1 Samuel 16

Samuel Anoints David

16The Lord said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, ⁱsince I have rejected him as king over Israel? ^jFill your horn with oil ^kand go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem ^lbecause I have selected a king from his sons.”

²Samuel asked, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me!”

The Lord answered, “Take a young cow with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ ^m3Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will let you know what you are to do. ⁿYou are to anoint for Me the one I indicate to you.” ^o

⁴Samuel did what the Lord directed and went to Bethlehem. ^pWhen the elders of the town met him, they trembled ^qand asked, “Do ^ryou come in peace?” ^s

⁵“In peace,” he replied. “I’ve come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves ^tand come with me to the sacrifice.” ^uThen he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. ⁶When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab ^vand said, “Certainly the Lord’s anointed one is here before Him.”

⁷But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the Lord sees, ^wfor man sees what is visible, ^xbut the Lord sees the heart.” ^y

⁸Jesse called Abinadab ^zand presented him to Samuel. “The Lord hasn’t chosen this one either,” Samuel said. ⁹Then Jesse presented Shammah, ^abut Samuel said, “The Lord hasn’t chosen this one either.” ¹⁰After Jesse presented seven of his sons to him, Samuel told Jesse, “The Lord hasn’t chosen any of these.” ¹¹Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?”

“There is still the youngest,” ^bhe answered, “but right now he’s tending the sheep.” Samuel told Jesse, “Send for him. We won’t sit down to eat until he gets here.” ¹²So Jesse sent for him. He had beautiful eyes and a healthy, ^chandsome appearance. ^d

Then the Lord said, “Anoint him, for he is the one.” ^e13So Samuel took the horn of oil, anointed him ^fin the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the Lord took control of David from that day forward. ^gThen Samuel set out and went to Ramah.

David in Saul’s Court

¹⁴Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, ^hand an evil spirit sent from the Lord began to torment him, ¹⁵so Saul’s servants said to him, “You see that an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. ¹⁶Let our lord command your servants here in your presence to look for someone who knows how to play the lyre. Whenever the evil spirit from God troubles you, that person can play the lyre, and you will feel better.” ⁱ

¹⁷Then Saul commanded his servants, “Find me someone who plays well and bring him to me.”

¹⁸One of the young men answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is also a valiant man, ^ja warrior, eloquent, handsome, and the Lord is with him.” ^k

¹⁹Then Saul dispatched messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” ²⁰So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and one young goat and sent them by his son David to Saul. ^l21When David came to Saul ^mand entered his service, Saul admired him greatly, and David became his armor-bearer. ²²Then Saul sent word to Jesse: “Let David remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.” ²³Whenever the spirit from God troubled Saul, ⁿDavid would pick up his lyre and play, and Saul would then be relieved, feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.