1 Samuel 16

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

And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him so as not to reign over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lechemite; for I have selected among his sons unto myself a king.

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

And Samuel said, How shall I go? if Saul should hear it, he would kill me. And the Lord said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, To sacrifice unto the Lord am I come.

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

And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will let thee know what thou shalt do; and thou shalt anoint unto me the one whom I will say unto thee.

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

And Samuel did that which the Lord had spoken, and came to Beth-lechem. And the elders of the town came hastily to meet him, and said, Peace to thee at thy coming.

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

And he said, Peace: to sacrifice unto the Lord am I come; sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice.

6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD’s anointed [is] before him.

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

7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height 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.

But the Lord said unto Samuel, Regard not his appearance, nor the height of his stature; because I have rejected him; for not what man looketh on; —for man looketh on the eyes, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

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

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and caused him to pass before Samuel. And he said, This one also hath the Lord not chosen.

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

Then Jesse caused Shammah to pass by. And he said, This one also hath the Lord not chosen.

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

And Jesse caused seven of his sons to pass before Samuel: and Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not made choice of these.

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

And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are there not more young men? And he said, There is yet left behind the youngest, and, behold, he is feeding the flocks. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him; for we will not sit down till he have come hither.

12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he [was] ruddy, [and] withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this [is] he.

And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, having withal handsome eyes, and being of a goodly appearance. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him; for this is he.

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. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

Then took Samuel the horn of oil, and anointed him from among his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came suddenly upon David from that day and forward. And Samuel then 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.

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

15 And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

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

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

Let our Lord but say [the word], and thy servants, now before thee, will seek out a man, who is skilful as a player on the harp; and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, that thou mayest be well.

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

And Saul said unto his servants, Select for me, I pray you, a man that can play well, and bring him to me.

18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, [that is] cunning 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.

Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lechemite, who is skilful as a player, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and intelligent in speech, and a person of a good form, and the Lord is with him.

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

Thereupon Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, who is with the flocks.

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

And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them through David his son unto Saul.

21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.

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

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

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

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

And it came to pass, when the spirit of God was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand; so Saul became relieved, and he felt well, and the evil spirit departed from him.