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 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 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 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 will do. You will anoint for me the one whom I tell 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 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 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 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 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 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 in, that he saw Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord'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 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. Then Samuel said, “Neither has Yahweh chosen this one.”

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

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

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

10 Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Yahweh has not chosen any of 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 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 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 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 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 middle of his brothers. The Spirit of Yahweh rushed on David from that day forward. Then 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 Yahweh left Saul, and a harmful spirit from Yahweh troubled him instead.

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, “Look, a harmful spirit from God troubles you.

And Saul's servants said to him, Behold now, and evil spirit from the Lord torments you.

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 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, “Find me a man that 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, “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.”

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

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

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 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 Then David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul 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, “Let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my eyes.”

And Saul sent to Jessae, saying, Let David, I pray you, stand before me, for he has found grace in my eyes.

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 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.