1 Samuel 16
16
Samuel Goes to Bethlehem
1The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you feel sorry for Saul? I have rejected him as king of Israel. Fill your horn#16:1 horn An animal’s horn is hollow and often used like a bottle. with oil and go to Bethlehem. I am sending you to Jesse who lives in Bethlehem, because I have chosen one of his sons to be the new king.”
2But Samuel said, “If I go, Saul will hear the news and try to kill me.”
The Lord said, “Go to Bethlehem. Take a young calf with you and tell them, ‘I have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3Invite Jesse to the sacrifice. Then I will show you what to do. You must anoint the person I show you.”
4Samuel did what the Lord told him to do and went to Bethlehem. The elders of Bethlehem shook with fear. They met Samuel and asked, “Do you come in peace?”
5Samuel answered, “Yes, I come in peace. I come to make a sacrifice to the Lord. Prepare yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Samuel prepared Jesse and his sons. Then he invited them to come and share the sacrifice.
6When Jesse and his sons arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the man who the Lord has chosen.”
7But the Lord said to Samuel, “Eliab is tall and handsome, but don’t judge by things like that. God doesn’t look at what people see. People judge by what is on the outside, but the Lord looks at the heart. Eliab is not the right man.”
8Then Jesse called his second son, Abinadab. Abinadab walked by Samuel. But Samuel said, “No, this is not the man who the Lord chose.”
9Then Jesse told Shammah to walk by Samuel. But Samuel said, “No, the Lord did not choose this man, either.”
10Jesse showed seven of his sons to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these men.”
11Then he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”
Jesse answered, “No, I have another son—my youngest, but he is out taking care of the sheep.”
Samuel said, “Send for him. Bring him here. We won’t sit down to eat until he arrives.”
12Jesse sent someone to get his youngest son. This son was a good-looking, healthy#16:12 healthy The Hebrew word means “red,” “ruddy,” or “red-haired.” young man. He was very handsome.
The Lord said to Samuel, “Get up and anoint him. He is the one.”
13Samuel took the horn with the oil in it, and poured the special oil on Jesse’s youngest son in front of his brothers. The Spirit of the Lord came on David with great power from that day on. Then Samuel went back home to Ramah.
An Evil Spirit Bothers Saul
14The Lord’s Spirit left Saul. Then the Lord sent an evil spirit to Saul that caused him much trouble. 15Saul’s servants said to him, “An evil spirit from God is bothering you. 16Give us the command and we will look for someone who can play the harp. If the evil spirit from God comes on you, this person will play music for you. Then you will feel better.”
17So Saul said to his servants, “Find someone who plays music well and bring him to me.”
18One of the servants said, “There is a man named Jesse living in Bethlehem. I saw Jesse’s son. He knows how to play the harp. He is also a brave man and fights well. He is smart and handsome, and the Lord is with him.”
19So Saul sent messengers to Jesse. They told Jesse, “You have a son named David. He takes care of your sheep. Send him to me.”
20So Jesse got some things as a gift for Saul. Jesse got a donkey, some bread and a leather bag full of wine, and a young goat. He gave them to David and sent him to Saul. 21So David went to Saul and stood in front of him. Saul loved David very much. David became the helper who carried Saul’s weapons. 22Saul sent a message to Jesse. “Let David stay and serve me. I like him very much.”
23Any time the evil spirit from God came on Saul, David would take his harp and play it. The evil spirit would leave Saul and he would begin to feel better.
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1 Samuel 16: ERV
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
1 Samuel 16
16
Samuel Anoints David
1The Lord said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, # 1Sm 15:35 since I have rejected him as king over Israel? # 1Sm 13:13-14; 15:23 Fill your horn with oil # 1Sm 9:16; 10:1; 2Kg 9:1 and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem # Ru 4:17-22 because I have selected a king from his sons.”
2Samuel asked, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me! ”
The Lord answered, “Take a young cow with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ # 1Sm 20:29 3Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will let you know what you are to do. # Ex 4:15; Ac 9:6 You are to anoint for Me the one I indicate to you.” # Dt 17:14-15; 1Sm 9:16
4Samuel did what the Lord directed and went to Bethlehem. # Gn 48:7; Lk 2:4 When the elders of the town met him, they trembled # LXX reads were astonished and asked, “Do # DSS, LXX read Seer, do you come in peace? ” # 1Kg 2:13; 2Kg 9:22; 1Ch 12:17-18
5“In peace,” he replied. “I’ve come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves # Gn 35:2; Ex 19:10 and come with me to the sacrifice.” # LXX reads and rejoice with me today Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab # 1Sm 17:13 and said, “Certainly the Lord’s anointed one is here before Him.”
7But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the Lord sees, # LXX reads God does not see as a man sees for man sees what is visible, # Lit what is of the eyes but the Lord sees the heart.” # 1Kg 8:39; Jr 17:10; Lk 16:15; Jn 2:24-25
8Jesse called Abinadab # 1Sm 17:13 and presented him to Samuel. “The Lord hasn’t chosen this one either,” Samuel said. 9Then Jesse presented Shammah, # 1Sm 17:13 but Samuel said, “The Lord hasn’t chosen this one either.” 10After Jesse presented seven of his sons to him, Samuel told Jesse, “The Lord hasn’t chosen any of these.” 11Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have? ”
“There is still the youngest,” # 1Sm 17:12; 2Sm 13:3 he answered, “but right now he’s tending the sheep.” Samuel told Jesse, “Send for him. We won’t sit down to eat until he gets here.” 12So Jesse sent for him. He had beautiful eyes and a healthy, # Or ruddy handsome appearance. # 1Sm 17:42
Then the Lord said, “Anoint him, for he is the one.” # 1Sm 9:17 13So Samuel took the horn of oil, anointed him # 1Sm 10:1 in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the Lord took control of David from that day forward. # Ps 51:10-12; Ezk 36:27; Ac 2:1-17 Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah.
David in Saul’s Court
14Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, # 1Sm 11:6; 18:12; 28:15 and an evil spirit sent from the Lord began to torment him, 15so Saul’s servants said to him, “You see that an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16Let our lord command your servants here in your presence to look for someone who knows how to play the lyre. Whenever the evil spirit from God troubles you, that person can play the lyre, and you will feel better.” # 1Sm 18:10; 19:9; 2Kg 3:15
17Then Saul commanded his servants, “Find me someone who plays well and bring him to me.”
18One of the young men answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is also a valiant man, # 1Sm 17:32-36 a warrior, eloquent, handsome, and the Lord is with him.” # 1Sm 3:19; 18:12-14
19Then Saul dispatched messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” 20So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and one young goat and sent them by his son David to Saul. # 1Sm 10:4,27; Pr 18:16 21When David came to Saul # Gn 41:46; Pr 22:29 and entered his service, Saul admired him greatly, and David became his armor-bearer. 22Then Saul sent word to Jesse: “Let David remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.” 23Whenever the spirit from God troubled Saul, # 1Sm 16:14-16 David would pick up his lyre and play, and Saul would then be relieved, feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.
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