1 Samuel 16
16
Samuel anoints David
1The LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to grieve over Saul? I have rejected him as king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and get going. I’m sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem because I have found#16.1 Or seen my next king among his sons.”
2“How can I do that?” Samuel asked. “When Saul hears of it he’ll kill me!”
“Take a heifer with you,” the LORD replied, “and say, ‘I have come to make a sacrifice to the LORD.’ 3Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will make clear to you what you should do. You will anoint for me the person I point out to you.”
4Samuel did what the LORD instructed. When he came to Bethlehem, the city elders came to meet him. They were shaking with fear. “Do you come in peace?” they asked.
5“Yes,” Samuel answered. “I’ve come to make a sacrifice to the LORD. Now make yourselves holy, then come with me to the sacrifice.” Samuel made Jesse and his sons holy and invited them to the sacrifice as well.
6When they arrived, Samuel looked at Eliab and thought, That must be the LORD’s anointed right in front.
7But the LORD said to Samuel, “Have no regard for his appearance or stature, because I haven’t selected him. God#16.7 LXX; MT lacks God. doesn’t look at things like humans do. Humans see only what is visible to the eyes, but the LORD sees into the heart.”
8Next Jesse called for Abinadab, who presented himself to Samuel, but he said, “The LORD hasn’t chosen this one either.” 9So Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, “No, the LORD hasn’t chosen this one.” 10Jesse presented seven of his sons to Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD hasn’t picked any of these.” 11Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Is that all of your boys?”
“There is still the youngest one,” Jesse answered, “but he’s out keeping the sheep.”
“Send for him,” Samuel told Jesse, “because we can’t proceed until he gets here.”#16.11 MT; LXX we won’t sit down (that is, to eat)
12So Jesse sent and brought him in. He was reddish brown, had beautiful eyes, and was good-looking. The LORD said, “That’s the one. Go anoint him.” 13So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him right there in front of his brothers. The LORD’s spirit came over David from that point forward.
Then Samuel left and went to Ramah.
David is introduced to Saul
14Now the LORD’s spirit had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him. 15Saul’s servants said to him, “Look, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16If our master just says the word, your servants will search for someone who knows how to play the lyre. The musician can play whenever the evil spirit from God is affecting you, and then you’ll feel better.”
17Saul said to his servants, “Find me a good musician and bring him to me.”
18One of the servants responded, “I know that one of Jesse’s sons from Bethlehem is a good musician. He’s a strong man and heroic, a warrior who speaks well and is good-looking too. The LORD is with him.”
19So Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, “Send me your son David, the one who keeps the sheep.”
20Jesse then took a donkey and loaded it with a homer of bread,#16.20 LXX a jar of wine, and a young goat, and he sent it along with his son David to Saul. 21That is how David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked David very much,#16.21 Or David liked Saul very much. and David became his armor-bearer. 22Saul sent a message to Jesse: “Please allow David to remain in my service because I am pleased with him.” 23Whenever the evil spirit from God affected Saul, David would take the lyre and play it. Then Saul would relax and feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him alone.
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
1 Kings 16
16
1And the Lord said to Samuel: How It long wilt thou mourn for Saul, whom I have rejected from reigning over Israel? Fill thy horn with oil, and come, that I may send thee to Isai the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
2And Samuel said: How shall I go, for Saul will hear of it, and he will kill me? And the Lord said: Thou shalt take with thee a calf of the herd, and thou shalt say: I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.
3And thou shalt call Isai to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou art to do: and thou shalt anoint him whom I shall shew to thee.
4Then Samuel did as the Lord had said to him. And he came to Bethlehem, and the ancients of the city wondered, and meeting him they said: Is thy coming hither peaceable?
5And he said: It is peaceable. I am come to offer sacrifice to the Lord; be ye sanctified, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Isai and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
6And when they were come in, he saw Eliab, and said: Is the Lord's anointed before him?
7And the Lord said to Samuel: Look not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature: because I have rejected him. Nor do I judge according to the look of man: for man seeth those things that appear, but the Lord beholdeth the heart.
8And Isai called Abinadab, and brought him before Samuel. And he said: Neither hath the Lord chosen this.
9And Isai brought Samma, and he said of him: Neither hath the Lord chosen this.
10Isai therefore brought his seven sons before Samuel. And Samuel said to Isai: The Lord hath not chosen any one of these.
11And Samuel said to Isai: Are here all thy sons? He answered: There remaineth yet a young one, who keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said to Isai: Send, and fetch him, for we will not sit down till he come hither.
12He sent therefore and brought him. Now, he was ruddy and beautiful to behold, and of a comely face. And the Lord said: Arise, and anoint him, for this is he.
13Then 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: and Samuel rose up, and went to Ramatha.
14But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul; and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.
15And the servants of Saul said to him: Behold now an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
16Let our lord give orders, and thy servants who are before thee will seek out a man skilful in playing on the harp, that when the evil spirit from the Lord is upon thee he may play with his hand, and thou mayest bear it more easily.
17And Saul said to his servants: Provide me then some man that can play well, and bring him to me.
18And one of the servants answering, said: Behold, I have seen a son of Isai the Bethlehemite, a skilful player, and one of great strength, and a man fit for war, and prudent in his words, and a comely person. And the Lord is with him.
19Then Saul sent messengers to Isai, saying: Send me David thy son, who is in the pastures.
20And Isai took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid of the flock, and sent them by the hand of David his son to Saul.
21And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him exceedingly, and made him his armourbearer.
22And Saul sent to Isai, saying: Let David stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.
23So whensoever the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, David took his harp, and played with his hand: and Saul was refreshed, and was better, for the evil spirit departed from him.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.