1 Samuel 16

1 Jehovah said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite; for I have provided a king for myself among his sons."

And the Lord said to Samuel: “How long will you mourn for Saul, though I have rejected him, so that he would not reign over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and approach, so that I may send you to Jesse of Bethlehem. For I have provided a king from among his sons for myself.”

2 Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me." Jehovah said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah.

And Samuel said: “How shall I go? For Saul will hear of it, and he will put me to death.” And the Lord said: “You shall take, by your hand, a calf from the herd. And you shall say, ‘I have arrived in order to immolate to the Lord.’

3 Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. You shall anoint to me him whom I name to you."

And you shall call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will reveal to you what you should do. And you shall anoint whomever I will indicate to you.”

4 And Samuel did what Jehovah said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling. And they said, "Is your visit peaceful, seer?"

Therefore, Samuel did just as the Lord told him. And he went to Bethlehem, and the elders of the city wondered. And meeting him, they said, “Is your arrival peaceful?”

5 And he said, "Peaceful; I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah. Sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

And he said: “It is peaceful. I have arrived in order to immolate to the Lord. Be sanctified, and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and he called them to the sacrifice.

6 It happened, when they had come, that he looked at Eliab, and said, "Surely Jehovah's anointed is before him."

And when they had entered, he saw Eliab, and he said, “Could he be the Christ in the sight of the Lord?”

7 But Jehovah said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For humans do not see as God sees, for humans look at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart."

And the Lord said to Samuel: “You should not look with favor on his face, nor on the height of his stature. For I have rejected him. Neither do I judge by the appearance of a man. For man sees those things that are apparent, but the Lord beholds the heart.”

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, "Neither has Jehovah chosen this one."

And Jesse called Abinadab, and he brought him before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.”

9 Then Jesse made Shimeah to pass by. He said, "Neither has Jehovah chosen this one."

Then Jesse brought Shammah. And he said about him, “And the Lord has not chosen this one.”

10 And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said, "Jehovah has not chosen these."

And so Jesse brought his seven sons before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.”

11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your children here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest. Look, he is tending the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here."

And Samuel said to Jesse, “Could the sons now be completed?” But he responded, “There still remains a little one, and he pastures the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse: “Send and bring him. For we shall not recline to eat, until he arrives here.”

12 So he sent and brought him in. And he was reddish brown, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. And Jehovah said, "Arise, anoint him, for he is the one."

Therefore, he sent and brought him. Now he was ruddy, and beautiful to behold, and with a stately face. And the Lord said, “Rise up, anoint him! For it is he.”

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers: and the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

Therefore, Samuel took the horn of oil, and he anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord was guiding David from that day and thereafter. And Samuel rose up, and he went away to Ramah.

14 Now the Spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from Jehovah tormented him.

But the Spirit of the Lord withdrew from Saul, and a wicked spirit from the Lord disturbed him.

15 Saul's servants said to him, "See now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you.

And the servants of Saul said to him: “Behold, an evil spirit from God disturbs you.

16 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. It shall happen, when the evil spirit is on you, that he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well, and it will give you relief."

May our lord order, and your servants, who are before you, will seek a man skillful in playing a stringed instrument, so that when the evil spirit from the Lord assails you, he may play with his hand, and you may bear it more easily.”

17 Saul said to his servants, "Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me."

And Saul said to his servants, “Then provide for me someone who can play well, and bring him to me.”

18 Then one of the young men answered, and said, "Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a warrior, and articulate in speech, and a handsome man; and Jehovah is with him."

And one of the servants, responding, said: “Behold, I have seen the son of Jesse of Bethlehem, a skillful player, and very strong and robust, a man fit for war, and prudent in words, a handsome man. And the Lord is with him.”

19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, "Send me David your son, who is with the sheep."

Therefore, Saul sent messengers to Jesse, saying, “Send to me your son David, who is in the pastures.”

20 And Jesse took a donkey and loaded it with an omer of bread, and a skin of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by David his son to Saul.

And so, Jesse took a donkey laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid from one of the goats, and he sent them, by the hand of his son David, to Saul.

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

And David went to Saul, and stood before him. And he loved him exceedingly, and he made him his armor bearer.

22 Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Please let David stand before me; for he has found favor in my sight."

And Saul sent to Jesse, saying: “Let David remain before my sight. For he has found favor in my eyes.”

23 It happened, when the spirit from God was on Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.

And so, whenever the evil spirit from the Lord assailed Saul, David took up his stringed instrument, and he struck it with his hand, and Saul was refreshed and uplifted. For the evil spirit withdrew from him.