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
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 thy horn with oil and go; I will send thee to Jesse of Bethlehem for I have provided me a king among his sons.
2And Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul understands it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take a heifer with thee and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.
3And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do, and thou shalt anoint unto me the one whom I name unto thee.
4And Samuel did as the Lord said and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming and said, Comest thou peaceably?
5And 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, Peradventure is the Lord’s anointed before him?
7And the Lord replied unto Samuel, Do not look on his countenance or on the height of his stature because I have refused him, for it is not as man sees, for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.
8Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither has the Lord chosen this one.
9Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither has the Lord chosen this one.
10Again, Jesse made his seven sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord has not chosen these.
11And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are all thy young men here? And he said, There remains yet the youngest, and, behold, he keeps the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send for him, for we will not sit down to the table until he comes here.
12And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and of a beautiful countenance and handsome. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him, for this is he.
13Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him from among his brethren; and the Spirit of the Lord prospered 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.
15And Saul’s slaves said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubles thee.
16Let our lord now command thy slaves, which are before thee, to seek out a man who is a cunning player on a 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 have relief.
17And Saul said unto his slaves, Provide me now a man that can play well and bring him to me.
18Then one of the servants answered and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem, that is cunning in playing and a mighty valiant man and a man of war and prudent in speech and handsome, and the Lord is with him.
19Therefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse and said, Send me David, thy son, who is with the sheep.
20And Jesse took an ass laden with bread and a bottle of wine and a kid and sent them by David, his son, unto Saul.
21And David came to Saul and stood before him; and he loved him greatly, and he became his armourbearer.
22And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me, for he has found favour in my sight.
23And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took a harp and played with his hand; so Saul was refreshed and was better, and the evil spirit departed from him.
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The Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) by Ransom Press International