CHAPTER 16
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."
“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.’
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.”
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?”
“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.
But the LORD
said
to
Samuel,
“Do not
look
at
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."
Then Jesse
called
Abinadab
and presented
him to
Samuel,
who said,
“The LORD
has not
chosen
this
one either.”
Thus Jesse
made seven
of his sons
pass
before
Samuel,
but Samuel
told
him,
“The LORD
has not
chosen
any of these.”
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.”
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.”
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.
After the Spirit
of the LORD
had departed
from
Saul,
a spirit
of distress
from
the LORD
began to torment him.
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.”
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.”
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.
When David
came
to
Saul
and entered his service,
Saul admired
him greatly,
and David became
his armor-bearer.
Then Saul
sent
word to
Jesse,
saying,
“Let David
remain in my service,
for
I am pleased with
him.”
And whenever
the spirit
from God
came
upon
Saul,
David
would pick up
his harp
and play,
and Saul
would become
well,
and the spirit
of distress
would depart
from him.