Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Samuel did what the LORD said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?” New Living Translation So Samuel did as the LORD instructed. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town came trembling to meet him. “What’s wrong?” they asked. “Do you come in peace?” English Standard Version 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?” Berean Standard Bible So Samuel did what the LORD had said and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?” Berean Literal Bible And Samuel did what YHWH had spoken, and he came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, “Do you come in peace?” King James Bible And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably? New King James Version So Samuel did what the LORD said, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, “Do you come peaceably?” New American Standard Bible So Samuel did what the LORD told him, and he came to Bethlehem. Then the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, “Do you come in peace?” NASB 1995 So Samuel did what the LORD said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, “Do you come in peace?” NASB 1977 So Samuel did what the LORD said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, “Do you come in peace?” Legacy Standard Bible So Samuel did what Yahweh said and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, “Do you come in peace?” Amplified Bible So Samuel did what the LORD said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, “Do you come in peace?” Berean Annotated Bible So Samuel (his name is El) did what the LORD {YHWH} had said and went to Bethlehem (house of bread). When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?” Christian Standard Bible Samuel did what the LORD directed and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace? ” Holman Christian Standard Bible Samuel did what the LORD directed and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?” American Standard Version And Samuel did that which Jehovah spake, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, Comest thou peaceably? Contemporary English Version Samuel did what the LORD told him and went to Bethlehem. The town leaders went to meet him, but they were terribly afraid and asked, "Is this a friendly visit?" English Revised Version And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, Comest thou peaceably? GOD'S WORD® Translation Samuel did what the LORD told him. When he came to Bethlehem, the leaders of the city, trembling with fear, greeted him and said, "May peace be with you." Good News Translation Samuel did what the LORD told him to do and went to Bethlehem, where the city leaders came trembling to meet him and asked, "Is this a peaceful visit, seer?" International Standard Version Samuel did what the LORD said and went to Bethlehem. The elders of the town came out to meet him trembling, and said, "May your coming be in peace." NET Bible Samuel did what the LORD told him. When he arrived in Bethlehem, the elders of the city were afraid to meet him. They said, "Do you come in peace?" New Heart English Bible And Samuel did what the LORD said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling. And they said, "Is your visit peaceful, seer?" Webster's Bible Translation And Samuel did that which the LORD spoke, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably? Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleSo Samuel did what the LORD had said and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?” World English Bible Samuel did that which Yahweh spoke, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd Samuel does that which YHWH has spoken, and comes to Beth-Lehem, and [the] elderly of the city tremble to meet him, and [one] says, “Is your coming peace?” Berean Literal Bible And Samuel did what YHWH had spoken, and he came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, “Do you come in peace?” Young's Literal Translation And Samuel doth that which Jehovah hath spoken, and cometh in to Beth-Lehem, and the elders of the city tremble to meet him, and one saith, 'Is thy coming peace?' Smith's Literal Translation And Samuel will do what Jehovah spake, and he will go to the House of Bread. And the old men of the city will tremble to meet him, and say, Thy coming peace? Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleThen Samuel did as the Lord had said to him. And he came to Bethlehem, and the ancients of the city wondered, and meeting him, they said: Is thy coming hither peaceable? Catholic Public Domain Version Therefore, Samuel did just as the Lord told him. And he went to Bethlehem, and the elders of the city wondered. And meeting him, they said, “Is your arrival peaceful?” New American Bible Samuel did as the LORD had commanded him. When he entered Bethlehem, the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and asked, “Is your visit peaceful, O seer?” New Revised Standard Version 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?” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd Samuel did as the LORD had commanded him, and came to Bethlehem of Judah. And the elders of the town went out to meet him, and said, Is your coming peaceable? Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And Shemueil did as LORD JEHOVAH commanded him and came to Bayth Lekhem of Yehuda, and the Elders of the city went out to meet him, and they said: “Do you come in peace?” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And Samuel did that which the LORD spoke, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said: 'Comest thou peaceably?' Brenton Septuagint Translation And Samuel did all that the Lord told him; and he came to Bethleem: and the elders of the city were amazed at meeting him, and said, Dost thou come peaceably, thou Seer? Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Samuel Anoints David…3Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you are to do. You are to anoint for Me the one I indicate.” 4So Samuel did what the LORD had said and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?” 5“In peace,” he replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.… Cross References So Samuel did what the LORD had said Exodus 40:16 Moses did everything just as the LORD had commanded him. Genesis 12:4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had directed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. Joshua 11:9 Joshua treated them as the LORD had told him; he hamstrung their horses and burned up their chariots. and went to Bethlehem. Ruth 1:19 So Naomi and Ruth traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women of the town exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?” Luke 2:4 So Joseph also went up from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, since he was from the house and line of David. 1 Samuel 17:15 but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep in Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, 1 Samuel 8:4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. Ruth 4:1-2 Meanwhile, Boaz went to the gate and sat down there. Soon the kinsman-redeemer of whom he had spoken came along, and Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down. / Then Boaz took ten of the elders of the city and said, “Sit here,” and they did so. 1 Kings 21:8 Then Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city. they trembled and asked, 1 Samuel 28:5 When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid and trembled violently. Judges 13:20 When the flame went up from the altar to the sky, the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell facedown to the ground. Exodus 20:18 When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sounding of the ram’s horn, and the mountain enveloped in smoke, they trembled and stood at a distance. “Do you come in peace?” 1 Kings 2:13 Now Adonijah son of Haggith went to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, and she asked, “Do you come in peace?” “Yes, in peace,” he replied. 2 Kings 9:18 So a horseman rode off to meet Jehu and said, “This is what the king asks: ‘Have you come in peace?’” “What do you know about peace?” Jehu replied. “Fall in behind me.” And the watchman reported, “The messenger reached them, but he is not coming back.” 2 Kings 9:22 When Joram saw Jehu, he asked, “Have you come in peace, Jehu?” “How can there be peace,” he replied, “as long as the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?” 1 Kings 17:18 “O man of God,” said the woman to Elijah, “what have you done to me? Have you come to remind me of my iniquity and cause the death of my son?” Treasury of Scripture And Samuel did that which the LORD spoke, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Come you peaceably? trembled 1 Samuel 21:1 Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee? 2 Samuel 6:9 And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me? 1 Kings 17:18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son? coming [heb] meeting 1 Kings 2:13 And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably. 2 Kings 9:22 And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many? 1 Chronicles 12:17,18 And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it… Jump to Previous Arrived Bethlehem Beth-Lehem City Commanded Elders Meet Met Peace Peaceably Responsible Samuel Tremble Trembled TremblingJump to Next Arrived Bethlehem Beth-Lehem City Commanded Elders Meet Met Peace Peaceably Responsible Samuel Tremble Trembled Trembling1 Samuel 16 1. Samuel sent by God, under pretense of a sacrifice, comes to Bethlehem6. His human judgment is reproved 11. He anoints David 15. Saul sends for David to quiet his evil spirit So Samuel did what the LORD had said Samuel's obedience to God's command is a key theme in this passage. As a prophet, Samuel's role was to listen to and act upon God's instructions. This obedience is reminiscent of other biblical figures like Abraham, who also followed God's directives without hesitation. Samuel's actions demonstrate his faithfulness and trust in God's plan, even when the full picture was not revealed to him. This obedience is a model for believers, emphasizing the importance of following God's will. and went to Bethlehem When the elders of the town met him they trembled and asked “Do you come in peace?” Persons / Places / Events 1. SamuelA prophet and judge of Israel, Samuel is obedient to God's command to anoint a new king, demonstrating his faithfulness and dedication to God's will. 2. The LORD God, who directs Samuel to go to Bethlehem to anoint David as the future king of Israel, showing His sovereign plan and choice. 3. Bethlehem A small town in Judah, significant as the birthplace of David and later Jesus, highlighting its importance in biblical history. 4. Elders of the City The leaders of Bethlehem who are initially fearful of Samuel's visit, indicating the weight and authority of Samuel's presence as a prophet. 5. Event of Anointing This event sets the stage for David's anointing as king, a pivotal moment in Israel's history that aligns with God's plan for His people. Teaching Points Obedience to God's CommandSamuel's immediate action upon God's instruction teaches us the importance of obedience and trust in God's plan, even when the outcome is uncertain. God's Sovereignty The choice of Bethlehem and David illustrates God's sovereign control over history and His ability to use humble beginnings for great purposes. Fear and Reverence The elders' reaction to Samuel's arrival reminds us of the reverence due to God's messengers and the seriousness of God's work. Preparation for Leadership David's anointing, though not immediate in its fulfillment, shows that God prepares His chosen leaders in His timing. Peaceful Intentions Samuel's assurance of peace upon his arrival encourages us to approach others with peace and clarity of purpose in our interactions. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of 1 Samuel 16:4?2. How does Samuel's obedience in 1 Samuel 16:4 inspire your daily faith walk? 3. What can we learn from the elders' reaction to Samuel's arrival in 1 Samuel 16:4? 4. How does Samuel's journey to Bethlehem connect with God's sovereignty in Scripture? 5. How can we apply Samuel's example of obedience in our own lives today? 6. What does 1 Samuel 16:4 teach about responding to God's commands without hesitation? 7. Why did the elders tremble at Samuel's arrival in 1 Samuel 16:4? 8. How does 1 Samuel 16:4 reflect God's authority over human leaders? 9. What historical context explains the elders' fear in 1 Samuel 16:4? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from 1 Samuel 16? 11. In 1 Samuel 16:1-3, why does God instruct Samuel to conceal his true purpose from Saul, seemingly endorsing deception? 12. In 2 Samuel 2:4, why is David anointed again when he was already anointed in 1 Samuel 16:13? 13. 2 Samuel 4:8-11 - How can David both punish the men for killing Ishbosheth and still claim God's hand in his rise to power without contradiction? 14. Does 1 Samuel 9:15-17, describing God's direct revelation to Samuel about Saul, conflict with other biblical texts suggesting a more gradual or indirect selection of leaders? What Does 1 Samuel 16:4 Mean So Samuel did what the LORD had saidSamuel obeys immediately. God’s instruction in 16:1–3 ended decades of grief over Saul’s failure, and Samuel’s prompt response highlights true faith in action (Genesis 6:22; Exodus 40:16; 1 Samuel 15:22; John 14:15; James 1:22). • Obedience is not optional; it is the authentic outworking of trust. • Samuel sets the pattern for Israel’s next king—he listens, he moves, he does. • Every act of obedience keeps the storyline of redemption on course, showing God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility working together. and went to Bethlehem Bethlehem seems insignificant, yet God loves to work through humble places (Micah 5:2; Ruth 1:22; 1 Samuel 17:12; Luke 2:4; John 7:42). • Geographically, it is a short trip; politically, it is risky—Saul could view Samuel’s journey as sedition (1 Samuel 16:2). • Spiritually, the town carries covenant history: Ruth and Boaz, the kinsman-redeemer line, and soon David. • God is quietly threading future messianic hope through this small village, proving that no location is too small for His larger purpose. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled Prophets rarely made social calls. Their arrival often signaled judgment (1 Samuel 3:19–21; 7:5–6; 1 Kings 17:1; 2 Kings 1:9–12). • Fear of exposure—sin recoils when holiness draws near. • Fear of conflict—Saul’s unstable reign makes every new development suspect. • Fear of consequence—the elders remember recent divine discipline on Saul and the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15). Their trembling underscores how seriously Israel regarded the word of the LORD delivered through His prophet. and asked, “Do you come in peace?” The Hebrew notion of shalom includes wholeness, safety, and blessing (Isaiah 52:7; Jeremiah 28:9; Luke 19:38). A negative answer could mean national crisis. • The elders seek reassurance before they drop their guard. • Samuel’s mission is indeed peaceful—he will offer sacrifice and anoint David (1 Samuel 16:5, 12–13). • God’s unfolding plan announces peace even while dethroning Saul: divine peace always accompanies God-ordained change when hearts submit. summary 1 Samuel 16:4 pictures simple, courageous obedience leading to divine appointment. Samuel obeys, journeys to an unlikely place, unsettles complacent leaders, and affirms he bears good news. The verse reminds us that God works through obedient servants, humble locations, and reverent fear to advance His redemptive plan—and His true peace arrives wherever His will is welcomed. (4) Trembled at his coming.--The appearance of the aged seer, with the heifer and the long horn of holy oil, at first terrified the villagers of the quiet, secluded Bethlehem. The name and appearance of the old seer was well known in all the coasts of Israel. Why had he come thus suddenly among them? Had their still remote township then been the scene of some unknown and grave crime? What was happening in Israel, which brought Samuel the seer to little Bethlehem?Hebrew So Samuelשְׁמוּאֵ֗ל (šə·mū·’êl) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 8050: Samuel -- 'name of God', a prophet of Israel did וַיַּ֣עַשׂ (way·ya·‘aś) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 6213: To do, make what אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that the LORD יְהוָ֔ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel had said דִּבֶּ֣ר (dib·ber) Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue and went וַיָּבֹ֖א (way·yā·ḇō) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go to Bethlehem. לָ֑חֶם (lā·ḥem) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 1035: Bethlehem -- 'place of bread', a city in Judah, also a city in Zebulun When the elders זִקְנֵ֤י (ziq·nê) Adjective - masculine plural construct Strong's 2205: Old of the town הָעִיר֙ (hā·‘îr) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 5892: Excitement met him, לִקְרָאת֔וֹ (liq·rā·ṯōw) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 7122: To encounter, befall they trembled וַיֶּחֶרְד֞וּ (way·ye·ḥer·ḏū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 2729: To shudder with terror, to fear, to hasten and asked, וַיֹּ֖אמֶר (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say “Do you come בּוֹאֶֽךָ׃ (bō·w·’e·ḵā) Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go in peace?” שָׁלֹ֥ם (šā·lōm) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 7965: Safe, well, happy, friendly, welfare, health, prosperity, peace Links 1 Samuel 16:4 NIV1 Samuel 16:4 NLT 1 Samuel 16:4 ESV 1 Samuel 16:4 NASB 1 Samuel 16:4 KJV 1 Samuel 16:4 BibleApps.com 1 Samuel 16:4 Biblia Paralela 1 Samuel 16:4 Chinese Bible 1 Samuel 16:4 French Bible 1 Samuel 16:4 Catholic Bible OT History: 1 Samuel 16:4 Samuel did that which Yahweh spoke (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa) |
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