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 Yahweh said unto Samuel—How long, art thou going to pine for Saul, seeing that, I, have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill thy horn with oil, and come! let me send thee unto Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided me, among his sons, a king.

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? As soon as Saul heareth, he will slay me. Then said Yahweh, A heifer, take thou with thee, and say, To sacrifice unto Yahweh, am I come.

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.”

Then shall thou bid Jesse to the sacrifice, —when, I, will let thee know what thou must do, so shalt thou anoint for me him whom I shall name unto thee.

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 that which Yahweh had spoken, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him, and one said—Peaceably, comest thou?

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: to sacrifice unto Yahweh, am I come. Hallow yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he hallowed Jesse and his sons, and bade 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 entered, that he looked upon Eliab, —and said to himself, Surely, before Yahweh, is his Anointed.

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 Yahweh said unto Samuel—Do not regard his countenance, or the height of his stature, for I have rejected him, —for it is not what man looketh to but what God looketh to. For, man, looketh to the outward appearance, but, Yahweh, looketh to the heart.

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

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel, —and he said, Neither of this one, hath Yahweh made choice.

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

Then Jesse made Shammah pass by, —and he said—Nor of this one, hath Yahweh made choice.

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

So Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, —and Samuel said unto Jesse, Yahweh hath not made choice of 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.

Then said Samuel unto Jesse—Are these all the young men? And he said—There yet remaineth, the youngest, but lo! he is tending the sheep. Then said Samuel unto Jesse—Do, send, and summon him, for we cannot sit round, until he cometh in hither.

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.”

So he sent, and brought him in. Now, he, was ruddy, a stripling with handsome eyes, and noble mien. Then said Yahweh—Rise—anoint him, for, this, is, he.

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 Yahweh came mightily upon David, from that day forward. Then arose Samuel, and went his way unto Ramah.

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

But, the spirit of Yahweh, departed from Saul, —and there terrified him a sad spirit, from Yahweh.

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

Then said the servants of Saul unto him, —Lo! we pray thee, a sad superhuman spirit, doth terrify thee:

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.”

Pray let our lord bid thy servants before thee, seek out a man, skilled in playing on the lyre, —so shall it be, when a sad superhuman spirit cometh on thee, then shall he play with his hand, and thou shalt be joyful.

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 unto his servants, —I pray you, look out for me a man that excelleth in playing, and bring him in unto 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.”

Then responded one of the young men and said—Lo! I have seen—a son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, skilled in playing, and a mighty man of valour, and a man of war, and of intelligent speech, and a handsome man, and, Yahweh, is with him.

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

So Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, —and said, Send, unto me—David thy son, who is with the sheep.

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.

Then took Jesse an ass laden with bread, and a skin of wine, and one kid, —and sent by the hand of David his son, unto 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 came in unto 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 unto Jesse, saying, —I pray thee, let David stand before me, for he hath found favour in mine 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 so it used to be, when a superhuman spirit came unto Saul, then would David take the lyre, and play with his hand, —and Saul would be refreshed, and be joyful, and, the sad spirit, would depart from him.