1 Samuel 16

1 The Lord asked Samuel, “How long are you going to continue to mourn over Saul because I have rejected him as king of Israel? Fill your flask with olive oil and go. I'm sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen a king for myself from among his sons.”

And the Lord said to Samuel, How long do you mourn for Saul, whereas I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and come, I will send you to Jessae, to Bethleem; for I have seen amongst his sons a king for me.

2 “How can I go and do that?” Samuel asked. “Saul will hear about it and kill me!” The Lord answered, “Take a young cow with you and say, ‘I've come to sacrifice to the Lord.’

And Samuel said, How can I go? whereas Saul will hear of it, and kill me: and the Lord said, Take a heifer in your hand and you shall say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.

3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you have to do. Anoint for me the one I tell you to.”

And you shall call Jessae to the sacrifice, and I will make known to you what you shall do; and you shall anoint him whom I shall mention to you.

4 Samuel did what the Lord had told him to and went to Bethlehem. When the town elders met him, they were afraid and asked him, “Do you come in peace?”

And Samuel did all that the Lord told him; and he came to Bethleem: and the elders of the city were amazed at meeting him, and said, Do you come peaceably, you Seer?

5 “Yes, I come in peace,” he replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” He purified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice to the Lord. Sanctify yourselves, and rejoice with me this day: and he sanctified Jessae and his sons, and he called them to the sacrifice.

6 When they arrived and Samuel saw Eliab, he said to himself, “This has got to be the Lord's anointed!”

And it came to pass when they came in, that he saw Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed [is] before him.

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don't look at his outward appearance or how tall he is because I have rejected him, for the Lord does not look as human beings do. Human beings only see with their eyes what's on the outside, but the Lord looks at the way people think deep inside.”

But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his appearance, nor on his stature, for I have rejected him; for God sees not as man looks; for man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him come before Samuel, who said, “The Lord hasn't chosen this one either.”

And Jessae called Aminadab, and he passed before Samuel: and he said, Neither has God chosen this one.

9 Then Jesse had Shammah come forward. But Samuel said, “The Lord hasn't chosen this one either.”

And Jessae caused Sama to pass by: and he said, Neither has God chosen this one.

10 Jesse had seven of his sons come before Samuel, but Samuel told him, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.”

And Jessae caused his seven sons to pass before Samuel: and Samuel said, the Lord has not chosen these.

11 So he asked Jesse, “Don't you have any more sons?” “Well, there's still the youngest,” Jesse replied, “but he is out looking after the sheep.” “Send for him and bring him here because we will not sit down and eat until he gets here,” Samuel told Jesse.

And Samuel said to Jessae, Hast you no more sons? And Jessae said, [There is] yet a little one; behold, he tends the flock. And Samuel said to Jessae, Send and fetch him for we may not sit down till he comes.

12 So Jesse sent for him and brought him in. He had a red complexion with beautiful eyes, and looked handsome. The Lord said, “Go and anoint him, for he's the one.”

And he sent and fetched him: and he was ruddy, with beauty of eyes, and very goodly to behold. And the Lord said to Samuel, Arise, and anoint David, for he is good.

13 Samuel took the flask of olive oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the Lord came on David in power from that day on. Then Samuel left and returned to Ramah.

And 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 arose, and departed to Armathaim.

14 The Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.

And the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.

15 Saul's servants told him, “It's definitely an evil spirit from God that's tormenting you.

And Saul's servants said to him, Behold now, and evil spirit from the Lord torments you.

16 Give us your servants here the order to find someone who is good at playing the harp so that when the evil spirit from God comes on you, he can play and you'll feel much better.”

Let now your servants speak before you, and let them seek for our lord a man skilled to play on the harp; and it shall come to pass when an evil spirit comes upon you and he shall play on his harp, that you shall be well, and he shall refresh you.

17 Saul gave the order to his servants, “Find me someone who is good at playing the harp and bring him to me.”

And Saul said to his servants, Look now out for me a skilful player, and bring him to me.

18 One of the servants replied, “I know a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who is good at playing the harp. He is a brave man, a good fighter, well-spoken and handsome, and the Lord is with him.”

And one of his servants answered and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jessae the Bethleemite, and he understands playing [on the harp], and the man [is] prudent, and a warrior, and wise in speech, and the man [is] handsome, and the Lord [is] with him.

19 Saul sent messengers to Jesse, telling him, “Send me your son David who takes care of the sheep.”

And Saul sent messengers to Jessae, saying, Send to me your son David who is with your flock.

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

And Jessae took a homer of bread, and a bottle of wine, and one kid of the goats, and sent them by the hand of his son David to Saul.

21 David came to Saul and began working for him. Saul thought a great deal of him, and David became his armor-bearer.

And David went in to Saul, and stood before him; and he loved him greatly; and he became his armour-bearer.

22 Saul sent a message to Jesse, saying, “Please allow David to continue working for me because I am pleased with him.”

And Saul sent to Jessae, saying, Let David, I pray you, stand before me, for he has found grace in my eyes.

23 So whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take his harp and play, and Saul would gain relief and feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.

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