1 Samuel 16

1 And the Lord seide to Samuel, Hou long biweilist thou Saul, sithen Y castide hym awey, that he regne not on Israel; fille thin horn with oile, and come, that Y sende thee to Ysay of Bethleem; for among hise sones Y haue purueide a king to me.

The Lord then saide vnto Samuel, Howe long wilt thou mourne for Saul, seeing I haue cast him away from reigning ouer Israel? fill thine horne with oyle and come, I will sende thee to Ishai the Bethlehemite: for I haue prouided mee a King among his sonnes.

2 And Samuel seide, Hou schal Y go? for Saul schal here, and he schal sle me. And the Lord seide, Thou schalt take a calf of the droue in thi hond, and thou schalt seye, Y cam to make sacrifice to the Lord.

And Samuel sayde, Howe can I goe? for if Saul shall heare it, he will kill me. Then the Lord answered, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to doe sacrifice to the Lord.

3 And thou schalt clepe Ysay to the sacrifice, and Y schal schewe to thee, what thou schalt do; and thou schalt anoynte, whom euere Y schal schewe to thee.

And call Ishai to the sacrifice, and I will shewe thee what thou shalt doe, and thou shalt anoynt vnto me him whom I name vnto thee.

4 Therfor Samuel dide, as the Lord spak to hym; and he cam in to Bethleem, and the eldere men of the citee wondriden, and camen to hym, and seiden, Whether thin entryng is pesible?

So Samuel did that the Lord bade him, and came to Beth-lehem, and the Elders of the towne were astonied at his comming, and sayd, Commest thou peaceablie?

5 And he seide, It is pesible; Y cam to make sacrifice to the Lord; be ye halewid, and come ye with me, that Y make sacrifice. Therfor he halewide Ysai, and hise sones, and clepide hem to the sacrifice.

And he answeared, Yea: I am come to doe sacrifice vnto the Lord: sanctifie your selues, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Ishai and his sonnes, and called them to the sacrifice.

6 And whanne thei hadden entrid, he siy Eliab, and seide, Whether bifor the Lord is his crist?

And when they were come, hee looked on Eliab, and saide, Surely the Lordes Anointed is before him.

7 And the Lord seide to Samuel, Biholde thou not his cheer, nethir hiynesse of his stature; for Y castide hym awei, and Y demyde not bi `the siyt of man; for a man seeth tho thingis that ben opyn, but the Lord biholdith the herte.

But the Lord said vnto Samuel, Looke not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature, because I haue refused him: for God seeth not as man seeth: for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord beholdeth the heart.

8 And Ysai clepide Amynadab, and brouyte hym bifor Samuel; which seide, Nether the Lord hath chose this.

Then Ishai called Abinadab, and made him come before Samuel. And he saide, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.

9 Forsothe Isay brouyte Samma; of whom Samuel seide, Also the Lord hath not chose this.

Then Ishai made Shammah come. And he said, Neither yet hath the Lord chosen him.

10 Therfor Isai brouyte hise seuene sones bifor Samuel; and Samuel seide to Ysai, The Lord hath `not chose of these.

Againe Ishai made his seue sonnes to come before Samuel: and Samuel saide vnto Ishai, The Lord hath chosen none of these.

11 And Samuel seide to Isai, Whether thi sones ben now fillid? And Isai answeride, Yit `another is, a litil child, and lisewith scheep. And Samuel seide to Isai, Sende thou, and brynge hym; for we schulen not sitte to mete, bifor that he come hidur.

Finally, Samuel said vnto Ishai, Are there no more children but these? And hee sayde, There remaineth yet a litle one behinde, that keepeth the sheepe. Then Samuel saide vnto Ishai, Sende and set him: for we will not sit downe, till he be come hither.

12 Therfor Ysai sente, and brouyte hym; sotheli he was rodi, and fair in siyt, and of semely face. And the Lord seide, Rise thou, and anoynte hym; for it is he.

And he sent, and brought him in: and he was ruddie, and of a good countenance, and comely visage. And the Lord saide, Arise, and anoynt him: for this is he.

13 Therfor Samuel took the horn of oyle, and anoyntid hym in the myddis of his britheren; and the Spirit of the Lord was dressid in to Dauid fro that day `and afterward. And Samuel roos, and yede in to Ramatha.

Then Samuel tooke the horne of oyle, and anoynted him in the middes of his brethren. And the Spirit of the Lord came vpon Dauid, from that day forwarde: then Samuel rose vp, and went to Ramah.

14 And so the Spirit of the Lord yede awei fro Saul, and a wickid spirit of the Lord trauelide Saul.

But the Spirite of the Lord departed from Saul, and an euill spirite sent of the Lord vexed him.

15 And the seruauntis of Saul seiden to hym, Lo! an yuel spirit of the Lord traueilith thee;

And Sauls seruants said vnto him, Beholde nowe, the euill spirite of God vexeth thee.

16 oure lord the kyng comaunde, and thi seruauntis that ben bifore thee, schulen seke a man, that kan synge with an harpe, that whanne the yuel spirit of the Lord takith thee, he harpe with his hond, and thou bere esiliere.

Let our Lord therefore command thy seruants, that are before thee, to seeke a man that is a cunning plaier vpon the harpe: that when the euil spirit of God commeth vpon thee, hee may play with his hand, and thou maiest be eased.

17 And Saul seide to hise seruauntis, Puruey ye to me sum man syngynge wel, and brynge ye hym to me.

Saul then saide vnto his seruantes, Prouide me a man, I pray you, that can play well, and bring him to me.

18 And oon of the children answeride and seide, Lo! Y siy the sone of Ysai of Bethleem, kunnynge to synge, and `strongeste in myyt, and `a man able to batel, and prudent in wordis, and a feir man; and the Lord is with hym.

Then answered one of his seruauntes, and sayde, Beholde, I haue seene a sonne of Ishai, a Bethlehemite, that can plaie, and is strong, valiant and a man of warre and wise in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him.

19 Therfor Saul sente messangeris to Ysay, and seide, Sende thou to me Dauid thi sone, `which is in the lesewis.

Wherefore Saul sent messengers vnto Ishai, and said, Send me Dauid thy sonne which is with the sheepe.

20 Therfor Isai took an asse `ful of looues, and a galoun of wyn, and a `kyde of geet; and sente bi the hond of Dauid his sone to Saul.

And Ishai tooke an asse laden with breade and a flagon of wine and a kidde, and sent them by the hand of Dauid his sonne vnto Saul.

21 And Dauid cam to Saul, and stood bifor hym; and Saul louyde hym greetli, and he was maad `his squyer.

And Dauid came to Saul, and stoode before him: and he loued him verie well, and he was his armour bearer.

22 And Saul sente to Isay, and seide, Dauid stonde in my siyt, for he foond grace in myn iyen.

And Saul sent to Ishai, saying, Let Dauid nowe remaine with me: for he hath found fauour in my sight.

23 Therfor whanne euer the wickid spirit of the Lord took Saul, Dauid took the harpe, and smoot with his hond, and Saul was coumfortid, and he hadde liytere; for the wickid spirit yede awey fro hym.

And so when the euil spirite of God came vpon Saul, Dauid tooke an harpe and plaied with his hande, and Saul was refreshed, and was eased: for the euill spirit departed from him.