1 Samuel 16

1 The Lord then saide vnto Samuel, Howe long wilt thou mourne for Saul, seeing I haue cast him away from reigning ouer Israel? fill thine horne with oyle and come, I will sende thee to Ishai the Bethlehemite: for I haue prouided mee a King among his sonnes.

And the Lord said to Samuel, How long will you go on sorrowing for Saul, seeing that I have put him from his place as king over Israel? Take oil in your vessel and go; I will send you to Jesse, the Beth-lehemite: for I have got a king for myself among his sons.

2 And Samuel sayde, Howe can I goe? for if Saul shall heare it, he will kill me. Then the Lord answered, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to doe sacrifice to the Lord.

And Samuel said, How is it possible for me to go? If Saul gets news of it he will put me to death. And the Lord said, Take a young cow with you and say, I have come to make an offering to the Lord.

3 And call Ishai to the sacrifice, and I will shewe thee what thou shalt doe, and thou shalt anoynt vnto me him whom I name vnto thee.

And send for Jesse to be present at the offering, and I will make clear to you what you are to do: and you are to put the holy oil on him whose name I give you.

4 So Samuel did that the Lord bade him, and came to Beth-lehem, and the Elders of the towne were astonied at his comming, and sayd, Commest thou peaceablie?

And Samuel did as the Lord said and came to Beth-lehem. And the responsible men of the town came out to him in fear and said, Do you come in peace?

5 And he answeared, Yea: I am come to doe sacrifice vnto the Lord: sanctifie your selues, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Ishai and his sonnes, and called them to the sacrifice.

And he said, In peace: I have come to make an offering to the Lord: make yourselves clean and come with me to make the offering. And he made Jesse and his sons clean, and sent for them to be present at the offering.

6 And when they were come, hee looked on Eliab, and saide, Surely the Lordes Anointed is before him.

Now when they came, looking at Eliab, he said, Clearly the man of the Lord's selection is before him.

7 But the Lord said vnto Samuel, Looke not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature, because I haue refused him: for God seeth not as man seeth: for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord beholdeth the heart.

But the Lord said to Samuel, Do not take note of his face or how tall he is, because I will not have him: for the Lord's view is not man's; man takes note of the outer form, but the Lord sees the heart.

8 Then Ishai called Abinadab, and made him come before Samuel. And he saide, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.

Then Jesse sent for Abinadab and made him come before Samuel. And he said, The Lord has not taken this one.

9 Then Ishai made Shammah come. And he said, Neither yet hath the Lord chosen him.

Then Jesse made Shammah come before him. And he said, The Lord has not taken this one.

10 Againe Ishai made his seue sonnes to come before Samuel: and Samuel saide vnto Ishai, The Lord hath chosen none of these.

And Jesse made his seven sons come before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, The Lord has not taken any of these.

11 Finally, Samuel said vnto Ishai, Are there no more children but these? And hee sayde, There remaineth yet a litle one behinde, that keepeth the sheepe. Then Samuel saide vnto Ishai, Sende and set him: for we will not sit downe, till he be come hither.

Then Samuel said to Jesse, Are all your children here? And he said, There is still the youngest, and he is looking after the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and make him come here: for we will not take our seats till he is here.

12 And he sent, and brought him in: and he was ruddie, and of a good countenance, and comely visage. And the Lord saide, Arise, and anoynt him: for this is he.

So he sent and made him come in. Now he had red hair and beautiful eyes and pleasing looks. And the Lord said, Come, put the oil on him, for this is he.

13 Then Samuel tooke the horne of oyle, and anoynted him in the middes of his brethren. And the Spirit of the Lord came vpon Dauid, from that day forwarde: then Samuel rose vp, and went to Ramah.

Then Samuel took the bottle of oil, and put the oil on him there among his brothers: and from that day the spirit of the Lord came on David with power. So Samuel went back to Ramah.

14 But the Spirite of the Lord departed from Saul, and an euill spirite sent of the Lord vexed him.

Now the spirit of the Lord had gone from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord was troubling him.

15 And Sauls seruants said vnto him, Beholde nowe, the euill spirite of God vexeth thee.

And Saul's servants said to him, See now, an evil spirit from God is troubling you.

16 Let our Lord therefore command thy seruants, that are before thee, to seeke a man that is a cunning plaier vpon the harpe: that when the euil spirit of God commeth vpon thee, hee may play with his hand, and thou maiest be eased.

Now give orders to your servants who are here before you to go in search of a man who is an expert player on a corded instrument: and it will be that when the evil spirit from God is on you, he will make music for you on his instrument, and you will get well.

17 Saul then saide vnto his seruantes, Prouide me a man, I pray you, that can play well, and bring him to me.

And Saul said to his servants, Then get me a man who is an expert player, and make him come to me.

18 Then answered one of his seruauntes, and sayde, Beholde, I haue seene a sonne of Ishai, a Bethlehemite, that can plaie, and is strong, valiant and a man of warre and wise in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him.

Then one of the servants in answer said, I have seen a son of Jesse, the Beth-lehemite, who is expert at playing, and a strong man and a man of war; and he is wise in his words, and pleasing in looks, and the Lord is with him.

19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers vnto Ishai, and said, Send me Dauid thy sonne which is with the sheepe.

So Saul sent his servants to Jesse and said, Send me your son David who is with the sheep.

20 And Ishai tooke an asse laden with breade and a flagon of wine and a kidde, and sent them by the hand of Dauid his sonne vnto Saul.

And Jesse took five cakes of bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them to Saul by David.

21 And Dauid came to Saul, and stoode before him: and he loued him verie well, and he was his armour bearer.

And David came to Saul, waiting before him: and he became very dear to Saul, who made him his servant, giving him the care of his arms.

22 And Saul sent to Ishai, saying, Let Dauid nowe remaine with me: for he hath found fauour in my sight.

And Saul sent to Jesse saying, Let David be with me, for he is pleasing to me.

23 And so when the euil spirite of God came vpon Saul, Dauid tooke an harpe and plaied with his hande, and Saul was refreshed, and was eased: for the euill spirit departed from him.

And whenever the evil spirit from God came on Saul, David took his instrument and made music: so new life came to Saul, and he got well, and the evil spirit went away from him.