1 T he Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you be filled with sorrow because of Saul, since I have turned away from him being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse of Bethlehem. For I have chosen a king for Myself 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 B ut Samuel said, “How can I go? Saul will kill me when he hears about it.” The Lord said, “Take a young cow with you, and say, ‘I have come to give a gift 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 sk Jesse to come when you give the gift, and I will show you what you should do. You will choose 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 S o Samuel did what the Lord said, and came to Bethlehem. The leaders of the city came shaking with fear to meet him. They said, “Do you come in peace?”

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 S amuel said, “I have come in peace to give a gift to the Lord. Make yourselves holy and come with me as I give the gift.” He set apart Jesse and his sons also, and asked them to come to the gift-giving.

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, Samuel looked at Eliab and thought, “For sure he is the Lord’s chosen one who is standing 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, “Do not look at the way he looks on the outside or how tall he is, because I have not chosen him. For the Lord does not look at the things man looks at. A man looks at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at 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 in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one.”

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

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

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 in front of Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen 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 Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the children?” And Jesse said, “There is yet the youngest one. See, he is taking care of the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him. We will not sit down until he comes 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 S o he sent for him and brought him in. His youngest son had good color in his skin, beautiful eyes and was good-looking. The Lord said, “Rise up and choose him. For this is the one.”

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 poured the oil on him in front of his brothers. The Spirit of the Lord came upon David with strength from that day on. And Samuel got up and went to Ramah. Saul’s Spirit Is Troubled

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 N ow the Spirit of the Lord left Saul. And a bad spirit sent from the Lord brought trouble upon 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, “See, a bad spirit from God is bringing you trouble.

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

16 L et our lord now tell your servants who are in front of you to look for a man who is a good player of the harp. When the bad spirit sent from God is upon you, he will play the harp, 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 o Saul said to his servants, “Find me a man who can play 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 music well. He is a man with strength of heart, a man of war, wise in his speaking, and good-looking. 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 men with news to Jesse, and said, “Send me your son David who is with the sheep.”

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

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

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 D avid came to Saul and served him. Saul loved him very much, and he became the man who carried Saul’s battle-clothes.

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

22 S aul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Let David serve me, for he has found favor in my eyes.”

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

23 W hen the bad spirit sent from God came upon Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand. And Saul would receive new strength and be well. The bad spirit would leave 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.