1 Samuel 16

1 And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him so as not to reign over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lechemite; for I have selected among his sons unto myself a king.

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 shall I go? if Saul should hear it, he would kill me. And the Lord said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, To sacrifice unto the Lord am I come.

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 invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will let thee know what thou shalt do; and thou shalt anoint unto me the one whom I will say 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 had spoken, and came to Beth-lechem. And the elders of the town came hastily to meet him, and said, Peace to thee at thy coming.

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, Peace: to sacrifice unto the Lord am I come; sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and invited 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 came, that he saw Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is [here] 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, Regard not his appearance, nor the height of his stature; because I have rejected him; for not what man looketh on; —for man looketh on the eyes, 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 caused him to pass before Samuel. And he said, This one also hath the Lord not chosen.

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

9 Then Jesse caused Shammah to pass by. And he said, This one also hath the Lord not chosen.

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

10 And Jesse caused seven of his sons to pass before Samuel: and Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not made choice of 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 there not more young men? And he said, There is yet left behind the youngest, and, behold, he is feeding the flocks. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him; for we will not sit down till he have 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, having withal handsome eyes, and being of a goodly appearance. 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 took Samuel the horn of oil, and anointed him from among his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came suddenly upon David from that day and forward. And Samuel then 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 And the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and there troubled him an evil spirit from the Lord.

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 troubleth thee.

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

16 Let our Lord but say [the word], and thy servants, now before thee, will seek out a man, who is skilful as a player on the harp; and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, that thou mayest 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, Select for me, I pray you, 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 servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lechemite, who is skilful as a player, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and intelligent in speech, and a person of a good form, 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 Thereupon Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, who is with the flocks.

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 through 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 armor-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 favor in my eyes.

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 spirit of God was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand; so Saul became relieved, and he felt well, 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.