1 Samuel 16

1 Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.”

2 “How can I go?” Samuel asked. “Saul will hear of it and kill me!” The LORD answered, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’

3 Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you are to do. You are to anoint for Me the one I indicate.”

4 So Samuel did what the LORD had said and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?”

5 “In peace,” he replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, “Surely here before the LORD is His anointed.”

7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel, who said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.”

9 Next Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.”

10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel told him, “The LORD has not chosen any of these.”

11 And Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied, “but he is tending the sheep.” “Send for him,” Samuel replied. “For we will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”

12 So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”

13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah.

14 Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a spirit of distress from the LORD began to torment him.

15 Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely a spirit of distress from God is tormenting you.

16 Let our lord command your servants here to seek out someone who can skillfully play the harp. Whenever the spirit of distress from God is upon you, he is to play it, and you will be well.”

17 And Saul commanded his servants, “Find me someone who plays well, and bring him to me.”

18 One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a mighty man of valor, a warrior, eloquent and handsome, and the LORD is with him.”

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

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

21 When David came to Saul and entered his service, Saul loved him very much, and David became his armor-bearer.

22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”

23 And whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would pick up his harp and play. Then Saul would find relief and feel better, and the spirit of distress would depart from him.

1 ¶ And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me 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 an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.

3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me [him] whom I name unto thee.

4 And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?

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.

6 ¶ And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed [is] before him.

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

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

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

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

12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he [was] ruddy, [and] withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this [is] he.

13 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. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

14 ¶ But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.

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

16 Let our lord now command thy servants, [which are] before thee, to seek out a man, [who is] a cunning player on an 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 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now 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 Bethlehemite, [that is] cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD [is] with him.

19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which [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.

21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.

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

23 And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

1 And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long mournest thou for Saul, whom I have rejected, that he should not reign over Israel? Fill thy horn with oil, and go, and I will send thee unto Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have chosen a king among his sons.

2 And Samuel said, How shall I go? Saul shall know it, and slay me. And the LORD said, Take thee a calf of the oxen, and say, I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD.

3 And thou shalt call Jesse to the sacrifice; and I will instruct thee what thou shalt do, that thou mayest anoint me, which I will tell thee.

4 And Samuel did as the LORD had said unto him, and came to Bethlehem: and the elders of the city were astonished. And the elders of the city were astonished, and went out to meet him, and said: Is it peace that thou art come?

5 And he said, Yea, 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 invited them to the sacrifice.

6 And when they were come in, he looked on Eliab, and thought whether he were his anointed before the LORD.

7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Behold not his form, nor his great person; I have rejected him. For it is not how a man looketh. A man looketh on the things that are before his eyes: but the LORD looketh on the heart.

8 And Jesse called unto Abinadab, and made him pass over before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this man.

9 And Jesse passed by Samma. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this man.

10 And Jesse sent his seven sons before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen him.

11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are all the lads? And he said, There is yet the least left; and, behold, he is tending the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

12 And he sent and fetched him. And he was of a brownish complexion, with beautiful eyes, and of a goodly stature. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for he is he.

13 And Samuel took his 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 arose, and went to Ramah.

14 And the spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him greatly.

15 And the servants of Saul said unto him, Behold, an evil spirit from GOD maketh thee very uneasy.

16 Our lord shall tell his servants that stand before him, that they seek a man that can play well upon the harp; that, when the evil spirit of God cometh upon thee, he may play with his hand, that it may be better with thee.

17 And Saul said unto his servants: Look for a man who is good at playing the stringed instruments, and bring him to me.

18 And one of the lads answered and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is well skilled in the playing of the strings; a stout man, and valiant, and understanding in things, and fair; and the LORD is with him.

19 And Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, saying, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.

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

21 So David came to Saul, and ministered before him: and he loved him very much, and he became his armourbearer.

22 And Saul sent unto Jesse, saying, Let David tarry before me: for he hath found grace in mine 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; and Saul was refreshed, and was better with him, and the evil spirit departed from him.