 1 The Lord said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I will send you to Jesse of Bethlehem. For I have seen a king for me among his sons. 2 Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul hears, he will kill me. The Lord said, Take a heifer of the herd in your hand with you and say, I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. 3 Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me whomever I name to you. 4 Samuel did what the Lord said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming and said, Do you come peaceably? 5 He said, Peaceably. I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice. Then he sanctified Jesse and his sons and called them to the sacrifice. 6 As they came in, he saw Eliab and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before the Lord. 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, Do not look on his face, nor on his height, because I have refused him. For He does not see as man sees. For man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. 8 Jesse called Abinadab, and he passed him before Samuel, but he said, Also the Lord has not chosen this one. 9 Jesse passed Shammah by, but he said, Also the Lord has not chosen this one. 10 Jesse passed seven of his sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, The Lord has not chosen these. 11 Samuel said to Jesse, Are all the young men here? And he said, There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he keeps the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and bring him, for we will not sit down until he comes here. 12 He brought him in and he was ruddy with beautiful eyes and good form. The Lord said, Arise, anoint him. For this is he. 13 Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the spirit of the Lord came on David from that day forward. And Samuel rose and went to Ramah. 14 But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord terrified him. 15 Saul's servants said to him, An evil spirit from God terrifies you. 16 Let our lord now command his servants to seek out a man who knows how to play on a harp. When the evil spirit from God is on you, then he can play with his hand and it will be well with you. 17 Saul said to his servants, Now look for me a man who can play well and bring him to me. 18 One of the servants said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skillful in playing, and a mighty warrior and a man of battle, and prudent in speech. And he is a person of good form, and the Lord is with him. 19 Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, Send me your son David, who is with the sheep. 20 Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread and a skin of wine and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul. 21 David came to Saul and stood before him. And 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, that David took a harp and played with his hand. And there was relief for Saul, and it was well with him, and the evil spirit departed from him.
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