1 Samuel 16
1 The Lord asked Samuel, “How long are you going to continue to mourn over Saul because I have rejected him as king of Israel? Fill your flask with olive oil and go. I'm sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen a king for myself from among his sons.”
耶和華對撒母耳說：「我既厭棄掃羅作以色列的王，你為他悲傷要到幾時呢？你將膏油盛滿了角，我差遣你往伯利恆人耶西那裏去；因為我在他眾子之內，預定一個作王的。」
2 “How can I go and do that?” Samuel asked. “Saul will hear about it and kill me!” The Lord answered, “Take a young cow with you and say, ‘I've come to sacrifice to the Lord.’
撒母耳說：「我怎能去呢？掃羅若聽見，必要殺我。」耶和華說：「你可以帶一隻牛犢去，就說：『我來是要向耶和華獻祭。』
3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you have to do. Anoint for me the one I tell you to.”
你要請耶西來吃祭肉，我就指示你所當行的事。我所指給你的人，你要膏他。」
4 Samuel did what the Lord had told him to and went to Bethlehem. When the town elders met him, they were afraid and asked him, “Do you come in peace?”
撒母耳就照耶和華的話去行。到了伯利恆，那城裏的長老都戰戰兢兢地出來迎接他，問他說：「你是為平安來的嗎？」
5 “Yes, I come in peace,” he replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” He purified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
他說：「為平安來的，我是給耶和華獻祭。你們當自潔，來與我同吃祭肉。」撒母耳就使耶西和他眾子自潔，請他們來吃祭肉。
6 When they arrived and Samuel saw Eliab, he said to himself, “This has got to be the Lord's anointed!”
他們來的時候，撒母耳看見以利押，就心裏說，耶和華的受膏者必定在他面前。
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don't look at his outward appearance or how tall he is because I have rejected him, for the Lord does not look as human beings do. Human beings only see with their eyes what's on the outside, but the Lord looks at the way people think deep inside.”
耶和華卻對撒母耳說：「不要看他的外貌和他身材高大，我不揀選他。因為，耶和華不像人看人：人是看外貌；耶和華是看內心。」
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him come before Samuel, who said, “The Lord hasn't chosen this one either.”
耶西叫亞比拿達從撒母耳面前經過，撒母耳說：「耶和華也不揀選他。」
9 Then Jesse had Shammah come forward. But Samuel said, “The Lord hasn't chosen this one either.”
耶西又叫沙瑪從撒母耳面前經過，撒母耳說：「耶和華也不揀選他。」
10 Jesse had seven of his sons come before Samuel, but Samuel told him, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.”
耶西叫他七個兒子都從撒母耳面前經過，撒母耳說：「這都不是耶和華所揀選的。」
11 So he asked Jesse, “Don't you have any more sons?” “Well, there's still the youngest,” Jesse replied, “but he is out looking after the sheep.” “Send for him and bring him here because we will not sit down and eat until he gets here,” Samuel told Jesse.
撒母耳對耶西說：「你的兒子都在這裏嗎？」他回答說：「還有個小的，現在放羊。」撒母耳對耶西說：「你打發人去叫他來；他若不來，我們必不坐席。」
12 So Jesse sent for him and brought him in. He had a red complexion with beautiful eyes, and looked handsome. The Lord said, “Go and anoint him, for he's the one.”
耶西就打發人去叫了他來。他面色光紅，雙目清秀，容貌俊美。耶和華說：「這就是他，你起來膏他。」
13 Samuel took the flask of olive oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the Lord came on David in power from that day on. Then Samuel left and returned to Ramah.
撒母耳就用角裏的膏油，在他諸兄中膏了他。從這日起，耶和華的靈就大大感動大衛。撒母耳起身回拉瑪去了。
14 The Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.
耶和華的靈離開掃羅，有惡魔從耶和華那裏來擾亂他。
15 Saul's servants told him, “It's definitely an evil spirit from God that's tormenting you.
掃羅的臣僕對他說：「現在有惡魔從上帝那裏來擾亂你。
16 Give us your servants here the order to find someone who is good at playing the harp so that when the evil spirit from God comes on you, he can play and you'll feel much better.”
我們的主可以吩咐面前的臣僕，找一個善於彈琴的來，等上帝那裏來的惡魔臨到你身上的時候，使他用手彈琴，你就好了。」
17 Saul gave the order to his servants, “Find me someone who is good at playing the harp and bring him to me.”
掃羅對臣僕說：「你們可以為我找一個善於彈琴的，帶到我這裏來。」
18 One of the servants replied, “I know a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who is good at playing the harp. He is a brave man, a good fighter, well-spoken and handsome, and the Lord is with him.”
其中有一個少年人說：「我曾見伯利恆人耶西的一個兒子善於彈琴，是大有勇敢的戰士，說話合宜，容貌俊美，耶和華也與他同在。」
19 Saul sent messengers to Jesse, telling him, “Send me your son David who takes care of the sheep.”
於是掃羅差遣使者去見耶西，說：「請你打發你放羊的兒子大衛到我這裏來。」
20 So Jesse loaded a donkey with bread, a skin of wine, and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.
耶西就把幾個餅和一皮袋酒，並一隻山羊羔，都馱在驢上，交給他兒子大衛，送與掃羅。
21 David came to Saul and began working for him. Saul thought a great deal of him, and David became his armor-bearer.
大衛到了掃羅那裏，就侍立在掃羅面前。掃羅甚喜愛他，他就作了掃羅拿兵器的人。
22 Saul sent a message to Jesse, saying, “Please allow David to continue working for me because I am pleased with him.”
掃羅差遣人去見耶西，說：「求你容大衛侍立在我面前，因為他在我眼前蒙了恩。」
23 So whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take his harp and play, and Saul would gain relief and feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.
從上帝那裏來的惡魔臨到掃羅身上的時候，大衛就拿琴，用手而彈，掃羅便舒暢爽快，惡魔離了他。
