1 Now the Loʀᴅ said to Samuel, “A1 Sam 15:35How long will you grieve over Saul, since B1 Sam 13:13, 14; 15:23I have rejected him from being king over Israel? C1 Sam 9:16; 10:1; 2 Kin 9:1Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to DRuth 4:17-22Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have EPs 78:70, 71; Acts 13:22selected a king for Myself among his sons.” 2 But Samuel said, “How can I go? When Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the Loʀᴅ said, “A1 Sam 20:29Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Loʀᴅ.’ 3  “You shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and AEx 4:15; Acts 9:6I will show you what you shall do; and BDeut 17:14, 15; 1 Sam 9:16you shall anoint for Me the one whom I 1Lit say to youdesignate to you.” 4 So Samuel did what the Loʀᴅ said, and came to AGen 48:7; Luke 2:4Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, “B1 Kin 2:13; 2 Kin 9:22; 1 Chr 12:17, 18Do you come in peace?” 5 He said, “In peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Loʀᴅ. AGen 35:2; Ex 19:10Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” He also consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

6 When they entered, he looked at A1 Sam 17:13Eliab and thought, “Surely the Loʀᴅ’s anointed is before Him.” 7 But the Loʀᴅ said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for 1So with Gr; Heb He does not see what man seesGod sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, A1 Sam 2:3; 1 Kin 8:39; 1 Chr 28:9; Luke 16:15but the Loʀᴅ looks at the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called A1 Sam 17:13Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “The Loʀᴅ has not chosen this one either.” 9 Next Jesse made 1In 2 Sam 13:3, Shimeah; in 1 Chr 2:13, ShimeaA1 Sam 17:13Shammah pass by. And he said, “The Loʀᴅ has not chosen this one either.” 10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Loʀᴅ has not chosen these.” 11 And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the children?” And he said, “A1 Sam 17:12; 2 Sam 13:3There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is tending the sheep.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and 1Lit takebring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.”

12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with AGen 39:6; Ex 2:2; Acts 7:20beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the Loʀᴅ said, “B1 Sam 9:17Arise, anoint him; for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and A1 Sam 10:1anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and BNum 27:18; 1 Sam 10:6, 9, 10the Spirit of the Loʀᴅ came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.

14 AJudg 16:20; 1 Sam 11:6; 18:12; 28:15Now the Spirit of the Loʀᴅ departed from Saul, and BJudg 9:23; 1 Sam 16:15, 16; 18:10; 19:9; 1 Kin 22:19-22an evil spirit from the Loʀᴅ terrorized him. 15 Saul’s servants then said to him, “Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrorizing you. 16  “Let our lord now command your servants who are before you. Let them seek a man who is a skillful player on the harp; and it shall come about when the evil spirit from God is on you, that A1 Sam 18:10; 19:9; 2 Kin 3:15he shall play the harp with his hand, and you will be well.” 17 So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me now a man who can play well and bring him to me.” 18 Then one of the young men said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, A1 Sam 17:32-36a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one prudent in speech, and a handsome man; and B1 Sam 3:19the Loʀᴅ is with him.” 19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David who is with the flock.” 20 Jesse A1 Sam 10:4, 27; Prov 18:16took a donkey loaded with bread and a jug of wine and a young goat, and sent them to Saul by David his son. 21 Then David came to Saul and 1Lit stood before himAGen 41:46; Prov 22:29attended him; and 2Lit heSaul loved him greatly, and he became his armor bearer. 22 Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David now stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23 So it came about whenever A1 Sam 16:14-16the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.