1 Samuel 16

1 Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.”

And the LORD said to Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

2 “How can I go?” Samuel asked. “Saul will hear of it and kill me!” The LORD answered, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’

And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul shall hear [it], he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.

3 Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you are to do. You are to anoint for Me the one I indicate.”

And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint to me [him] whom I name to thee.

4 So Samuel did what the LORD had said and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?”

And Samuel did that which the LORD spoke, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?

5 “In peace,” he replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

And he said, Peaceably: I have come to sacrifice to the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, “Surely here before the LORD is His anointed.”

And it came to pass when they had come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed [is] before him.

7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”

But the LORD said to Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the hight of his stature; because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel, who said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.”

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

9 Next Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.”

Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel told him, “The LORD has not chosen any of these.”

Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.

11 And Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied, “but he is tending the sheep.” “Send for him,” Samuel replied. “For we will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”

And Samuel said to Jesse, Are here all [thy] children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and bring him: for we will not sit down till he hath come hither.

12 So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”

And he sent, and brought him in. Now he [was] ruddy, [and] also of a beautiful countenance, and a good appearance. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this [is] he.

13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose, and went to Ramah.

14 After the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, a spirit of distress from the LORD began to torment him.

But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.

15 Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely a spirit of distress from God is tormenting you.

And Saul's servants said to him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

16 Let our lord command your servants here to seek out someone who can skillfully play the harp. Whenever the spirit of distress from God is upon you, he is to play it, and you will be well.”

Let our lord now command thy servants, [who are] before thee, to seek a man [who is] a skillful player on a harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he will play with his hand, and thou wilt be well.

17 And Saul commanded his servants, “Find me someone who plays well, and bring him to me.”

And Saul said to his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring [him] to me.

18 One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a mighty man of valor, a warrior, eloquent and handsome, and the LORD is with him.”

Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, [that is] skillful in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD [is] with him.

19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.”

Wherefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, Send to me David thy son, who [is] with the sheep.

20 And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and one young goat, and sent them to Saul with his son David.

And Jesse took an ass [laden] with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent [them] by David his son to Saul.

21 When David came to Saul and entered his service, Saul admired him greatly, and David became his armor-bearer.

And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armor-bearer.

22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”

And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favor in my sight.

23 And whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would pick up his harp and play, and Saul would become well, and the spirit of distress would depart from him.

And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took a harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.