By Larry Barnes in 1 Samuel —

1 Samuel 16

1/08/2026

In 1 Samuel 16:5 NKJV, what does it mean that he consecrated Jesse and his sons?

In 1 Samuel 16:5 (NKJV), the verse reads:

"And he said, 'Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.' Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice."

Here, Samuel (the prophet) has come to Bethlehem under the pretense of offering a sacrifice to the LORD (a heifer, as instructed in verse 2–3), though his true mission is to anoint David as the future king. To address the elders' fear and maintain secrecy, he frames his visit as a peaceful religious occasion.

The phrase "he consecrated Jesse and his sons" refers to Samuel performing a ritual act of consecration (or sanctification) on Jesse (the father) and his sons who were present (seven of the eight, as David was still in the fields tending sheep; see verses 10–11).

In biblical context, the Hebrew word translated as "consecrated" (or "sanctified" in some versions) is from the root qadash (קָדַשׁ), meaning to set apart as holy, to make ceremonially clean, or to prepare for sacred use. Consecration in the Old Testament often involved ritual purification to make people fit to participate in worship, approach God, or take part in a holy act like a sacrifice.

This likely included practical steps such as:

  • Washing or bathing themselves (and possibly their clothes) for ceremonial cleanliness.
  • Possibly changing into clean garments.
  • Abstaining from anything that would cause ritual impurity.
  • Preparing their hearts inwardly for the sacred event.

Similar examples appear elsewhere, such as in Exodus 19:10–14 (where the people wash their clothes and prepare for God's presence at Sinai) or Numbers 8:21 (Levites purifying themselves).

In this case, the sacrifice was likely a peace offering or fellowship offering (not a sin offering), where part of the animal was burned for the LORD, and the participants ate the rest in a communal meal symbolizing fellowship with God and one another. Participants needed to be in a state of ritual purity to join in the sacrifice and the subsequent meal.

Samuel, as God's prophet, took the initiative to consecrate Jesse and his sons (distinguishing it from the elders, who were told to consecrate themselves). This prepared them specifically to attend and partake in the sacrifice. The act set them apart for this holy purpose, ensuring they were ritually ready.

Note that David himself was not present for this initial consecration (he was fetched later in verses 11–13), where he was then anointed with oil— a deeper form of consecration for kingship.

Overall, Samuel consecrating Jesse and his sons meant he ritually purified and set them apart as holy participants in the sacrifice, making them eligible to join in the worship and meal that followed. This was a standard Old Testament requirement for approaching God in such contexts, emphasizing reverence, purity, and separation from the ordinary or unclean.

It doesn’t say specifically in this chapter, so are we to infer that Samuel did not reveal to David or his family at this time why he was being anointed?

Yes, the biblical text in 1 Samuel 16 strongly supports the inference that Samuel did not reveal to David, Jesse, or the rest of the family the true reason for the anointing—that David was being set apart as the future king of Israel.

The chapter emphasizes secrecy from the outset. God instructs Samuel to go to Bethlehem under the cover story of offering a sacrifice to the LORD (verses 2–3), because revealing the real purpose (anointing a replacement for Saul) would risk Saul hearing about it and killing Samuel. Samuel follows this instruction precisely: he tells the elders and Jesse's family that he has come peaceably to sacrifice (verse 5), consecrates them for the ritual, and invites them to it. The anointing itself occurs privately after David is brought in from the fields (verses 12–13), "in the midst of his brothers," with no recorded explanation given to anyone present about its royal significance.

The text never states or implies that Samuel explained the meaning to David or Jesse. Instead, several details point to the anointing being kept confidential:

  • Immediately after the anointing, David returns to tending sheep (implied in verse 19, where Saul later requests him), and there's no indication of any change in his status or family treatment at home.
  • David's brothers (especially Eliab in 1 Samuel 17:28) later treat him with contempt and familiarity, rebuking him as if he were still just the youngest shepherd boy—not someone they knew had been secretly designated as king. If they had understood the anointing's purpose, such behavior would be inconsistent.
  • Commentators widely note this secrecy as intentional to protect against Saul's jealousy and potential violence. Only God and Samuel fully understood the act's implications at that moment.

While Jewish tradition (e.g., as recorded by Josephus) sometimes suggests Samuel privately whispered to David that he would be king, the biblical text itself is silent on any such disclosure. The narrative presents the anointing as a divine act empowering David with the Spirit of the LORD from that day forward (verse 13), but without public or family announcement of kingship.

Later events confirm the secrecy held initially: Saul only gradually realizes David's destiny (e.g., by 1 Samuel 24:20, where Saul acknowledges David will be king), likely through observing God's favor on David rather than from any direct report of the Bethlehem anointing.

In summary, yes—we are to infer from the chapter's emphasis on concealment, the lack of any explanatory dialogue, and the subsequent behavior of David's family that neither David nor his family was told at this time why he was being anointed. The full meaning unfolded over years through God's providence.