16:2 I have come to sacrifice. While true insofar as it goes, this statement does not disclose the real reason for Samuel’s journey to Bethlehem (v. 1). There may well be an ironic tone in the Lord’s instruction to Samuel, coming as it does on the heels of Saul’s claim to have spared animals only “to sacrifice” them (15:15, 21). Cases of deception like this one must be weighed in their particular circumstances (20:6; 21:2; 27:10; 2 Sam. 16:17–19; Josh. 2:4 and notes).