LEB - I Samuel - 16

16:1  Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “⌞How long⌟ will you mourn about Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel! Fill up your horn with oil and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have chosen a king for myself among his sons.”

16:2  But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears, he will kill me.” Yahweh said, “You must take a heifer from the herd ⌞with you⌟, and you must say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh.’

16:3  You will invite Jesse to the sacrifice and I will make known to you what you must do. You will anoint for me the one whom I tell you.”

16:4  So Samuel did what Yahweh said. He came to Bethlehem, and the elders of the city came trembling to meet him. They said, “⌞Have you come in peace⌟?”

16:5  He said, “I come in peace. I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. Sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” So he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

16:6  ⌞When they came⌟, he saw Eliab and said, “Surely his anointed one is before Yahweh!”

16:7  But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For God does not see what man sees, for a man ⌞looks on the outward appearance⌟, but Yahweh ⌞looks on the heart⌟.”

16:8  Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel, and he said, “This one also Yahweh has not chosen.”

16:9  So Jesse made Shammah pass before Samuel, but he said, “Yahweh also has not chosen this one.”

16:10  And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, “Yahweh has not chosen any of these.”

16:11  Then Samuel said to Jesse, “⌞Are all the young men here⌟?” And he said, “The youngest still remains, but look, he is shepherding the flock.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him, for we cannot ⌞sit down⌟ until he comes here.”

16:12  So he sent and brought him. Now he was ruddy with beautiful eyes and of ⌞handsome⌟ appearance. And Yahweh said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.”

16:13  So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. Then the Spirit of Yahweh rushed upon David from that day ⌞on⌟. Then Samuel got up and went to Ramah.

16:14  Now the Spirit of Yahweh departed from Saul and an evil spirit from Yahweh tormented him.

16:15  So the servants of Saul said to him, “Look please, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you.

16:16  Please, let our lord command your servants who are before you! Let them seek a man skilled in playing on the lyre. ⌞When⌟ the evil spirit from God is upon you, he can play ⌞on it⌟ and ⌞you will feel better⌟.”

16:17  So Saul said to his servants, “Please select a man ⌞who plays a stringed instrument well⌟ and bring him to me.”

16:18  One of the servants answered and said, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skillful in playing a stringed instrument, a ⌞brave man, a warrior, prudent in speech, and handsome⌟. And Yahweh is with him.”

16:19  So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son who is with the sheep.”

16:20  And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread and a skin of wine and one ⌞young goat⌟ and sent them to Saul by the hand of David his son.

16:21  So David came to Saul and ⌞entered his service⌟. He loved him greatly and ⌞he became Saul’s armor bearer⌟.

16:22  Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me, because he has found favor ⌞in my sight⌟.”

16:23  So whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the stringed instrument and play it with his hand. Then ⌞it would bring relief⌟ for Saul; ⌞he would feel better⌟ and the evil spirit would depart from him.