1 Samuel 16

[godenver1]

In this chapter we see that Samuel is told to anoint a new king over Israel after Saul's disobedience, however Samuel is afraid for his life because he thinks Saul will kill him for looking for a new king. Samuel is told to have a sacrifice and gather the elders so he can meet Jesse and anoint the new king which would be Jesse's son (David). Would you agree with the following (commentary?)

Was God telling Samuel to lie? Not at all. "This was strictly true; Samuel did offer a sacrifice; and it does not appear that he could have done the work which God designed, unless he had offered this sacrifice, and called the elders of the people together, and this collected Jesse's sons. But he did not tell the principle design of his coming; had he done so, it would have produced evil and no good: and though no man, in any circumstances, should ever tell a lie, yet in all circumstances he is not obliged to tell the whole truth, though in every circumstance he must tell nothing but the truth, and in every case so tell the truth that the hearer shall not believe a lie by it." (Clarke)

 

[godenver1]

By the way, I found that at:

Text Commentaries: David Guzik (Blue Letter Bible: 1 Samuel)

 

[branchofthevine]

why create a problem where there is none? Samuel used the sacrifice as a disguise so that Saul would not know what he was doing in Bethlehem

 

[greentwiga]

In this chapter we see that Samuel is told to anoint a new king over Israel after Saul's disobedience, however Samuel is afraid for his life because he thinks Saul will kill him for looking for a new king. Samuel is told to have a sacrifice and gather the elders so he can meet Jesse and anoint the new king which would be Jesse's son (David). Would you agree with the following (commentary?)

Was God telling Samuel to lie? Not at all. "This was strictly true; Samuel did offer a sacrifice; and it does not appear that he could have done the work which God designed, unless he had offered this sacrifice, and called the elders of the people together, and this collected Jesse's sons. But he did not tell the principle design of his coming; had he done so, it would have produced evil and no good: and though no man, in any circumstances, should ever tell a lie, yet in all circumstances he is not obliged to tell the whole truth, though in every circumstance he must tell nothing but the truth, and in every case so tell the truth that the hearer shall not believe a lie by it." (Clarke)

I am not sure I accept the last line. Jesus tells us to tell the truth in love. Once, Bessie Ten Boom told the Nazis that the Jews were hiding under the table. When one looked under the table cloth, she laughed at him, and embarrassed, they left. She told the truth in love, the Jews were under the table, under the rug, under the floorboards. If I know something about one person which should be kept secret, I don't tell the absolute truth, but tell the most loving form of the truth.