1 T he Lord said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided for Myself a king among his sons.

Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.”

2 S amuel said, How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take a heifer with you and say, I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.

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

3 A nd invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.

Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.”

4 A nd Samuel did what the Lord said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming and said, Have you come peaceably?

So Samuel did what the Lord said, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, “Do you come peaceably?”

5 A nd he said, Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice. And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and called them to the sacrifice.

And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice.

6 W hen they had come, he looked on Eliab and said, Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.

So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the Lord ’s anointed is before Him!”

7 B ut the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his appearance or at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

8 T hen Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. But Samuel said, Neither has the Lord chosen this one.

So Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.”

9 T hen Jesse made Shammah pass by. Samuel said, Nor has the Lord chosen him.

Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.”

10 J esse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, The Lord has not chosen any of these.

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

11 T hen said to Jesse, Are all your sons here? said, There is yet the youngest; he is tending the sheep. Samuel said to Jesse, Send for him; for we will not sit down to eat until he is here.

And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.”

12 J esse sent and brought him. David had a healthy reddish complexion and beautiful eyes, and was fine-looking. The Lord said, Arise, anoint him; this is he.

So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!”

13 T hen Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah. A Distressing Spirit Troubles Saul

14 B ut the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented and troubled him.

But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him.

15 S aul’s servants said to him, Behold, an evil spirit from God torments you.

And Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you.

16 L et our lord now command your servants here before you to find a man who plays skillfully on the lyre; and when the evil spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.

Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. And it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.”

17 S aul told his servants, Find me a man who plays well and bring him to me.

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

18 O ne of the young men said, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who plays skillfully, a valiant man, a man of war, prudent in speech and eloquent, an attractive person; and the Lord is with him.

Then one of the servants 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 person; and the Lord is with him.”

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

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

20 A nd Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and a kid and sent them by David his son to Saul.

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

21 A nd David came to Saul and served him. Saul became very fond of him, and he became his armor-bearer.

So David came to Saul and stood before him. And he loved him greatly, and he became his armorbearer.

22 S aul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David remain in my service, for he pleases me.

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

23 A nd when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, David took a lyre and played it; so Saul was refreshed and became well, and the evil spirit left him.

And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.