1 Samuel 16

1 YHWH 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 do you mourn for Saul, whereas I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and come, I will send you to Jessae, to Bethleem; for I have seen amongst his sons a king for me.

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

And Samuel said, How can I go? whereas Saul will hear of it, and kill me: and the Lord said, Take a heifer in your hand and you shall say, I am come to sacrifice 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 Jessae to the sacrifice, and I will make known to you what you shall do; and you shall anoint him whom I shall mention to you.

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

And Samuel did all that the Lord told him; and he came to Bethleem: and the elders of the city were amazed at meeting him, and said, Do you come peaceably, you Seer?

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

And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice to the Lord. Sanctify yourselves, and rejoice with me this day: and he sanctified Jessae 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 YHWH's anointed is before him."

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

7 But YHWH 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."

But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his appearance, nor on his stature, for I have rejected him; for God sees not as man looks; for man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.

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

And Jessae called Aminadab, and he passed before Samuel: and he said, Neither has God chosen this one.

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

And Jessae caused Sama to pass by: and he said, Neither has God chosen this one.

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

And Jessae caused his seven sons to pass before Samuel: and Samuel said, the Lord has not chosen 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 Jessae, Hast you no more sons? And Jessae said, [There is] yet a little one; behold, he tends the flock. And Samuel said to Jessae, Send and fetch him for we may not sit down till he comes.

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

And he sent and fetched him: and he was ruddy, with beauty of eyes, and very goodly to behold. And the Lord said to Samuel, Arise, and anoint David, for he is good.

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers: and the Spirit of YHWH came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel 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 the Lord came upon David from that day forward: and Samuel arose, and departed to Armathaim.

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

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

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

And Saul's servants said to him, Behold now, and evil spirit from the Lord torments 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 harmful spirit is on you, that he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well, and it will give you relief."

Let now your servants speak before you, and let them seek for our lord a man skilled to play on the harp; and it shall come to pass when an evil spirit comes upon you and he shall play on his harp, that you shall be well, and he shall refresh you.

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, Look now out for me a skilful player, 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 YHWH is with him."

And one of his servants answered and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jessae the Bethleemite, and he understands playing [on the harp], and the man [is] prudent, and a warrior, and wise in speech, and the man [is] handsome, 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."

And Saul sent messengers to Jessae, saying, Send to me your son David who is with your flock.

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 Jessae took a homer of bread, and a bottle of wine, and one kid of the goats, and 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 in to Saul, and stood before him; and he loved him greatly; and he became his armour-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 Jessae, saying, Let David, I pray you, stand before me, for he has found grace 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 it came to pass when the evil spirit was upon Saul, that David took his harp, and played with his hand: and Saul was refreshed, and [it was] well with him, and the evil spirit departed from him.