1 Samuel 16

1And Yahweh said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.”

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

3Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will make known to you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I tell you.

4So Samuel did what Yahweh had spoken and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city trembled at his coming and said, “Do you come in peace?”

5He said, “Peace. I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

6When they came in, he saw Eliab and said, “Surely Yahweh’s anointed is before Yahweh.”

7But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For not as man sees does God see, for man sees what is before the eyes, but Yahweh sees the heart.”

8Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one either.”

9Then Jesse made Shammah pass by, and he said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one either.”

10So Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, “Yahweh has not chosen any of these.”

11Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the young men?” And he said, “The youngest still remains, and behold, he is shepherding the flock.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.”

12So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And Yahweh said, “Rise, anoint him, for this is he.”

13Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of Yahweh rushed upon David from that day onward. Then Samuel rose and went to Ramah.

14The Spirit of Yahweh had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Yahweh terrified him.

15And Saul’s servants said to him, “Look now, an evil spirit from God is terrifying you.”

16Please let our lord say to your servants before you that they should seek out a man who knows how to play the lyre; and when a harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play with his hand, and it will be well for you.

17Then Saul said to his servants, “Please find for me a man who can play well, and bring him to me.”

18Then one of the young men answered and said, “Look, 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 man, and Yahweh is with him.”

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

20So Jesse took a donkey, bread, a skin of wine, and one young goat, and sent them by the hand of David his son to Saul.

21So David came to Saul and stood before him, and Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer.

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

23And whenever the spirit of God came upon Saul, David would take the lyre and play it with his hand; then Saul found relief, and it was well with him, and the harmful spirit departed from him.