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1 And the Lord said to Samuel, How long dost thou mourn for Saul, whereas I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill thy horn with oil, and come, I will send thee to Jessæ, to Bethleem; for I have seen among his sons a king for me. 2 And Samuel said, How can I go? whereas Saul will hear of it, and slay me: and the Lord said, Take a heifer in thine hand and thou shalt say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord. 3 And thou shalt call Jessæ to the sacrifice, and I will make known to thee what thou shalt do; and thou shalt anoint him whom I shall mention to thee.
4 And Samuel did all that the Lord told him; and he came to Bethleem: and the elders of the city were amazed at meeting him, and said, *Dost thou come peaceably, thou Seer? 5 And he said, †Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice to the Lord. Sanctify yourselves, and rejoice with me this day: and he sanctified Jessæ and his sons, and he called them to the sacrifice. 6 And it came to pass when they came in, that he saw Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him. 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his ‡appearance, nor on his stature, for I have rejected him; for God §sees not as a man looks; for man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. 8 And Jessæ called Aminadab, and he passed before Samuel: and he said, Neither has God chosen this one. 9 And Jessæ caused Sama to pass by: and he said, Neither has God chosen **this one. 10 And Jessæ caused his seven sons to pass before Samuel: and Samuel said, The Lord has not chosen these.
11 And Samuel said to Jessæ, ††Hast thou no more sons? And Jessæ said, There is yet ‡‡a little one; behold, he tends the flock. And Samuel said to Jessæ, Send and fetch him, for we may not sit down till he comes. 12 And he sent and fetched him: and he was ruddy, with beauty of eyes, and §§very goodly to behold. And the Lord said to Samuel, Arise, and anoint David, for he is good. 13 And Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord ***came upon David from that day forward: and Samuel arose, and departed to Armathaim.
14 And the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord †††tormented him. 15 And Saul's servants said to him, Behold now, an evil spirit from the Lord torments thee. 16 Let now thy servants speak before thee, and let them seek for our lord a man skilled to play on the harp; and it shall come to pass when an evil spirit comes upon thee and he shall play on his harp, that thou shalt be well, and he shall refresh thee. 17 And Saul said to his servants, Look now out for me a ‡‡‡skilful player, and bring him to me. 18 And one of his servants answered and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jessæ the Bethleemite, and §§§he understands playing on the harp, and the man is prudent, and a warrior, and wise in speech, and the man is handsome, and the Lord is with him. 19 And Saul sent messengers to Jessæ, saying, Send to me thy son David who is with thy flock. 20 And Jessæ took a homer of bread, and a bottle of wine, and one kid of the goats, and sent them by the hand of his son David to Saul.
21 And David went in to Saul, and stood before him; and he loved him greatly; and he became his armour-bearer. 22 And Saul sent to Jessæ, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me, for he has found grace in my eyes. 23 And it came to pass when the evil spirit was upon Saul, that David took his harp, and played with his hand: and Saul was refreshed, and it was well with him, and the evil spirit departed from him.
* 16:4 Gr. is 'thy coming in peace.' † 16:5 Gr. peace. ‡ 16:7 Or, face. § 16:7 Gr. will not see. ** 16:9 Gr. in this one. †† 16:11 Gr. Are thy sons come to an end? ‡‡ 16:11 Or, the youngest. §§ 16:12 Gr. goodly in the sight of the Lord. *** 16:13 Gr. leapt upon. ††† 16:14 Gr. choked him. ‡‡‡ 16:17 Gr. man playing skilfully. §§§ 16:18 Gr. him understanding.