Chapter 16

And the LORD said⁴ unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn¹⁰² for Saul, seeing I have rejected¹ him from reigning² over Israel? fill¹⁶ thine horn with oil, and go,³ I will send⁴ thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided¹ me a king among his sons.

And Samuel said,⁴ How can I go?⁴ if Saul hear¹ [it], he will kill¹ me. And the LORD said,⁴ Take⁴ an heifer ⁵⁶⁹⁷ with thee, and say,¹ I am come¹ to sacrifice² to the LORD.

And call¹ Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew⁵⁵ thee what thou shalt do:⁴ and thou shalt anoint¹ unto me [him] whom I name⁴ unto thee.

And Samuel did⁴ that which the LORD spake,¹⁴ and came⁴ to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled⁴ at his coming,² and said,⁴ Comest² thou peaceably?

And he said,⁴ Peaceably: I am come¹ to sacrifice² unto the LORD: sanctify¹⁰⁰ yourselves, and come¹ with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified¹⁷ Jesse and his sons, and called⁴ them to the sacrifice.

And it came to pass, when they were come,² that he looked⁴ on Eliab, and said,⁴ Surely the LORD'S anointed [is] before him.

But the LORD said⁴ unto Samuel, Look⁵⁵ not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused¹ him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth;⁴ for man looketh⁴ on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh⁴ on the heart.

Then Jesse called⁴ Abinadab, and made him pass⁵⁵ before Samuel. And he said,⁴ Neither hath the LORD chosen¹ this.

Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by.⁵⁵ And he said,⁴ Neither hath the LORD chosen¹ this.

Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass⁵⁵ before Samuel. And Samuel said⁴ unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen¹ these.

And Samuel said⁴ unto Jesse, Are here all¹ [thy] children? And he said,⁴ There remaineth¹ yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth⁶ the sheep. And Samuel said⁴ unto Jesse, Send³ and fetch³ him: for we will not sit down⁴ till he come² hither.

And he sent,⁴ and brought him in.⁵⁵ Now he [was] ruddy, [and] withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said,⁴ Arise,³ anoint³ him: for this [is] he.

Then Samuel took⁴ the horn of oil, and anointed⁴ him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came⁴ upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up,⁴ and went⁴ to Ramah.

But the Spirit of the LORD departed¹ from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled¹⁴ him.

And Saul's servants said⁴ unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth¹⁸ thee.

Let our lord now command⁴ thy servants, [which are] before thee, to seek out¹⁷ a man, [who is] a cunning⁶ player¹⁸ on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play¹⁴ with his hand, and thou shalt be well.¹

And Saul said⁴ unto his servants, Provide³ me now a man that can play¹⁵ well,⁵⁶ and bring⁵² [him] to me.

Then answered⁴ one of the servants, and said,⁴ Behold, I have seen¹ a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, [that is] cunning⁶ in playing,¹⁵ and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent¹² in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD [is] with him.

Wherefore Saul sent⁴ messengers unto Jesse, and said,⁴ Send³ me David thy son, which [is] with the sheep.

And Jesse took⁴ an ass [laden] with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, ⁵⁷⁹⁵ and sent⁴ [them] by David his son unto Saul.

And David came⁴ to Saul, and stood⁴ before him: and he loved⁴ him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.^{6 3627}

And Saul sent⁴ to Jesse, saying,² Let David, I pray thee, stand⁴ before me; for he hath found¹ favour in my sight.

And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took¹ an harp, and played¹⁴ with his hand: so Saul was refreshed,¹ and was well,¹ and the evil spirit departed¹ from him.