1 Samuel 16

1 The Lord then saide vnto Samuel, Howe long wilt thou mourne for Saul, seeing I haue cast him away from reigning ouer Israel? fill thine horne with oyle and come, I will sende thee to Ishai the Bethlehemite: for I haue prouided mee a King among his sonnes.

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.

2 And Samuel sayde, Howe can I goe? for if Saul shall heare it, he will kill me. Then the Lord answered, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to doe sacrifice to the Lord.

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.

3 And call Ishai to the sacrifice, and I will shewe thee what thou shalt doe, and thou shalt anoynt vnto me him whom I name vnto thee.

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.

4 So Samuel did that the Lord bade him, and came to Beth-lehem, and the Elders of the towne were astonied at his comming, and sayd, Commest thou peaceablie?

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?

5 And he answeared, Yea: I am come to doe sacrifice vnto the Lord: sanctifie your selues, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Ishai and his sonnes, and called them to the sacrifice.

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.

6 And when they were come, hee looked on Eliab, and saide, Surely the Lordes Anointed is before him.

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

7 But the Lord said vnto Samuel, Looke not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature, because I haue refused him: for God seeth not as man seeth: for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord beholdeth the heart.

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.

8 Then Ishai called Abinadab, and made him come before Samuel. And he saide, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.

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

9 Then Ishai made Shammah come. And he said, Neither yet hath the Lord chosen him.

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

10 Againe Ishai made his seue sonnes to come before Samuel: and Samuel saide vnto Ishai, The Lord hath chosen none of these.

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

11 Finally, Samuel said vnto Ishai, Are there no more children but these? And hee sayde, There remaineth yet a litle one behinde, that keepeth the sheepe. Then Samuel saide vnto Ishai, Sende and set him: for we will not sit downe, till he be come hither.

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.

12 And he sent, and brought him in: and he was ruddie, and of a good countenance, and comely visage. And the Lord saide, Arise, and anoynt him: for this is he.

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.

13 Then Samuel tooke the horne of oyle, and anoynted him in the middes of his brethren. And the Spirit of the Lord came vpon Dauid, from that day forwarde: then Samuel rose vp, 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: and Samuel rose up, and went to Ramatha.

14 But the Spirite of the Lord departed from Saul, and an euill spirite sent of the Lord vexed him.

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

15 And Sauls seruants said vnto him, Beholde nowe, the euill spirite of God vexeth thee.

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

16 Let our Lord therefore command thy seruants, that are before thee, to seeke a man that is a cunning plaier vpon the harpe: that when the euil spirit of God commeth vpon thee, hee may play with his hand, and thou maiest be eased.

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.

17 Saul then saide vnto his seruantes, Prouide me a man, I pray you, that can play well, and bring him to me.

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

18 Then answered one of his seruauntes, and sayde, Beholde, I haue seene a sonne of Ishai, a Bethlehemite, that can plaie, and is strong, valiant and a man of warre and wise in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him.

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.

19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers vnto Ishai, and said, Send me Dauid thy sonne which is with the sheepe.

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

20 And Ishai tooke an asse laden with breade and a flagon of wine and a kidde, and sent them by the hand of Dauid his sonne vnto Saul.

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.

21 And Dauid came to Saul, and stoode before him: and he loued him verie well, and he was his armour bearer.

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

22 And Saul sent to Ishai, saying, Let Dauid nowe remaine with me: for he hath found fauour in my sight.

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

23 And so when the euil spirite of God came vpon Saul, Dauid tooke an harpe and plaied with his hande, and Saul was refreshed, and was eased: for the euill spirit departed from him.

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.