1 Samuel

16 And Yahweh said unto Samuel—How long art thou going to pine for Saul, seeing that I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill thy horn with oil and come! let me send thee unto Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided me among his sons a king.

2 And Samuel said, How can I go? As soon as Saul heareth, he will slay me. Then said Yahweh, A heifer take thou with thee, and say, To sacrifice unto Yahweh am I come.

3 Then shall thou bid Jesse to the sacrifice,—when I will let thee know what thou must do, so shalt thou anoint for me him whom I shall name unto thee.

4 And Samuel did that which Yahweh had spoken, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him, and one said—Peaceably comest thou?

5 And he said—Peaceably: to sacrifice unto Yahweh am I come. Hallow yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he hallowed Jesse and his sons, and bade them to the sacrifice.

6 And it came to pass, when they entered, that he looked upon Eliab,—and said to himself, Surely before Yahweh is his Anointed.

7 But Yahweh said unto Samuel—Do not regard his countenance, or the height of his stature, for I have rejected him,—for it is not what man looketh to but what God looketh to. For man looketh to the outward appearance, but Yahweh looketh to the heart.

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel,—and he said, Neither of this one hath Yahweh made choice.

9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by,—and he said—Nor of this one hath Yahweh made choice.

10 So Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel,—and Samuel said unto Jesse, Yahweh hath not made choice of these.

11 Then said Samuel unto Jesse—Are these all the young men? And he said—There yet remaineth the youngest, but lo! he is tending the sheep. Then said Samuel unto Jesse—Do send and summon him, for we cannot sit round until he cometh in hither.

12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, a stripling with handsome eyes and noble mien. Then said Yahweh—Rise—anoint him, for this is he.

13 And Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren. And the Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon David, from that day forward. Then arose Samuel, and went his way unto Ramah.

14 But the spirit of Yahweh departed from Saul,—and there terrified him a sad spirit from Yahweh.

15 Then said the servants of Saul unto him,—Lo! we pray thee, a sad superhuman spirit, doth terrify thee:

16 Pray let our lord bid thy servants before thee, seek out a man skilled in playing on the lyre,—so shall it be, when a sad superhuman spirit cometh on thee, then shall he play with his hand and thou shalt be joyful.

17 And Saul said unto his servants,—I pray you, look out for me a man that excelleth in playing, and bring him in unto me.

18 Then responded one of the young men and said—Lo! I have seen—a son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, skilled in playing, and a mighty man of valour, and a man of war, and of intelligent speech, and a handsome man, and Yahweh is with him.

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

20 Then took Jesse an ass laden with bread, and a skin of wine, and one kid,—and sent by the hand of David his son unto Saul.

21 And David came in unto Saul,—and stood before him,—and he loved him greatly, and he became his armour-bearer.

22 And Saul sent unto Jesse, saying,—I pray thee, let David stand before me, for he hath found favour in mine eyes.

23 And so it used to be, when a superhuman spirit came unto Saul, then would David take the lyre and play with his hand,—and Saul would be refreshed and be joyful, and the sad spirit would depart from him.