שמואל א, פרק ט״ז, פסוק א׳

The era of Saul’s leadership has reached its absolute end, and God calls upon Samuel the prophet to cease his mourning and look toward the future. The grieving has extended beyond what is appropriate, as God makes it clear that Saul will never be restored as a leader. Whether Samuel mourns out of a hope that God might still reinstate Saul [אלשיך], or out of a fear that no worthy replacement will ever be found [מלבי״ם], God interrupts these thoughts. The time has come to secure the continuity of the monarchy.

To initiate this new era, God instructs Samuel to take a horn filled with oil, an object that carries deep symbolic weight. When Saul was anointed, it was done using an earthen flask, reflecting a kingship that was temporary and born out of the people's demands. In contrast, the new king is to be anointed with an animal horn, representing a monarchy that is enduring and eternal [מלבי״ם]. This specific horn, containing the holy anointing oil, was kept ready in the Tabernacle, designated for the prophets to use when anointing the kings of the House of David. The anointing process itself involved pouring the oil upon the king's head and tracing the shape of a crown between his eyes [רד״ק, אברבנאל].

Unlike the anointing of Saul, who happened to stumble upon Samuel by chance, the prophet is now commanded to take the initiative and travel directly to the designated king [מלבי״ם]. He is sent on a mission that is both divine and highly dangerous. Because God does not override human free will, Samuel must travel naturally and cautiously. He is to act as though he is journeying on his own accord to avoid provoking Saul's wrath, even though he is ultimately acting as God's messenger [אלשיך]. This dual nature of the journey reflects its inherent complexity. The directive acknowledges the physical danger of traveling under Saul's watchful eye, while also emphasizing the great blessing of crowning a new king born from the righteousness of Jesse. This establishes a fundamental principle: even those engaged in a divine mission must exercise caution in the face of tangible danger and must not rely on miracles [חומת אנך].

Samuel's destination is Jesse, a man from the city of Bethlehem in Judah. God explains this mission by declaring that He has seen a king for Himself among Jesse's sons. This distinction emphasizes the entirely new nature of the impending monarchy. The primary approach among commentators is that while Saul was chosen for his impressive height and outward appearance to find favor in the eyes of the people, this new king is chosen specifically for God. He will be a leader who obeys His commandments, serves Him with a whole heart, and establishes a stable, eternal kingdom.