1 Samuel 16

Samuel Goes to Bethlehem

1Now the LordH3068 saidH559 to SamuelH8050, “1HowH4970 longH5704 are you going to mournH56 for 2SaulH7586, since 3I have rejectedH3988 him from beingH4427 kingH4427 overH5921 IsraelH3478? 4FillH4390 your hornH7161 with oilH8081 and goH1980; I will sendH7971 you to 5JesseH3448 the BethlehemiteH1022, becauseH3588 I have 6chosenH7200 a kingH4428 for Myself among his sonsH1121.” 2But SamuelH8050 saidH559, “HowH349 can I goH1980? When SaulH7586 hearsH8085 about it, he will killH2026 me.” But the LordH3068 saidH559, “7TakeH3947 a heiferH5697H1241 8with you and sayH559, ‘I have comeH935 to sacrificeH2076 to the LordH3068.’ 3And you shall inviteH7121 JesseH3448 to the sacrificeH2077, and 9I will letH3045 you knowH3045 whatH834 you shall doH6213; and 10you shall anointH4886 for Me the one whomH834 I 11designateH559 to you.” 4So SamuelH8050 didH6213 whatH834 the LordH3068 toldH1696 him, and he cameH935 to 12BethlehemH1035. Then the eldersH2205 of the cityH5892 cameH2729 tremblingH2729 to meetH7122 him and saidH559, “13Do you comeH935 in peaceH7965?” 5And he saidH559, “In peaceH7965; I have comeH935 to sacrificeH2076 to the LordH3068. 14ConsecrateH6942 yourselves and comeH935 with me to the sacrificeH2077.” He also consecratedH6942 JesseH3448 and his sonsH1121 and invitedH7121 them to the sacrificeH2077.

6When they enteredH935, he lookedH7200 at 15EliabH446 and thoughtH559, “SurelyH389 the Lord’sH3068 anointedH4899 is standing beforeH5048 Him.” 7But the LordH3068 saidH559 to SamuelH8050, “Do not lookH5027 at his appearanceH4758 or at the heightH1364 of his statureH6967, becauseH3588 I have rejectedH3988 him; for 16GodH430 does not see as manH120 seesH7200, sinceH3588 manH120 looksH7200 at 17the outwardH5869 appearanceH5869, 18but the LordH3068 looksH7200 at the heartH3824.” 8Then JesseH3448 calledH7121 19AbinadabH41 and had him passH5674 beforeH6440 SamuelH8050. But he saidH559, “The LordH3068 has not chosenH977 thisH2088 oneH2088, eitherH1571.” 9Next JesseH3448 had 2021ShammahH8048 passH5674 byH5674. And he saidH559, “The LordH3068 has not chosenH977 thisH2088 oneH2088, eitherH1571.” 10So JesseH3448 had sevenH7651 of his sonsH1121 passH5674 beforeH6440 SamuelH8050. But SamuelH8050 saidH559 to JesseH3448, “The LordH3068 has not chosenH977 theseH428.” 11Then SamuelH8050 saidH559 to JesseH3448, “AreH8552 these allH8552 the boysH5288?” And he saidH559, “22The youngestH6996 is stillH5750 leftH7604, but beholdH2009, he is tendingH7462 the sheepH6629.” So SamuelH8050 saidH559 to JesseH3448, “SendH7971 word and bringH3947 him; for we will not takeH5437 our placesH5437 atH5437 the tableH5437 untilH5704 he comesH935 hereH6311.”

David Anointed

12So he sentH7971 word and broughtH935 him inH935. Now he was 23reddishH132, with 24beautifulH3303 eyesH5869 and a handsomeH2896 appearanceH7210. And the LordH3068 saidH559, “25AriseH6965, anointH4886 him; for thisH2088 is he.” 13So SamuelH8050 tookH3947 the hornH7161 of oilH8081 and 26anointedH4886 him in the midstH7130 of his brothersH251; and 27the SpiritH7307 of the LordH3068 rushedH6743 uponH5921 DavidH1732 from that dayH3117 forwardH4605. And SamuelH8050 setH6965 outH6965 and wentH1980 to RamahH7414.

1428Now the SpiritH7307 of the LordH3068 leftH5493 SaulH7586, and 29an evilH7451 spiritH7307 from the LordH3068 terrifiedH1204 him. 15Saul’sH7586 servantsH5650 then saidH559 to him, “BeholdH2009 nowH4994, an evilH7451 spiritH7307 from GodH430 is terrifyingH1204 you. 16May our lordH113 nowH4994 commandH559 your servantsH5650 who are beforeH6440 you. Have them searchH1245 for a manH376 who is a skillfulH3045 musicianH5059 on the harpH3658; and it shall comeH1961 aboutH1961 whenever the evilH7451 spiritH7307 from GodH430 is upon you, that 30he shall playH5059 the harp with his handH3027, and you will become wellH2895.” 17So SaulH7586 saidH559 to his servantsH5650, “NowH4994 selectH7200 for me a manH376 who can playH5059 wellH3190, and bringH935 him to me.” 18Then oneH259 of the youngH5288 menH5288 respondedH6030 and saidH559, “BeholdH2009, I have seenH7200 a sonH1121 of JesseH3448 the BethlehemiteH1022 who is a skillfulH3045 musicianH5059, 31a valiantH2428 mightyH1368 manH1368, a warriorH4421, skillfulH995 in speechH1697, and a handsomeH8389 manH376; and 32the LordH3068 is with him.” 19So SaulH7586 sentH7971 messengersH4397 to JesseH3448 33to sayH559, “SendH7971 me your sonH1121 DavidH1732, whoH834 is with the flockH6629.” 20And JesseH3448 34tookH3947 a donkeyH2543 loaded with breadH3899 and a jugH4997 of wineH3196, and he took a youngH1423 goatH5795, and sentH7971 them to SaulH7586 by his sonH1121 DavidH1732. 21Then DavidH1732 cameH935 to SaulH7586 and 3536attendedH5975H6440 him; and Saul greatlyH3966 lovedH157 him, and he becameH1961 his armorH3627 bearerH5375. 22So SaulH7586 sentH7971 word to JesseH3448, sayingH559, “Let DavidH1732 nowH4994 37beH5975H6440 my attendantH5975H6440 for he has foundH4672 favorH2580 in my sightH5869.” 23So it cameH1961 aboutH1961 whenever 38the evil spiritH7307 from GodH430 cameH1961 to SaulH7586, DavidH1732 would takeH3947 the harpH3658 and playH5059 it with his handH3027; and SaulH7586 would feelH7304 relievedH7304 and become wellH2895, and the evilH7451 spiritH7307 would leaveH5493 him.