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 among his sons.”

And the Lord said to Samuel. How It long wilt thou mourn for Saul, whom I have rejected from reigning over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and come, that I may send thee to Isai 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? for Saul will hear of it, and he will kill me. And the Lord said: Thou shalt take with thee a calf of the herd, and thou shalt say: I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.

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 thou shalt call Isai to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou art to do, and thou shalt anoint him whom I shall shew to 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?”

Then Samuel did as the Lord had said to him. And he came to Bethlehem, and the ancients of the city wondered, and meeting him, they said: Is thy coming hither peaceable?

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: It is peaceable: I am come to offer sacrifice to the Lord, be ye sanctified, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Isai 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 when they were come in, he saw Eliab, and said: Is the Lord’s anointed before him?

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

And the Lord said to Samuel: Look not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature: because I have rejected him, nor do I judge according to the look of man: for man seeth those things that appear, but the Lord beholdeth the heart.

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

And Isai called Abinadab, and brought him before Samuel. And he said: Neither hath the Lord chosen this.

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

And Isai brought Samma, and he said of him: Neither hath the Lord chosen this.

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

Isai therefore brought his seven sons before Samuel: and Samuel said to Isai: The Lord hath not chosen any one of 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 Isai: Are here all thy sons? He answered: There remaineth yet a young one, who keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said to Isai: Send, and fetch him, for we will not sit down 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.”

He sent therefore and brought him Now he was ruddy and beautiful to behold, and of a comely face. And the Lord said: Arise, and 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.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward: and Samuel rose up, and went to Ramatha.

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

But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.

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

And the servants of Saul said to him: Behold now an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

16 Let our lord now command your servants who are in front of you to seek out a man who is a skillful 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 give orders, and thy servants who are before thee will seek out a man skillful in playing on the harp, that when the evil spirit from the Lord is upon thee, he may play with his hand, and thou mayest bear it more easily.

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 then some 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 skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the LORD is with him.”

And one of the servants answering, said: Behold I have seen a son of Isai the Bethlehemite, a skillful player, and one of great strength, and a man fit for war, and prudent in his words, and a comely person: and the Lord 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 Isai, saying: Send me David thy son, who is in the pastures.

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 Isai took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid of the flock, and sent them by the hand of David his son to Saul.

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

And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him exceedingly, and made him his armourbearer.

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

And Saul sent to Isai, saying: Let David stand before me: for he hath 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.

So whensoever the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, David took his harp, and played with his hand, and Saul was refreshed, and was better, for the evil spirit departed from him.