1 Samuel 16

1 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.

And Jehovah said to Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite; for I have provided me a king among his sons.

2 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.

And Samuel said, How shall I go? if Saul hear [it], he will kill me. And Jehovah said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to Jehovah.

3 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.

And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will tell thee what thou shalt do; and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.

4 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?

And Samuel did what Jehovah said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him, and said, Dost thou come peaceably?

5 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.

And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice to Jehovah. Hallow yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he hallowed Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

6 And it came to pass, when they entered, that he looked upon Eliab, —and said to himself, Surely, before Yahweh, is his Anointed.

And it came to pass when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely Jehovah's anointed is before him.

7 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.

But Jehovah said to Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him; for it is not as man seeth; for man looketh upon the outward appearance, but Jehovah looketh upon the heart.

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

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither has Jehovah chosen this one.

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

Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, Neither has Jehovah chosen this one.

10 So Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, —and Samuel said unto Jesse, Yahweh hath not made choice of these.

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

11 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.

And Samuel said to Jesse, Are these all the young men? And he said, There is yet the youngest remaining, and behold, he is feeding the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and fetch him; for we will not sit at table till he come hither.

12 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.

And he sent and brought him in. And he was ruddy, and besides of a lovely countenance and beautiful appearance. And Jehovah said, Arise, anoint him; for this is he.

13 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.

And Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren. And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

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

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

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

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

16 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.

Let our lord now speak; thy servants are before thee: they shall seek out a man, a skilful player on a 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.

17 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.

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

18 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.

And one of the young men answered and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skilled in playing, and he is a valiant man and a man of war, and skilled in speech, and of good presence, and Jehovah is with him.

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

Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, Send me David thy son, who is with the sheep.

20 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.

And Jesse took an ass with bread, and a flask of wine, and a kid, and sent [them] by David his son to Saul.

21 And David came in unto Saul, —and stood before him, —and he loved him greatly, and he became his armour-bearer.

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

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

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

23 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.

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