixteen one
to thirteen takes us to Bethlehem to try and answer
those questions, questions about power and purpose, about failure and forgiveness,
about how the creator of the universe chooses the ones
(02:07):
who will carry his name. So come with me to
Bethlehem for the story of a king rejected, a prophet trembling,
and a forgotten son tending sheep.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
The stars were unchanging, cold and distant, unmoved by the
weight of the world below them. Samuel knelt beneath them,
his hands pressed into the dirt, his forehead resting against
the ground. His bones ached with age, but his heart
ached far worse. He had anointed Saul with these very hands,
(02:47):
had placed the crown upon his brow, had prayed over him,
had whispered blessings as the young man trembled before God.
Saul had been chosen, or at LEAs least, he had
been what the people had chosen, a king, tall and strong,
a warrior with a voice that could rattle shields and
(03:09):
stir men's hearts. But now now he was little more
than a madman on a gilded throne, hiding his insecurity
behind empty prayers and brash commands.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Ah, your spirit has left him, Lord, and I fear
the kingdom will soon suffer the same fate.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Samuel's hands curled into fists. He had pleaded with God,
had wept for Saul's soul night after night, waiting for
an answer that never came. Until now.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
How long will you mourn for Saul? I have rejected
him as king. Now rise, fill your horn with oil,
and go to Jesse of Bethlehem. Among his sons, you
will find the king I have chosen.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Samuel let out a slow, shuddering breath. A new king,
a true king, not one demanded by the people, but
one God had set apart. And yet Saul was still
on the throne. Not how can I go?
Speaker 4 (04:31):
If Saul his wit, he'll have me killed.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Saul's paranoia had worsened in recent months. The king had
grown restless, suspicious of every whisper in his court. He
sent his men to watch Samuel's home, had them patrol
the roads leading in and out of Ramah, looking for
signs of betrayal. If he so much as suspected Samuel
(04:57):
was anointing another king. The prophet would be dead before
he reached Bethlehem, but the voice of the Lord was steady.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
Take her ever with you and say, I have come
to sacrifice to the Lord. Invite Jesse and his sons
to the feast. When you arrive, I will show you
what to do. You will anoint the one I have chosen.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
A breath of wind stirred the leaves. The stars remained still.
Samuel's lips pressed into a thin line. The Lord had
spoken for the first time in months. Peace settled over
the old Prophet. Bethlehem was a small, quiet town nestled
(05:49):
among the hills. It was known for its fertile lands
and shepherding families. It was a place of simple men,
hard labor, and few troubles. So when the Prophet of
Israel walked through the streets, leading a heifer behind him,
the people noticed. They whispered. In the market place, women
(06:13):
clutching baskets of grain glanced over their shoulders, murmuring behind
their palms. The blacksmith's hammer slowed its rhythm, striking metal
with half the force as its owner stared after the
old man's hunched form. He was known to them and
they feared him. Word had traveled fast from Gilgaal. Samuel
(06:37):
had taken up Saul's own sword and hacked King Agag
to pieces. Blood had painted the floor, splattered his face,
and soaked the prophet's robes. A judge of Israel in
every sense of the word. The town's elders gathered in
his path, standing before him like a row of nervous birds.
(07:00):
They were old men with weathered hands, men who had
seen droughts and famines, but nothing like this. One of
them stepped forward. Samuel smirked. He let the silence stretch
just long enough to watch them shift uncomfortably.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
Then spoke, I come in peace.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
The elders exhaled as one, shoulders relaxed. Samuel tugged at
the rope, and the heifer stepped forward, its hooves pressing
into the dry earth.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
I have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord.
Consecrate yourselves, enjoying me. We were worshiped together, not to
feast in the house of Jesse.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
The name sent a ripple through the gathered men. Jesse
a man of good standing, not nobility, not a warrior
of renown, but well respected. Nonetheless, a man whose sons
were strong and capable. Eliab, the eldest, had already taken
up arms in Saul's army, A family worth honoring. Samuel
(08:11):
watched as they exchanged glances. He knew what they were thinking.
A feast in Jesse's house, a prophet in their midst.
What exactly had he come to do? Samuel gave them
no answer. He simply turned and walked toward Jesse's house,
leading the heifer behind him. The elders followed, and the
(08:34):
whispers began again. The house of Jesse was vibrating with
frenetic energy. Jesse had entertained guests before, merchants from Hebron,
visiting elders from Bethlehem's neighboring villages, important men, men of wisdom,
(08:54):
men of wealth, But never a man like this, never
a prophet. The profit the weight of it pressed into
his chest, filling him with equal parts pride and anxiety.
Samuel had shared meals with kings, He had walked with
Saul in his earliest days, had anointed him, had counseled him,
(09:17):
had rebuked him. Now the old prophet was coming to
his house. Jesse could barely believe it. His wife bustled
about the home, barking orders at her daughter's. As they
scoured the floors and prepared the kitchen, the scent of
roasting lamb and baking bread filled the air, mingling with
(09:37):
the fresh scent of crushed rose, money and garlic. The
wooden table was polished and the cups scrubbed until they
gleamed in the candlelight outside. An altar had been erected.
Samuel would make his sacrifice before the meal, offering the
first portions to the Lord before sharing the rest with
(09:58):
the household. Jesse. He straightened his tunic and turned to
his children. His sons stood in perfect formation, their shoulders squared,
their jaws set. His daughters knelt at his feet, their
heads bowed, their hands folded neatly in their laps. They
had all been washed, anointed with oil, and dressed in
(10:20):
their finest garments, all except one. Jesse barely noticed the absence.
In fact, David hadn't even been told about Samuel's arrival.
Jesse briefly thought about sending for him, then decided not to.
David's muddy cheeks and unkempt hair would only distract Samuel
(10:43):
from the impressive crop of children. Jesse fixed his eyes
on Eliab, tall, broad shoulders, a warrior, a man. Jesse
placed his hands on his eldest son's shoulders, gripping them firmly.
This was his pride, his strength, his first born.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Heliab, you are the honor of this house. You are
my first born, a warrior of Israel. Tonight you shall
sit beside the prophet itself. Hold yourself with dignity, my son,
for I believe Samuel comes for more than reveal.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Eliab nodded, his expression unreadable. The others did the same,
though Jesse barely spared them a glance. He had already
decided if the prophet had come looking for someone, it
would be a Liab. It had to be a Liab.
And so as the sun began its descend and the
(11:46):
time for the feast approached, Jesse's mind was settled. Tonight
the prophet would sit at his table, and before the
night was through, his eldest son would be chosen. For
he did not know. The fire on the altar had
(12:07):
burned low, the smoke curling lazily into the sky as
the scent of roasted meat lingered in the air. Samuel
stood over the embers his hands lifted as he whispered
his final prayers. The sacrifice had been made. Now it
was time to meet the new king. He turned to Jesse,
(12:30):
his voice calm but.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Firm, Gather your sons, come.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
Jesse obeyed without question, gathering his children with the pride
of a man displaying his finest wares. Samuel watched as
they assembled before him, tall, broad shouldered men with keen
eyes and strong hands. They stood with the posture of warriors,
sons of a man who had raised them to carry
(12:59):
the weight of his name. They were impressive, no doubt,
but Samuel had seen impressive before. As the feast began,
Samuel took his place at the table. Eliab, Jesse's eldest,
sat beside him. The young man was everything a king
should be, or at least everything men thought a king
(13:21):
should be. He had his father's stature, Saul's easy charm,
and the quiet confidence of a man who expected to command.
Samuel listened as Eliab spoke, weaving effortlessly between politics and war,
his voice carrying a natural authority. He jested with the elders,
(13:42):
his words balanced between wit and wisdom. His laughter was
loud and strong, his presence undeniable Charley.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
This is the one.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
He has all the makings of good.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
King Luke passed his height and appearance. Samuel, I have
rejected the man before you. Man seized the strength of
the arms and the bearing of the shoulders. But I
see the heart.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Samuel's stomach twisted. How many times had he seen men
like this, men who looked like kings, men who carried
themselves like kings, men who became kings only to let
power rot them from the inside out. He had spent
years watching Saul darken under the weight of his own pride.
(14:35):
He had no desire to anoint another like him. Samuel
lowered his gaze, exhaling slowly.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
Not this one.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
He turned to Jesse.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Bring all your sons to me.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
I wish to see them.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Jesse's face shone with pride as he called them forward.
Samuel rose, walking slowly down the line, his old eyes
sir each man, as if he could see past flesh
and bone into the very core of them. He stood
before Abinadab, gripping the young man's hands, staring deep into
(15:12):
his eyes.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
Nothing neither has the Lord chosen this one.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
Samuel didn't say the words out loud. Instead, he moved
his gaze on to Shammer. The young man was shorter
than Eliab, but more thickly built, his hands scarred from
his time in Saul's ranks. He was a soldier, hardened
and battle tested. Samuel studied him, but once again the
(15:40):
answer was clear. Oh this one, that one. One by one,
he passed through Jesse's sons, strong men, capable men. Not
one of them was chosen. Samuel sighed, rubbing his temple.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Yes, Sair, are these all your sons?
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Jesse hesitated, then let out a small chuckle.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
There is still the youngest, but he is out with
is sheep.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
You wouldn't want to meeting. He's unruly, lone.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
A liar than the others chuckled with their father. Samuel's
brow furrowed.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
Where is your pastor?
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Jesse waved vaguely toward the outskirts of his land, and.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Beyond this Pabel's best be the boy, wonders, sho he
plays his little hard at the disciples Gil, It's best
not to bother.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Him, Samuel frowned. Jesse spoke of his youngest as if
he were some stray dog, a boy barely worth mentioning
he had paraded the others before him with pride. But
this son had been forgotten, dismissed before he was even considered.
(16:59):
That alone was enough to pique Samuel's interest.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
I should be on my own way, then, Thank you
for your hospitality. With a lord bless you. He'll keep
you on.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
We have more of than meals to you, and wine, please, dear, WI.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Have a long journey ahead of me, and these old
nas of mine make it seem any longer. It's best
for me to move now and beat the sun.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
The old prophet turned and strode past the stables and
up the hill. The wild flowers swayed gently in the breeze,
dotting the green hills with splashes of white and yellow.
The wind carried with it the sound of soft music,
(17:49):
light and airy, rising and falling, as if carried by
the breath of the earth itself. Samuel followed the melody,
letting it guide him. The top of the hill he
found the boy. He was under the cypress tree, half
reclined against its trunk, fingers dancing across the strings of
(18:11):
his lyre. He was younger than Samuel had expected, no
older than sixteen. His build was lean, not yet touched
by the weight of war or the burdens of men.
His hair was sun kissed and wild, his skin ruddy
from the days spent in open fields. There was nothing
(18:32):
outwardly remarkable about him, and yet he played his instrument
as if the sky itself was listening. Samuel did not interrupt.
He sat on a stone a few yards away, closing
his eyes, letting the music sink into his weary bones.
There was something in it, something deep, something honest. The
(18:57):
song was raw, brimming with sorrow and joy in equal measure.
This was not the song of a child. This was
the song of a heart that had known both hardship
and wonder, both wounds and healing. The final notes faded,
and Samuel leaned forward, clearing his throat. David startled, eyes,
(19:22):
sharp staff in hand. Before Samuel could blink, the boy
was quick on his feet. Samuel took notice.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
Who are you.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
Peace, my son? I mean no harm. I am the prophet, Samuel.
I was just enjoying a meal with your family.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
Oh, I see. David lowered his staff, his lips pursed.
Clearly he hadn't been told about the event. Samuel saw
that flash of hurt. He was a forgotten son. Unseen
by his father, But it appears that the Lord saw him.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
Tell me, why were you not in attendance at the feast.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
I'm only a shepherd.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
I suppose my place is among the sheep.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
Samuel inhaled sharply, and in that instant the voice of
the Lord.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Came arise, annoyed him. For this is the one I
have chosen.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
The prophet exhaled, closing his eyes. He could see it now,
the fire buried deep within this boy's soul, the wild
heart that refused to be tamed, the strength that did
not come from height or steel, but from something far greater.
(20:47):
This was no sore, This was no eliab, This was
something entirely different.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Surely you are not only a shepherd. What is your name,
David mill of David? The Lord desires to bless you.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
The boy's eyes glistened at that. Samuel hadn't told him
anything new. David had known the Lord. David knelt down
as Samuel commanded, the aging prophet lifted the horn of oil,
tilting it forward. The thick liquid poured over David's head,
running down his face and soaking into his tunic, And
(21:31):
in that moment, the spirit of the Lord rushed upon
him like a lighty storm. David gasped, his hands gripped
the earth as his breath came in ragged gulps, his
body trembling under the weight of something vast, something beyond him.
Samuel stepped back, watching the boy's fingers curled into the dirt,
(21:54):
his shoulders heaved, and then slowly he lifted his head,
eyes burning like the rising sun. He did not know
what this meant, not yet, but he felt it. Samuel
turned satisfied.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
Aes, there, it is a man after God's own heart.
It was a pleasure to meet you, young David.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
I have a feeling you to again.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Samuel departed without explaining the significance of what happened. He
did not need to bring David before the people as
he had Withsow. The Lord would unfold his plan in time.
One day David would be more than just a shepherd.
One day he would rule. But for now, Samuel left
(22:48):
him in the fields, left him with his sheep, with
his songs, with his simple joys. For the time would
come soon enough, when David would no longer be ten sheep.
His life would become wildly more complicated. The time would
come when he would shepherd a nation.
Speaker 5 (23:15):
This Bible's story makes me smile because it begins like
the scene from a children's story, but then it teaches
us as important a lesson as the Bible has to
teach us. When Samuel arrives in Bethlehem, his heart is heavy.
Saul has shown every quality Israel could want in a king.
He had strength, he had stature, he had command. But
(23:36):
Saul's reign ended in failure, and Samuel had been called
to Bethlehem, to the house of a man named Jesse,
to find a new king. So each one of Jesse's
seven sons is paraded before this prophet so he can
look over them, so he can pick between them, like
Prince Charming choosing a sister to fit the glass slipper,
(23:57):
or a princess choosing among her princely suitors. And each
time one of the tall, imposing sons of Jesse is
hopefully prayed to forward, Samuel looks over him and says, surely,
this is the Lord's anointed, But each time God disagrees,
and finally God tells Samuel not to look at outward
(24:18):
things like size or height, but instead God tells Samuel
these beautiful words quote. People look at the outward appearance,
but the Lord looks at the heart end quote. And
then when Jesse brings out his youngest son, David, God
tells Samuel this is the one. Isn't that a very
(24:43):
important message for us today? That the world looks at
outward appearances, the clothes we wear, the material things we
surround ourselves with, how beautiful or how tall, or how
athletic we are. But God he sees inside of each
of us. As the Bible says, the Lord looks at
(25:03):
the heart. There's a word in Hebrew that I want
to point out in this story. When David is finally
brought out, the Bible describes him as ad de moni,
or ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome face. Weren't
we just told this story though, about inner character, So
(25:24):
why would God's word go against this right away by
drawing attention to David's looks. Some Jewish ages saw this
as a reminder that outward qualities are not inherently bad.
They're just not the foundation beauty and strength when submitted
to God, becomes tools rather than idols. But there's something
(25:45):
else about this Hebrew word ad moni Admnie appears only
one other time in the entire Torah, when it's describing
Esau in Genesis twenty five. Esau was right and strong too,
wasn't he? But he saw lack something that David did not,
(26:05):
a heart aligned with God. And it's because of that
godly heart that David was anointed king of Israel. Right
after Samuel anointed David, the Bible says, from that day on,
the spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. This
spirit of the Lord would soon allow David to succeed
(26:28):
against the supposedly invincible Philistines, and the sages point out
that it's the same spirit of the Lord that inspired
David to sing his immortal songs and praises to God
our precious book of Psalms. You see, God's spirit can
help us on two levels, the worldly level and the
(26:51):
spiritual level. David was one of our greatest warriors, but
we also refer to him as the sweet Singer of
is Real. And isn't that our ultimate goal too, To
use the spirit of the Lord within each one of
us to be successful in our worldly pursuits, but at
(27:11):
the same time to be successful in our prayers, to
God and our study of his word, the Bible, like
we're doing right now. Think of some of the stories
that we've already studied, and biblical people that we've already met.
Abel the younger brother accepted over Cain, Jacob the quiet
one chosen over Esau, Joseph the dreamer elevated above his
(27:35):
older brothers. Time and time again, God bypasses the strong,
the obvious, and the expected, and that happens in this
story too. Here God's choice wasn't just about replacing one
king with another.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
It was about.
Speaker 5 (27:52):
Revealing his priorities. While humans crave power and care about appearances,
God seeks into to see and faithfulness. The boy who
was anointed that day wasn't chosen because of his potential
to command armies. That wasn't David at that point, the
youngest brother. He was chosen because he had the voice
(28:14):
of a shepherd, and because he knew how to listen
to the voice of the shepherd. My friends, we live
in a world obsessed with visibility. Social media rewards the
loudest voices and the flashiest images. Success is measured and
likes and followers and applause. But today's story tells a
(28:35):
very different truth. God doesn't need us to be seen
by the world. He needs us to be seen by Him.
Think of the youngest son in Jesse's household, overlooked by
his family, left out of the feast, forgotten, and yet
in the fields he listened and he heard God's voice.
(28:57):
This is where the story connects to each one of us.
Maybe you feel unseen, maybe your work feels small, or
your efforts feel unnoticed. But take heart, God sees you,
and when he chooses, it's not based on what the
world values. It's based on things that the world can't see.
(29:19):
So let David Story encourage you. The work you do,
it does matter. The prayers you pray, they matter too.
The way you lead your family, love your neighbors, and
serve others. These are things that matter to God. Even
if you don't see that other people recognize it. You
(29:39):
can be comforted God, He definitely does.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
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(30:09):
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(30:34):
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(30:55):
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Previously on the Chosen People.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
You can't see everything. You can't see my heart.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
The Lord can. He sees your soul. For all your strength,
height and stature, you are a pathetic, weak, small little man.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord. He
has rejected you as king. Now as you have torn
(00:31):
my robe. So the Lord has torn the kingdom from you.
He will give it to another. The Lord has already
chosen him. He is a man that seeks after the.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Heart of God more than the heart of the people.
A good shepherd always lays his life for the sheep.
And young David, son of Jesse, was a good shepherd.
The boy lifted his face to the sky and closed
his eyes. The Lord is Usha I shall not want
(01:11):
makes me lie down in green Past.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Jersey, He leads me.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Besides still the waters, he restores my soul.
Speaker 5 (01:25):
The world crowns the mighty, but God he crowns the
humble Shelloh, my friends, from here in the holy land
of Israel, i'm l Extein with international Fellowship of Christians
and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen People. Have you
ever wondered why God sees things so differently than we do,
(01:45):
Why he delights and overturning expectations, and lifting up the
lowly and casting down the mighty. For Samuel sixteen one
to thirteen takes us to Bethlehem to try and answer
those questions, questions about power and purpose, about failure and forgiveness,
about how the creator of the universe chooses the ones
(02:07):
who will carry his name. So come with me to
Bethlehem for the story of a king rejected, a prophet trembling,
and a forgotten son tending sheep.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
The stars were unchanging, cold and distant, unmoved by the
weight of the world below them. Samuel knelt beneath them,
his hands pressed into the dirt, his forehead resting against
the ground. His bones ached with age, but his heart
ached far worse. He had anointed Saul with these very hands,
(02:47):
had placed the crown upon his brow, had prayed over him,
had whispered blessings as the young man trembled before God.
Saul had been chosen, or at LEAs least, he had
been what the people had chosen, a king, tall and strong,
a warrior with a voice that could rattle shields and
(03:09):
stir men's hearts. But now now he was little more
than a madman on a gilded throne, hiding his insecurity
behind empty prayers and brash commands.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Ah, your spirit has left him, Lord, and I fear
the kingdom will soon suffer the same fate.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Samuel's hands curled into fists. He had pleaded with God,
had wept for Saul's soul night after night, waiting for
an answer that never came. Until now.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
How long will you mourn for Saul? I have rejected
him as king. Now rise, fill your horn with oil,
and go to Jesse of Bethlehem. Among his sons, you
will find the king I have chosen.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Samuel let out a slow, shuddering breath. A new king,
a true king, not one demanded by the people, but
one God had set apart. And yet Saul was still
on the throne. Not how can I go?
Speaker 4 (04:31):
If Saul his wit, he'll have me killed.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Saul's paranoia had worsened in recent months. The king had
grown restless, suspicious of every whisper in his court. He
sent his men to watch Samuel's home, had them patrol
the roads leading in and out of Ramah, looking for
signs of betrayal. If he so much as suspected Samuel
(04:57):
was anointing another king. The prophet would be dead before
he reached Bethlehem, but the voice of the Lord was steady.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
Take her ever with you and say, I have come
to sacrifice to the Lord. Invite Jesse and his sons
to the feast. When you arrive, I will show you
what to do. You will anoint the one I have chosen.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
A breath of wind stirred the leaves. The stars remained still.
Samuel's lips pressed into a thin line. The Lord had
spoken for the first time in months. Peace settled over
the old Prophet. Bethlehem was a small, quiet town nestled
(05:49):
among the hills. It was known for its fertile lands
and shepherding families. It was a place of simple men,
hard labor, and few troubles. So when the Prophet of
Israel walked through the streets, leading a heifer behind him,
the people noticed. They whispered. In the market place, women
(06:13):
clutching baskets of grain glanced over their shoulders, murmuring behind
their palms. The blacksmith's hammer slowed its rhythm, striking metal
with half the force as its owner stared after the
old man's hunched form. He was known to them and
they feared him. Word had traveled fast from Gilgaal. Samuel
(06:37):
had taken up Saul's own sword and hacked King Agag
to pieces. Blood had painted the floor, splattered his face,
and soaked the prophet's robes. A judge of Israel in
every sense of the word. The town's elders gathered in
his path, standing before him like a row of nervous birds.
(07:00):
They were old men with weathered hands, men who had
seen droughts and famines, but nothing like this. One of
them stepped forward. Samuel smirked. He let the silence stretch
just long enough to watch them shift uncomfortably.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
Then spoke, I come in peace.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
The elders exhaled as one, shoulders relaxed. Samuel tugged at
the rope, and the heifer stepped forward, its hooves pressing
into the dry earth.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
I have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord.
Consecrate yourselves, enjoying me. We were worshiped together, not to
feast in the house of Jesse.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
The name sent a ripple through the gathered men. Jesse
a man of good standing, not nobility, not a warrior
of renown, but well respected. Nonetheless, a man whose sons
were strong and capable. Eliab, the eldest, had already taken
up arms in Saul's army, A family worth honoring. Samuel
(08:11):
watched as they exchanged glances. He knew what they were thinking.
A feast in Jesse's house, a prophet in their midst.
What exactly had he come to do? Samuel gave them
no answer. He simply turned and walked toward Jesse's house,
leading the heifer behind him. The elders followed, and the
(08:34):
whispers began again. The house of Jesse was vibrating with
frenetic energy. Jesse had entertained guests before, merchants from Hebron,
visiting elders from Bethlehem's neighboring villages, important men, men of wisdom,
(08:54):
men of wealth, But never a man like this, never
a prophet. The profit the weight of it pressed into
his chest, filling him with equal parts pride and anxiety.
Samuel had shared meals with kings, He had walked with
Saul in his earliest days, had anointed him, had counseled him,
(09:17):
had rebuked him. Now the old prophet was coming to
his house. Jesse could barely believe it. His wife bustled
about the home, barking orders at her daughter's. As they
scoured the floors and prepared the kitchen, the scent of
roasting lamb and baking bread filled the air, mingling with
(09:37):
the fresh scent of crushed rose, money and garlic. The
wooden table was polished and the cups scrubbed until they
gleamed in the candlelight outside. An altar had been erected.
Samuel would make his sacrifice before the meal, offering the
first portions to the Lord before sharing the rest with
(09:58):
the household. Jesse. He straightened his tunic and turned to
his children. His sons stood in perfect formation, their shoulders squared,
their jaws set. His daughters knelt at his feet, their
heads bowed, their hands folded neatly in their laps. They
had all been washed, anointed with oil, and dressed in
(10:20):
their finest garments, all except one. Jesse barely noticed the absence.
In fact, David hadn't even been told about Samuel's arrival.
Jesse briefly thought about sending for him, then decided not to.
David's muddy cheeks and unkempt hair would only distract Samuel
(10:43):
from the impressive crop of children. Jesse fixed his eyes
on Eliab, tall, broad shoulders, a warrior, a man. Jesse
placed his hands on his eldest son's shoulders, gripping them firmly.
This was his pride, his strength, his first born.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Heliab, you are the honor of this house. You are
my first born, a warrior of Israel. Tonight you shall
sit beside the prophet itself. Hold yourself with dignity, my son,
for I believe Samuel comes for more than reveal.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Eliab nodded, his expression unreadable. The others did the same,
though Jesse barely spared them a glance. He had already
decided if the prophet had come looking for someone, it
would be a Liab. It had to be a Liab.
And so as the sun began its descend and the
(11:46):
time for the feast approached, Jesse's mind was settled. Tonight
the prophet would sit at his table, and before the
night was through, his eldest son would be chosen. For
he did not know. The fire on the altar had
(12:07):
burned low, the smoke curling lazily into the sky as
the scent of roasted meat lingered in the air. Samuel
stood over the embers his hands lifted as he whispered
his final prayers. The sacrifice had been made. Now it
was time to meet the new king. He turned to Jesse,
(12:30):
his voice calm but.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Firm, Gather your sons, come.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
Jesse obeyed without question, gathering his children with the pride
of a man displaying his finest wares. Samuel watched as
they assembled before him, tall, broad shouldered men with keen
eyes and strong hands. They stood with the posture of warriors,
sons of a man who had raised them to carry
(12:59):
the weight of his name. They were impressive, no doubt,
but Samuel had seen impressive before. As the feast began,
Samuel took his place at the table. Eliab, Jesse's eldest,
sat beside him. The young man was everything a king
should be, or at least everything men thought a king
(13:21):
should be. He had his father's stature, Saul's easy charm,
and the quiet confidence of a man who expected to command.
Samuel listened as Eliab spoke, weaving effortlessly between politics and war,
his voice carrying a natural authority. He jested with the elders,
(13:42):
his words balanced between wit and wisdom. His laughter was
loud and strong, his presence undeniable Charley.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
This is the one.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
He has all the makings of good.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
King Luke passed his height and appearance. Samuel, I have
rejected the man before you. Man seized the strength of
the arms and the bearing of the shoulders. But I
see the heart.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Samuel's stomach twisted. How many times had he seen men
like this, men who looked like kings, men who carried
themselves like kings, men who became kings only to let
power rot them from the inside out. He had spent
years watching Saul darken under the weight of his own pride.
(14:35):
He had no desire to anoint another like him. Samuel
lowered his gaze, exhaling slowly.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
Not this one.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
He turned to Jesse.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Bring all your sons to me.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
I wish to see them.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Jesse's face shone with pride as he called them forward.
Samuel rose, walking slowly down the line, his old eyes
sir each man, as if he could see past flesh
and bone into the very core of them. He stood
before Abinadab, gripping the young man's hands, staring deep into
(15:12):
his eyes.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
Nothing neither has the Lord chosen this one.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
Samuel didn't say the words out loud. Instead, he moved
his gaze on to Shammer. The young man was shorter
than Eliab, but more thickly built, his hands scarred from
his time in Saul's ranks. He was a soldier, hardened
and battle tested. Samuel studied him, but once again the
(15:40):
answer was clear. Oh this one, that one. One by one,
he passed through Jesse's sons, strong men, capable men. Not
one of them was chosen. Samuel sighed, rubbing his temple.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Yes, Sair, are these all your sons?
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Jesse hesitated, then let out a small chuckle.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
There is still the youngest, but he is out with
is sheep.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
You wouldn't want to meeting. He's unruly, lone.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
A liar than the others chuckled with their father. Samuel's
brow furrowed.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
Where is your pastor?
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Jesse waved vaguely toward the outskirts of his land, and.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Beyond this Pabel's best be the boy, wonders, sho he
plays his little hard at the disciples Gil, It's best
not to bother.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Him, Samuel frowned. Jesse spoke of his youngest as if
he were some stray dog, a boy barely worth mentioning
he had paraded the others before him with pride. But
this son had been forgotten, dismissed before he was even considered.
(16:59):
That alone was enough to pique Samuel's interest.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
I should be on my own way, then, Thank you
for your hospitality. With a lord bless you. He'll keep
you on.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
We have more of than meals to you, and wine, please, dear, WI.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Have a long journey ahead of me, and these old
nas of mine make it seem any longer. It's best
for me to move now and beat the sun.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
The old prophet turned and strode past the stables and
up the hill. The wild flowers swayed gently in the breeze,
dotting the green hills with splashes of white and yellow.
The wind carried with it the sound of soft music,
(17:49):
light and airy, rising and falling, as if carried by
the breath of the earth itself. Samuel followed the melody,
letting it guide him. The top of the hill he
found the boy. He was under the cypress tree, half
reclined against its trunk, fingers dancing across the strings of
(18:11):
his lyre. He was younger than Samuel had expected, no
older than sixteen. His build was lean, not yet touched
by the weight of war or the burdens of men.
His hair was sun kissed and wild, his skin ruddy
from the days spent in open fields. There was nothing
(18:32):
outwardly remarkable about him, and yet he played his instrument
as if the sky itself was listening. Samuel did not interrupt.
He sat on a stone a few yards away, closing
his eyes, letting the music sink into his weary bones.
There was something in it, something deep, something honest. The
(18:57):
song was raw, brimming with sorrow and joy in equal measure.
This was not the song of a child. This was
the song of a heart that had known both hardship
and wonder, both wounds and healing. The final notes faded,
and Samuel leaned forward, clearing his throat. David startled, eyes,
(19:22):
sharp staff in hand. Before Samuel could blink, the boy
was quick on his feet. Samuel took notice.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
Who are you.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
Peace, my son? I mean no harm. I am the prophet, Samuel.
I was just enjoying a meal with your family.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
Oh, I see. David lowered his staff, his lips pursed.
Clearly he hadn't been told about the event. Samuel saw
that flash of hurt. He was a forgotten son. Unseen
by his father, But it appears that the Lord saw him.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
Tell me, why were you not in attendance at the feast.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
I'm only a shepherd.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
I suppose my place is among the sheep.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
Samuel inhaled sharply, and in that instant the voice of
the Lord.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Came arise, annoyed him. For this is the one I
have chosen.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
The prophet exhaled, closing his eyes. He could see it now,
the fire buried deep within this boy's soul, the wild
heart that refused to be tamed, the strength that did
not come from height or steel, but from something far greater.
(20:47):
This was no sore, This was no eliab, This was
something entirely different.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Surely you are not only a shepherd. What is your name,
David mill of David? The Lord desires to bless you.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
The boy's eyes glistened at that. Samuel hadn't told him
anything new. David had known the Lord. David knelt down
as Samuel commanded, the aging prophet lifted the horn of oil,
tilting it forward. The thick liquid poured over David's head,
running down his face and soaking into his tunic, And
(21:31):
in that moment, the spirit of the Lord rushed upon
him like a lighty storm. David gasped, his hands gripped
the earth as his breath came in ragged gulps, his
body trembling under the weight of something vast, something beyond him.
Samuel stepped back, watching the boy's fingers curled into the dirt,
(21:54):
his shoulders heaved, and then slowly he lifted his head,
eyes burning like the rising sun. He did not know
what this meant, not yet, but he felt it. Samuel
turned satisfied.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
Aes, there, it is a man after God's own heart.
It was a pleasure to meet you, young David.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
I have a feeling you to again.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Samuel departed without explaining the significance of what happened. He
did not need to bring David before the people as
he had Withsow. The Lord would unfold his plan in time.
One day David would be more than just a shepherd.
One day he would rule. But for now, Samuel left
(22:48):
him in the fields, left him with his sheep, with
his songs, with his simple joys. For the time would
come soon enough, when David would no longer be ten sheep.
His life would become wildly more complicated. The time would
come when he would shepherd a nation.
Speaker 5 (23:15):
This Bible's story makes me smile because it begins like
the scene from a children's story, but then it teaches
us as important a lesson as the Bible has to
teach us. When Samuel arrives in Bethlehem, his heart is heavy.
Saul has shown every quality Israel could want in a king.
He had strength, he had stature, he had command. But
(23:36):
Saul's reign ended in failure, and Samuel had been called
to Bethlehem, to the house of a man named Jesse,
to find a new king. So each one of Jesse's
seven sons is paraded before this prophet so he can
look over them, so he can pick between them, like
Prince Charming choosing a sister to fit the glass slipper,
(23:57):
or a princess choosing among her princely suitors. And each
time one of the tall, imposing sons of Jesse is
hopefully prayed to forward, Samuel looks over him and says, surely,
this is the Lord's anointed, But each time God disagrees,
and finally God tells Samuel not to look at outward
(24:18):
things like size or height, but instead God tells Samuel
these beautiful words quote. People look at the outward appearance,
but the Lord looks at the heart end quote. And
then when Jesse brings out his youngest son, David, God
tells Samuel this is the one. Isn't that a very
(24:43):
important message for us today? That the world looks at
outward appearances, the clothes we wear, the material things we
surround ourselves with, how beautiful or how tall, or how
athletic we are. But God he sees inside of each
of us. As the Bible says, the Lord looks at
(25:03):
the heart. There's a word in Hebrew that I want
to point out in this story. When David is finally
brought out, the Bible describes him as ad de moni,
or ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome face. Weren't
we just told this story though, about inner character, So
(25:24):
why would God's word go against this right away by
drawing attention to David's looks. Some Jewish ages saw this
as a reminder that outward qualities are not inherently bad.
They're just not the foundation beauty and strength when submitted
to God, becomes tools rather than idols. But there's something
(25:45):
else about this Hebrew word ad moni Admnie appears only
one other time in the entire Torah, when it's describing
Esau in Genesis twenty five. Esau was right and strong too,
wasn't he? But he saw lack something that David did not,
(26:05):
a heart aligned with God. And it's because of that
godly heart that David was anointed king of Israel. Right
after Samuel anointed David, the Bible says, from that day on,
the spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. This
spirit of the Lord would soon allow David to succeed
(26:28):
against the supposedly invincible Philistines, and the sages point out
that it's the same spirit of the Lord that inspired
David to sing his immortal songs and praises to God
our precious book of Psalms. You see, God's spirit can
help us on two levels, the worldly level and the
(26:51):
spiritual level. David was one of our greatest warriors, but
we also refer to him as the sweet Singer of
is Real. And isn't that our ultimate goal too, To
use the spirit of the Lord within each one of
us to be successful in our worldly pursuits, but at
(27:11):
the same time to be successful in our prayers, to
God and our study of his word, the Bible, like
we're doing right now. Think of some of the stories
that we've already studied, and biblical people that we've already met.
Abel the younger brother accepted over Cain, Jacob the quiet
one chosen over Esau, Joseph the dreamer elevated above his
(27:35):
older brothers. Time and time again, God bypasses the strong,
the obvious, and the expected, and that happens in this
story too. Here God's choice wasn't just about replacing one
king with another.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
It was about.
Speaker 5 (27:52):
Revealing his priorities. While humans crave power and care about appearances,
God seeks into to see and faithfulness. The boy who
was anointed that day wasn't chosen because of his potential
to command armies. That wasn't David at that point, the
youngest brother. He was chosen because he had the voice
(28:14):
of a shepherd, and because he knew how to listen
to the voice of the shepherd. My friends, we live
in a world obsessed with visibility. Social media rewards the
loudest voices and the flashiest images. Success is measured and
likes and followers and applause. But today's story tells a
(28:35):
very different truth. God doesn't need us to be seen
by the world. He needs us to be seen by Him.
Think of the youngest son in Jesse's household, overlooked by
his family, left out of the feast, forgotten, and yet
in the fields he listened and he heard God's voice.
(28:57):
This is where the story connects to each one of us.
Maybe you feel unseen, maybe your work feels small, or
your efforts feel unnoticed. But take heart, God sees you,
and when he chooses, it's not based on what the
world values. It's based on things that the world can't see.
(29:19):
So let David Story encourage you. The work you do,
it does matter. The prayers you pray, they matter too.
The way you lead your family, love your neighbors, and
serve others. These are things that matter to God. Even
if you don't see that other people recognize it. You
(29:39):
can be comforted God, He definitely does.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
You can listen to the Chosen People with the isle
E Stein Ad free by downloading and subscribing to the
Pray dot Com app today. This Pray dot Com production
is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents,
Steve Gattina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are
the executive producers of The Chosen People with Yiele Eckstein,
(30:09):
Edited by Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are
voiced by Jonathan Gotten, Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan,
Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and
the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music by
Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie and
(30:34):
Chris Baig. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin,
kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship
of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot
com productions on the Prey dot com app, available on
the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you
enjoyed The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please rate and
(30:55):
leave a review.
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