David Anointed King
1 Now theLordsaid to Samuel,“How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel?Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you toJesse the Bethlehemite. ForI have provided Myself a king among his sons.”
2 And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hearsit,he will kill me.”
# But theLordsaid, “Take a heifer with you, and say,‘I have come to sacrifice to theLord.’
3 Then 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.”
4 So Samuel did what theLordsaid, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the towntrembled at his coming, and said,“Do you come peaceably?”
5 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to theLord.Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 So it was, when they came, that he looked atEliab andsaid, “Surely theLord’s anointedisbefore Him!”
7 But theLordsaid to Samuel,“Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him.FortheLorddoesnotseeas man sees; for manlooks at the outward appearance, but theLordlooks at theheart.”
8 So Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has theLordchosen this one.”
9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has theLordchosen this one.”
10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “TheLordhas not chosen these.”
11 And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping thesheep.”
And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.”
12 So he sent and brought him in. Now hewasruddy,with bright eyes, and good-looking.And theLordsaid, “Arise, anoint him; for thisisthe one!”
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; andthe Spirit of theLordcame upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
A Distressing Spirit Troubles Saul
14 But the Spirit of theLorddeparted from Saul, anda distressing spirit from theLordtroubled him.
15 And Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you.
16 Let our master now command your servants,whoarebefore you, to seek out a manwhoisa skillful player on the harp. And it shall be that he willplay it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.”
17 So Saul said to his servants, “Provide me now a man who can play well, and bringhimto me.”
18 Then one of the servants answered and said, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite,whoisskillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; andtheLordiswith him.”
19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me your son David, whoiswith the sheep.”
20 And Jessetook a donkeyloadedwithbread, a skin of wine, and a young goat, and sentthemby his son David to Saul.
21 So David came to Saul andstood before him. And he loved him greatly, and he became his armorbearer.
22 Then Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.”
23 And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and playitwith his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.