1 Samuel 16

¹1 Samuel 16:1. Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.”²1 Samuel 16:2. “How can I go?” Samuel asked. “Saul will hear of it and kill me!” The LORD answered, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’³1 Samuel 16:3. Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you are to do. You are to anoint for Me the one I indicate.”⁴1 Samuel 16:4. So Samuel did what the LORD had said and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?”⁵1 Samuel 16:5. “In peace,” he replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.⁶1 Samuel 16:6. When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, “Surely here before the LORD is His anointed.”⁷1 Samuel 16:7. But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”⁸1 Samuel 16:8. Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel, who said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.”⁹1 Samuel 16:9. Next Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.”¹⁰1 Samuel 16:10. Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel told him, “The LORD has not chosen any of these.”¹¹1 Samuel 16:11. And Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied, “but he is tending the sheep.” “Send for him,” Samuel replied. “For we will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”¹²1 Samuel 16:12. So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”¹³1 Samuel 16:13. So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah.

¹⁴1 Samuel 16:14. Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a spirit of distress from the LORD began to torment him.¹⁵1 Samuel 16:15. Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely a spirit of distress from God is tormenting you.¹⁶1 Samuel 16:16. Let our lord command your servants here to seek out someone who can skillfully play the harp. Whenever the spirit of distress from God is upon you, he is to play it, and you will be well.”¹⁷1 Samuel 16:17. And Saul commanded his servants, “Find me someone who plays well, and bring him to me.”¹⁸1 Samuel 16:18. One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a mighty man of valor, a warrior, eloquent and handsome, and the LORD is with him.”¹⁹1 Samuel 16:19. So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.”²⁰1 Samuel 16:20. And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and one young goat and sent them to Saul with his son David.²¹1 Samuel 16:21. When David came to Saul and entered his service, Saul loved him very much, and David became his armor-bearer.²²1 Samuel 16:22. Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”²³1 Samuel 16:23. And whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would pick up his harp and play. Then Saul would find relief and feel better, and the spirit of distress would depart from him.