And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
And he said, 'Peacefully. I have come to offer a sacrifice to the LORD. Make yourselves clean and holy, then come with me to the sacrifice.' And he made Jesse and his sons ceremonially clean and invited them to the sacrifice.
Samuel reassures the people that he comes in peace to worship God, and he specially prepares Jesse's family to join in the sacrifice.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs when the prophet Samuel arrives in Bethlehem to secretly anoint Israel's next king, following God's rejection of King Saul. The elders of Bethlehem were afraid when Samuel arrived, likely because a prophet's visit often meant judgment or bad news. Samuel's mention of sanctification refers to the ceremonial cleansing rituals required before participating in sacred worship in ancient Israel.
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