1 Samuel 16

1 Yahweh 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 of Bethlehem, for I have selected for myself a king among his sons.”

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

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

And Samuel said, How do I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me. And Jehovah said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah.

3 Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you will do. You will anoint for me the one whom I tell you.”

And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shall do. And thou shall anoint to me him whom I name to thee.

4 Samuel did as Yahweh said and went to Bethlehem. The elders of the city were trembling as they came to meet him and said, “Are you coming in peace?”

And Samuel did that which Jehovah spoke, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, Do thou come peaceably?

5 He said, “In peace; I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. Prepare to set yourselves apart and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he set apart Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

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

6 When they came, he looked at Eliab and said to himself that Yahweh's anointed was certainly standing before him.

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

7 But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Do not look at his outward appearance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him. For Yahweh does not see as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks on the heart.”

But Jehovah said to Samuel, Do not look on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For Jehovah sees not as man sees, for man looks on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looks on the heart.

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. Then Samuel said, “Neither has Yahweh chosen this one.”

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

9 Jesse then made Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Neither has Yahweh chosen this one.”

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

10 Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Yahweh has not chosen any of these.”

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

11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all of your sons here?” He replied, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is tending the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.”

And Samuel said to Jesse, Are all thy sons here? And he said, There remains yet the youngest, and, behold, he is keeping the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and fetch him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.

12 Jesse sent and brought him in. Now this son was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. Yahweh said, “Arise, anoint him; for he is the one.”

And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and of a beautiful countenance, and fine to look upon. And Jehovah said, Arise, anoint him, for this is he.

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the middle of his brothers. The Spirit of Yahweh rushed on David from that day forward. Then Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

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

14 Now the Spirit of Yahweh left Saul, and a harmful spirit from Yahweh troubled him instead.

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

15 Saul's servants said to him, “Look, a harmful spirit from God troubles you.

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

16 Let our master now command your servants who are before you to look for a man who is a skillful player on the harp. Then when the harmful spirit from God is on you, he will play it and you will be well.”

Let our lord now command thy servants, who are before thee, to seek out a man who is a skilful 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, and thou shall be well.

17 Saul said to his servants, “Find me a man that can play well and bring him to me.”

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

18 Then one of the young men answered, and said, “I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a strong, courageous man, a man of war, one prudent in speech, a handsome man; and Yahweh is with him.”

Then one of the young men answered, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skilful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent in speech, and a comely man, and Jehovah is with him.

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

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

20 Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a container of wine, and a young goat, and sent them with his son David to Saul.

And Jesse took a donkey with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul.

21 Then David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor bearer.

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

22 Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my eyes.”

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

23 Whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the harp and played it. So Saul would be refreshed and well, and the harmful spirit would depart from him.

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