1 Samuel 16

1 The LORD 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 the Bethlehemite, for I have provided a king for myself amongst his sons.”

And Jehovah 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.

2 Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” The LORD said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’

And Samuel said, How shall I go? if Saul hear [it], he will kill me. And Jehovah said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to Jehovah.

3 Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. You shall anoint to me him whom I name to you.”

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.

4 Samuel did that which the LORD spoke, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?”

And Samuel did what Jehovah said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him, and said, Dost thou come peaceably?

5 He said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice to Jehovah. Hallow yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he hallowed Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

6 When they had come, he looked at Eliab, and said, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him.”

And it came to pass when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely Jehovah's anointed is before him.

7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

But Jehovah said to 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 upon the outward appearance, but Jehovah looketh upon the heart.

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “The LORD has not chosen this one, either.”

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither has Jehovah chosen this one.

9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, “The LORD has not chosen this one, either.”

Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, Neither has Jehovah chosen this one.

10 Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.”

And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, Jehovah has not chosen these.

11 Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your children here?” He said, “There remains yet the youngest. Behold, he is keeping the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.”

And Samuel said to Jesse, Are these all the young men? And he said, There is yet the youngest remaining, and behold, he is feeding the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and fetch him; for we will not sit at table till he come hither.

12 He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with a handsome face and good appearance. The LORD said, “Arise! Anoint him, for this is he.”

And he sent and brought him in. And he was ruddy, and besides of a lovely countenance and beautiful appearance. And Jehovah said, Arise, anoint him; for this is he.

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the middle of his brothers. Then the LORD’s Spirit came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

And Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren. And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

14 Now the LORD’s Spirit departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.

And the Spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Jehovah troubled him.

15 Saul’s servants said to him, “See now, an evil spirit from God troubles you.

And Saul's servants said to him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubles thee.

16 Let our lord now command your servants who are in front of you to seek out a man who is a skilful player on the harp. Then when the evil spirit from God is on you, he will play with his hand, and you will be well.”

Let our lord now speak; thy servants are before thee: they shall seek out a man, a skilful player on a 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.

17 Saul said to his servants, “Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.”

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

18 Then one of the young men answered and said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skilful in playing, a mighty man of valour, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the LORD is with him.”

And one of the young men answered and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skilled in playing, and he is a valiant man and a man of war, and skilled in speech, and of good presence, and Jehovah is with him.

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

Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, Send me David thy son, who is with the sheep.

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

And Jesse took an ass with bread, and a flask of wine, and a kid, and sent [them] by David his son to Saul.

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

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

22 Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me, for he has found favour in my sight.”

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

23 When the spirit from God was on Saul, David took the 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 from God was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand; and Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.