1 Samuel 16:2 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And Samuel said, How can I go, &c.— Though the principal design of Samuel's journey to Bethlehem was, to anoint the son of Jesse; yet was there no falsehood in saying, according to the instruction given him by the Lord, that he came to sacrifice. God, who is truth itself, can never enjoin a lie. As to Samuel's pretending a sacrifice, says Dr. Waterland, it was a just pretence, and a true one: for he did offer sacrifice, as God had commanded him (1 Samuel 16:5.). And what if he had a farther intention? was he bound to declare all he knew, or to disclose to every man the whole of his errand? Secresy is of great use in all important business; and the concealing one design by going upon another, to prevent giving offence, or other worse mischief, is as righteous and as laudable a practice, as the drawing a curtain to keep off spies. The making one good design the cover for a better is doing two good things at once, and both in a proper way; and though men have been blamed, and very justly, for using acts of religion as a cloak for iniquity, yet I have never heard, that there could be any thing amiss in performing one act of obedience towards God, in order to facilitate the performance of another, see Scrip. Vind. p. 95.