1 Samuel 16

1 And the Lord said to Samuel. How It long wilt thou mourn for Saul, whom I have rejected from reigning over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and come, that I may send thee to Isai the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite; for I have provided a king for myself among his sons."

2 And Samuel said: How shall I go? for Saul will hear of it, and he will kill me. And the Lord said: Thou shalt take with thee a calf of the herd, and thou shalt say: I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.

Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me." The LORD said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.

3 And thou shalt call Isai to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou art to do, and thou shalt anoint him whom I shall shew to thee.

Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. You shall anoint to me him whom I name to you."

4 Then Samuel did as the Lord had said to him. And he came to Bethlehem, and the ancients of the city wondered, and meeting him, they said: Is thy coming hither peaceable?

And Samuel did what the LORD said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling. And they said, "Is your visit peaceful, seer?"

5 And he said: It is peaceable: I am come to offer sacrifice to the Lord, be ye sanctified, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Isai and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

And he said, "Peaceful; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

6 And when they were come in, he saw Eliab, and said: Is the Lord’s anointed before him?

It happened, when they had come, that he looked at Eliab, and said, "Surely the LORD's anointed is before him."

7 And the Lord said to Samuel: Look not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature: because I have rejected him, nor do I judge according to the look of man: for man seeth those things that appear, but the Lord beholdeth the heart.

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For humans do not see as God sees, for humans look at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart."

8 And Isai called Abinadab, and brought him before Samuel. And he said: Neither hath the Lord chosen this.

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one."

9 And Isai brought Samma, and he said of him: Neither hath the Lord chosen this.

Then Jesse made Shimeah to pass by. He said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one."

10 Isai therefore brought his seven sons before Samuel: and Samuel said to Isai: The Lord hath not chosen any one of these.

And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said, "The LORD has not chosen these."

11 And Samuel said to Isai: Are here all thy sons? He answered: There remaineth yet a young one, who keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said to Isai: Send, and fetch him, for we will not sit down till he come hither.

Then Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your children here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest. Look, he is tending the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here."

12 He sent therefore and brought him Now he was ruddy and beautiful to behold, and of a comely face. And the Lord said: Arise, and anoint him, for this is he.

So he sent and brought him in. And he was reddish brown, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. And the LORD said, "Arise, anoint him, for he is the one."

13 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: and Samuel rose up, and went to Ramatha.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

14 But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.

Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him.

15 And the servants of Saul said to him: Behold now an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

Saul's servants said to him, "See now, a harmful spirit from God troubles you.

16 Let our lord give orders, and thy servants who are before thee will seek out a man skillful in playing on the harp, that when the evil spirit from the Lord is upon thee, he may play with his hand, and thou mayest bear it more easily.

Let our lord now command your servants who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. It shall happen, when the harmful spirit is on you, that he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well, and it will give you relief."

17 And Saul said to his servants: Provide me then some man that can play well, and bring him to me.

Saul said to his servants, "Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me."

18 And one of the servants answering, said: Behold I have seen a son of Isai the Bethlehemite, a skillful player, and one of great strength, and a man fit for war, and prudent in his words, and a comely person: and the Lord is with him.

Then one of the young men answered, and said, "Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a warrior, and articulate in speech, and a handsome man; and the LORD is with him."

19 Then Saul sent messengers to Isai, saying: Send me David thy son, who is in the pastures.

Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, "Send me David your son, who is with the sheep."

20 And Isai took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid of the flock, and sent them by the hand of David his son to Saul.

And Jesse took a donkey and loaded it with an omer of bread, and a skin of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by David his son to Saul.

21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him exceedingly, and made him his armourbearer.

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

22 And Saul sent to Isai, saying: Let David stand before me: for he hath found favour in my sight.

Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Please let David stand before me; for he has found favor in my sight."

23 So whensoever the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, David took his harp, and played with his hand, and Saul was refreshed, and was better, for the evil spirit departed from him.

It happened, when the spirit from God was on Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.