I Samuel Chapter 16

The Tanach, Jewish Publication Society tr. [1917], at sacred-texts.com

I SAMUEL CHAPTER 16

1 And the LORD said unto Samuel: `How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite; 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 a heifer with thee, and say: I am come to sacrifice to the LORD. 3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will tell 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 spoke, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling, 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 beheld 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 rejected him; for it is 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 And 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 beautiful eyes, and goodly to look upon. 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 mightily upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

14 Now the spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrified him. 15 And Saul's servants said unto him: `Behold now, an evil spirit from God

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terrifieth thee. 16 Let our lord now command thy servants, that are before thee, to seek out a man who is a skilful player on the harp; and it shall be, when the evil spirit from God cometh 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 young men, and said: `Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is skilful in playing, and a mighty man of valour, and a man of war, and prudent in affairs, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.' 19 Wherefore 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 armour-bearer. 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 the harp, and played with his hand; so Saul found relief, and it was well with him, and the evil spirit departed from him.