1 Samuel 16
16
1 THE Lord said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided for Myself a king among his sons.
2 Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take a heifer with you and say, I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.
3 And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.
4 And Samuel did what the Lord said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming and said, Have you come peaceably?
5 And he said, Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice. And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and called them to the sacrifice.
6 When they had come, he looked on Eliab [the eldest son] and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before Him.
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his appearance or at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. But Samuel said, Neither has the Lord chosen this one.
9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. Samuel said, Nor has the Lord chosen him.
10 Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, The Lord has not chosen any of these.
11 Then [he] said to Jesse, Are all your sons here? [Jesse] said, There is yet the youngest; he is tending the sheep. Samuel said to Jesse, Send for him; for we will not sit down to eat until he is here.
12 Jesse sent and brought him. David had a healthy reddish complexion and beautiful eyes, and was fine-looking. The Lord said [to Samuel], Arise, anoint him; this is he.
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
14 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented and troubled him.
15 Saul's servants said to him, Behold, an evil spirit from God torments you.
16 Let our lord now command your servants here before you to find a man who plays skillfully on the lyre; and when the evil spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.
17 Saul told his servants, Find me a man who plays well and bring him to me.
18 One of the young men said, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who plays skillfully, a valiant man, a man of war, prudent in speech and eloquent, an attractive person; and the Lord is with him.
19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.
20 And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and a kid and sent them by David his son to Saul.
21 And David came to Saul and served him. Saul became very fond of him, and he became his armor-bearer.
22 Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David remain in my service, for he pleases me.
23 And when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, David took a lyre and played it; so Saul was refreshed and became well, and the evil spirit left him.
Currently Selected:
1 Samuel 16: AMPC
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
1 Samuel 16
16
1And Jehovah said to 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 the Bethlehemite; for I have provided me a king among his sons. 2And Samuel said, How shall I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And Jehovah said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to Jehovah. 3And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will tell thee what thou shalt do; and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee. 4And Samuel did what Jehovah said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him, and said, Dost thou come peaceably? 5And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice to Jehovah. Hallow yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he hallowed Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
6And it came to pass when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely Jehovah's anointed is before him. 7But Jehovah said to Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him; for it is not as man seeth; for man looketh upon the outward appearance, but Jehovah looketh upon the heart. 8Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither has Jehovah chosen this one. 9Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, Neither has Jehovah chosen this one. 10And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, Jehovah has not chosen these. 11And Samuel said to Jesse, Are these all the young men? And he said, There is yet the youngest remaining, and behold, he is feeding the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and fetch him; for we will not sit at table till he come hither. 12And he sent and brought him in. And he was ruddy, and besides of a lovely countenance and beautiful appearance. And Jehovah said, Arise, anoint him; for this is he. 13And Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren. And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
14And the Spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Jehovah troubled him. 15And Saul's servants said to him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God#GodHebrew: Elohim troubles thee. 16Let our lord now speak; thy servants are before thee: they shall seek out a man, a skilful player on a harp; and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God#GodHebrew: Elohim is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well. 17And Saul said to his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me. 18And one of the young men answered and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skilled in playing, and he is a valiant man and a man of war, and skilled in speech, and of good presence, and Jehovah is with him. 19Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, Send me David thy son, who is with the sheep. 20And Jesse took an ass with bread, and a flask of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul. 21And David came to Saul, and stood before him; and he loved him greatly; and he became his armour-bearer. 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#GodHebrew: Elohim was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand; and Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.