1 Samuel 16
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.
