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.
