1 Samuel 16

1 And the LORD said unto Samuel: 'How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite; for I have provided Me a king among his sons.'

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.”

2 And Samuel said: 'How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me.' And the LORD said: 'Take a heifer with thee, and say: I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.

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.'

3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will tell thee what thou shalt do; and thou shalt anoint unto Me him whom I name unto thee.'

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.”

4 And Samuel did that which the LORD spoke, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said: 'Comest thou peaceably?'

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?”

5 And he said: 'Peaceably; I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.' And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

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.

6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he beheld Eliab, and said: 'Surely the LORD'S anointed is before Him.'

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

7 But the LORD said unto Samuel: 'Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him; for it is not as man seeth: for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.'

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.”

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said: 'Neither hath the LORD chosen this.'

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

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

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

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

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

11 And Samuel said unto Jesse: 'Are here all thy children?' And he said: 'There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep.' And Samuel said unto Jesse: 'Send and fetch him; for we will not sit down till he come hither.'

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.”

12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of beautiful eyes, and goodly to look upon. And the LORD said: 'Arise, anoint him; for this is he.'

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.”

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

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.

14 Now the spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrified him.

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

15 And Saul's servants said unto him: 'Behold now, an evil spirit from God terrifieth thee.

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

16 Let our lord now command thy servants, that are before thee, to seek out a man who is a skilful player on the harp; and it shall be, when the evil spirit from God cometh upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.'

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.”

17 And Saul said unto his servants: 'Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.'

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

18 Then answered one of the young men, and said: 'Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is skilful in playing, and a mighty man of valour, and a man of war, and prudent in affairs, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.'

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.”

19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said: 'Send me David thy son, who is with the sheep.'

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

20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.

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

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

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

22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying: 'Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.'

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

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

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.