1 N ow the Lord 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 will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have selected a king for Myself among his sons.”

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; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided for Myself a king among his sons.

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

Samuel 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.

3 Y ou shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for Me the one whom I designate to you.”

And 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.

4 S o Samuel did what the Lord said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, “ Do you come in peace?”

And 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?

5 H e said, “In peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” He also consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

And 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.

6 W hen they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.”

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

7 B ut the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

But 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.

8 T hen Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.”

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

9 N ext Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.”

Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. Samuel said, Nor has the Lord chosen him.

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

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

11 A nd Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the children?” And he said, “ There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is tending the sheep.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” David Anointed

Then 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.

12 S o he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the Lord said, “ Arise, anoint him; for this is he.”

Jesse 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.

13 T hen Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him 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 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.

14 N ow the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord terrorized him.

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

15 S aul’s servants then said to him, “Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrorizing you.

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

16 L et our lord now command your servants who are before you. Let them seek a man who is a skillful player on the harp; and it shall come about when the evil spirit from God is on you, that he shall play the harp with his hand, and you will be well.”

Let 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.

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

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

18 T hen one of the young men said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one prudent in speech, and a handsome man; and the Lord is with him.”

One 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.

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

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

20 J esse took a donkey loaded with bread and a jug of wine and a young goat, and sent them to Saul by David his son.

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

21 T hen David came to Saul and attended him; and Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor bearer.

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

22 S aul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David now stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.”

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

23 S o it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.

And 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.