1 Samuel 16

1 And the LORD 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.

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 And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul shall hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.

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

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 that which the LORD spoke, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?

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, Peaceably: I have come to sacrifice to the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And 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 And it came to pass, when they had come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD’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 the LORD said to Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh 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. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

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

9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

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

10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.

And Jessae caused his seven sons to pass before Samuel: and Samuel said, the Lord has not chosen these.

11 And Samuel said to Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and bring him: for we will not sit down till he hath come 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 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and also of a beautiful countenance, and a good appearance. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

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 brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day onward. So Samuel arose, 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 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.

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

15 And Saul’s servants said to him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

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

16 Let our lord now command thy servants, who are before thee, to seek a man, who is a skilful player on an 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.

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 And Saul said to his servants, Provide me now 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 answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is skilful in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a handsome person, and the LORD 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 to me David thy 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 laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, 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 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.

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

22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour 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 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil 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.