1Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing that I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have seen among his sons a king for myself.”
2But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And Yahweh said, “Take a heifer of the herd in your hand and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh.’
3Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I myself will make known to you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one I name to you.”
4So Samuel did what Yahweh spoke, and he came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, “Do you come in peace?”
5He said, “In peace. I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6And when they came, he saw Eliab and said, “Surely before Yahweh stands his anointed.”
7But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For it is not as man sees; for man looks at the eyes, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”
8Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel; but he said, “Neither has Yahweh chosen this one.”
9Then Jesse made Shammah pass by; but he said, “Neither has Yahweh chosen this one.”
10Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, “Yahweh has not chosen these.”
11Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the young men?” And he said, “There still remains the youngest, and he is tending the flock.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and fetch him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.”
12So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and handsome in appearance. And Yahweh said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.”
13Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of Yahweh rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
14Now the Spirit of Yahweh departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Yahweh tormented him.
15And Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold now, an evil spirit of God is tormenting you.
16Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man skilled in playing the lyre; and it shall be that when the evil spirit from God is upon you, he will play with his hand, and you will be well.”
17So Saul said to his servants, “Seek out for me now a man who plays well, and bring him to me.”
18Then one of the young men answered and said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who knows how to play, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good form; and Yahweh is with him.”
19So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the flock.”
20And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and one young goat, and sent them by the hand of David his son to Saul.
21And David came to Saul and stood before him, and Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer.
22Then Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my eyes.”
23And it happened that whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take the lyre and play with his hand; so Saul would find relief and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.
Open in the interactive reader →