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
Shemu’ĕl Aleph (1 Samuel) 16
16
1And יהוה said to Shemu’ĕl, “How long are you going to mourn for Sha’ul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Yisra’ĕl? Fill your horn with oil, and go, I am sending you to Yishai the Bĕyth Leḥemite. For I have seen among his sons a sovereign for Myself.”
2And Shemu’ĕl said, “How would I go? When Sha’ul hears it, he shall kill me.” And יהוה said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to slaughter to יהוה.’
3“And you shall invite Yishai to the slaughtering, then let Me show you what to do. And you shall anoint for Me the one I say to you.”
4And Shemu’ĕl did what יהוה said, and went to Bĕyth Leḥem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, “Do you come in peace?”
5And he said, “In peace. I have come to slaughter to יהוה. Set yourselves apart, and you shall come with me to the slaughtering.” And he set Yishai and his sons apart, and invited them to the slaughtering.
6And it came to be, when they came, that he saw Eliyaḇ and thought, “The anointed of יהוה is indeed before Him.”
7But יהוה said to Shemu’ĕl, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him, for not as man sees, for man looks at the eyes, but יהוה looks at the heart.”
8Then Yishai called Aḇinaḏaḇ, and made him pass before Shemu’ĕl. And he said, “Neither has יהוה chosen this one.”
9Next Yishai made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has יהוה chosen this one.”
10And Yishai made seven of his sons pass before Shemu’ĕl. And Shemu’ĕl said to Yishai, “יהוה has not chosen these.”
11And Shemu’ĕl said to Yishai, “Are these all the young men?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and see, he is tending the sheep.” And Shemu’ĕl said to Yishai, “Send and bring him, for we do not turn round till he comes here.”
12And he sent and brought him in. And he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and handsome. And יהוה said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is the one!”
13And Shemu’ĕl took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of יהוה came upon Dawiḏ from that day and onwards. And Shemu’ĕl arose and went to Ramah.
14And the Spirit of יהוה turned aside from Sha’ul, and an evil spirit from יהוה troubled him.
15And the servants of Sha’ul said to him, “Look, now, an evil spirit from Elohim is troubling you.
16“Please, let our master command your servants who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skilled player on the lyre. And it shall be that when the evil spirit from Elohim is upon you, that he shall play with his hand, and you be well.”
17And Sha’ul said to his servants, “Please get me a man that plays well, and bring him to me.”
18And one of the servants answered and said, “Look, I have seen a son of Yishai the Bĕyth Leḥemite, who knows how to play, a brave one, and a man of battle, and skilled in words, and a handsome man. And יהוה is with him.”
19So Sha’ul sent messengers to Yishai, and said, “Send me your son Dawiḏ, who is with the sheep.”
20And Yishai took a donkey loaded with bread, and a skin of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by his son Dawiḏ to Sha’ul.
21And Dawiḏ came to Sha’ul and stood before him. And he loved him greatly, and he became his armour-bearer.
22Sha’ul therefore sent to Yishai, saying, “Please let Dawiḏ stand before me, for he has found favour in my eyes.”
23And it came to be, whenever the evil spirit from Elohim was upon Sha’ul, that Dawiḏ would take a lyre and play it with his hand. Then Sha’ul would become refreshed and well, and the evil spirit would leave him.
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