1 Samuel 16

1 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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

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 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.

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 caused him to pass before Samuel. And he said, This one also hath the Lord not chosen.

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

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

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

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

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 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.

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 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.

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

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

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

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

16 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.

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

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

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

20 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.

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

And Saul sent unto Jesse, saying, —I pray thee, let David stand before me, for he hath found favour in mine eyes.

23 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.

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.