1 Yahweh said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided a king for myself among his sons."

2 Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me."

Yahweh said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. 3 Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. You shall anoint to me him whom I name to you."

4 Samuel did that which Yahweh spoke, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, "Do you come peaceably?"

5 He said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice." He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. 6 When they had come, he looked at Eliab, and said, "Surely Yahweh’s anointed is before him."

7 But Yahweh said to Samuel, "Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart."

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, "Yahweh has not chosen this one, either." 9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, "Yahweh has not chosen this one, either." 10 Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, "Yahweh has not chosen these." 11 Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your children here?"

He said, "There remains yet the youngest. Behold, he is keeping the sheep."

Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here."

12 He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with a handsome face and good appearance. Yahweh said, "Arise! Anoint him, for this is he."

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the middle of his brothers. Then Yahweh’s Spirit came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. 14 Now Yahweh’s Spirit departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Yahweh troubled him. 15 Saul’s servants said to him, "See now, an evil spirit from God troubles you. 16 Let our lord now command your servants who are in front of you to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. Then when the evil spirit from God is on you, he will play with his hand, and you will be well."

17 Saul said to his servants, "Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me."

18 Then one of the young men answered and said, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and Yahweh is with him."

19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, "Send me David your son, who is with the sheep."

20 Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, and a container of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by David his son to Saul. 21 David came to Saul and stood before him. He loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer. 22 Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight." 23 When the spirit from God was on Saul, David took the harp and played with his hand; so Saul was refreshed and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

1 And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill thy horn with oil and go; I will send thee to Jesse of Bethlehem for I have provided me a king among his sons.

2 And Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul understands [it], he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take a heifer with thee and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.

3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do, and thou shalt anoint unto me the one whom I name unto thee.

4 And Samuel did as the LORD said and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming and said, Comest thou peaceably?

5 And he said, Peaceably; I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and called them to the sacrifice.

6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab and said, Peradventure is the LORD'S anointed before him?

7 And the LORD replied unto Samuel, Do not look on his countenance or on the height of his stature because I have refused him, for it is not as man sees, for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither has the LORD chosen this one.

9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither has the LORD chosen this one.

10 Again, Jesse made his seven sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD has not chosen these.

11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are all [thy] young men here? And he said, There remains yet the youngest, and, behold, he keeps the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send for him, for we will not sit down to the table until he comes here.

12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he [was] ruddy [and] of a beautiful countenance and handsome. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him, for this [is] he.

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him from among his brethren; and the Spirit of the LORD prospered David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.

15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubles thee.

16 Let our lord now command thy servants, [which are] before thee, to seek out a man [who is] a cunning player on a harp, and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand and thou shalt have relief.

17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well and bring [him] to me.

18 Then one of the servants answered and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem, [that is] cunning in playing and a mighty valiant man and a man of war and prudent in speech and handsome, and the LORD [is] with him.

19 Therefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse and said, Send me David, thy son, who [is] with the sheep.

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

21 And David came to Saul and stood before him; and he loved him greatly, and he became his armourbearer.

22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me, for he has found favour in my sight.

23 And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took a harp and played with his hand; so Saul was refreshed and was better, and the evil spirit departed from him.: