1 Samuel 16
16
David is Anointed King
1The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you go on grieving over Saul? I have rejected him as king of Israel. But now get some olive oil and go to Bethlehem, to a man named Jesse, because I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”
2“How can I do that?” Samuel asked. “If Saul hears about it, he will kill me!”
The LORD answered, “Take a calf with you and say that you are there to offer a sacrifice to the LORD. 3Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will tell you what to do. You will anoint as king the man I tell you to.”
4Samuel did what the LORD told him to do and went to Bethlehem, where the city leaders came trembling to meet him and asked, “Is this a peaceful visit, seer?”
5“Yes,” he answered. “I have come to offer a sacrifice to the LORD. Purify yourselves and come with me.” He also told Jesse and his sons to purify themselves, and he invited them to the sacrifice.
6When they arrived, Samuel saw Jesse's son Eliab and said to himself, “This man standing here in the LORD's presence is surely the one he has chosen.” 7But the LORD said to him, “Pay no attention to how tall and handsome he is. I have rejected him, because I do not judge as people judge. They look at the outward appearance, but I look at the heart.”
8Then Jesse called his son Abinadab and brought him to Samuel. But Samuel said, “No, the LORD hasn't chosen him either.” 9Jesse then brought Shammah. “No, the LORD hasn't chosen him either,” Samuel said. 10In this way Jesse brought seven of his sons to Samuel. And Samuel said to him, “No, the LORD hasn't chosen any of these.” 11Then he asked him, “Have you any more sons?”
Jesse answered, “There is still the youngest, but he is out taking care of the sheep.”
“Tell him to come here,” Samuel said. “We won't offer the sacrifice until he comes.” 12So Jesse sent for him. He was a handsome, healthy young man, and his eyes sparkled. The LORD said to Samuel, “This is the one — anoint him!” 13Samuel took the olive oil and anointed David in front of his brothers. Immediately the Spirit of the LORD took control of David and was with him from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.
David in Saul's Court
14The LORD's spirit left Saul, and an evil spirit sent by the LORD tormented him. 15His servants said to him, “We know that an evil spirit sent by God is tormenting you. 16So give us the order, sir, and we will look for a man who knows how to play the harp. Then when the evil spirit comes on you, the man can play his harp, and you will be all right again.”
17Saul ordered them, “Find me a man who plays well and bring him to me.”
18One of his attendants said, “Jesse, of the town of Bethlehem, has a son who is a good musician. He is also a brave and handsome man, a good soldier, and an able speaker. The LORD is with him.”
19So Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, “Send me your son David, the one who takes care of the sheep.” 20Jesse sent David to Saul with a young goat, a donkey loaded with bread, and a leather bag full of wine. 21David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much and chose him as the man to carry his weapons. 22Then Saul sent a message to Jesse: “I like David. Let him stay here in my service.” 23From then on, whenever the evil spirit sent by God came on Saul, David would get his harp and play it. The evil spirit would leave, and Saul would feel better and be all right again.
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1 Samuel 16: GNBDK
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Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
I Samuel 16
16
David Anointed King
1Now the Lord said to Samuel, #1 Sam. 19:24“How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? #1 Sam. 15:23, 35Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to #1 Sam. 9:16; 10:1; 2 Kin. 9:1Jesse the Bethlehemite. For #Ruth 4:18–22I have provided Myself a king among his sons.”
2And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.”
But the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, #Ps. 78:70, 71; Acts 13:22‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.”
4So Samuel did what the Lord said, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town #1 Sam. 9:12trembled at his coming, and said, #1 Sam. 21:1“Do you come peaceably?”
5And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. #1 Kin. 2:13; 2 Kin. 9:22Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice.
6So it was, when they came, that he looked at #Gen. 35:2; Ex. 19:10Eliab and #1 Sam. 17:13, 28said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!”
7But the Lord said to Samuel, #1 Kin. 12:26“Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. #Ps. 147:10For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man #Is. 55:8, 9looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the #2 Cor. 10:7heart.”
8So Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 9Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 10Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the #1 Kin. 8:39sheep.”
And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12So he sent and brought him in. Now he was #2 Sam. 7:8; Ps. 78:70–72ruddy, #1 Sam. 17:42with bright eyes, and good-looking. #Gen. 39:6; Ex. 2:2; Acts 7:20And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!” 13Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and #1 Sam. 9:17the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
A Distressing Spirit Troubles Saul
14#Num. 27:18; 1 Sam. 10:6, 9, 10But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and #Judg. 16:20; 1 Sam. 11:6; 18:12; 28:15a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him. 15And Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you. 16Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. And it shall be that he will #Judg. 9:23; 1 Sam. 16:15, 16; 18:10; 19:9; 1 Kin. 22:19–22play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.”
17So Saul said to his servants, “Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.”
18Then one of the servants answered and said, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and #1 Sam. 18:10; 19:9; 2 Kin. 3:15the Lord is with him.”
19Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” 20And Jesse #1 Sam. 3:19; 18:12, 14took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by his son David to Saul. 21So David came to Saul and #1 Sam. 10:4, 27; Prov. 18:16stood before him. And he loved him greatly, and he became his armorbearer. 22Then Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.