“1 And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul,
seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn
with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have
provided me a king among his sons. 2 And Samuel said, How can I go? if
Saul hear [it], he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with
thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD. 3 And call Jesse to
the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt
anoint unto me [him] whom I name unto thee. 4 And Samuel did that which
the LORD spake, 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, Surely the LORD’S anointed [is] before him. 7 But the LORD
said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his
stature; because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man
seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh
on the heart. 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before
Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. 9 Then Jesse
made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel
said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these. 11 And Samuel said unto
Jesse, Are here all [thy] children? And he said, There remaineth yet the
youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse,
Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. 12 And
he sent, and brought him in. Now he [was] ruddy, [and] withal of a
beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise,
anoint him: for this [is] he. 13 Then 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. 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 troubleth thee. 16 Let our lord now command
thy servants, [which are] before thee, to seek out a man, [who is] a
cunning player on an 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 be well. 17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man
that can play well, and bring [him] to me. 18 Then answered one of the
servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite,
[that is] cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of
war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD [is] with
him. 19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me
David thy son, which [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 hath found favour in my sight. 23 And it came to pass, when the
[evil] spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and
played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil
spirit departed from him.” (1 Samuel 16:1-23 AV)
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