THE FIRST BOOK OF
SAMUEL,

1 Samuel 16 ©

The Lord sends Samuel to Bethlehem unto Jesse to anoint one of his sons king: Samuel, fearing Saul, is instructed how to manage the business with safety, v. 2, etc. Samuel was inclined to anoint Eliab, Jesse’s eldest son king, 6. But the Lord tells him, that he had chosen David, Jesse’s youngest son to be king, 12. Him Samuel anoints, and the spirit of God comes upon him, 13. But departs from Saul, 14. David is summoned to court by the advice of Saul’s servants, to play before Saul, 16. David’s praise, 18. Saul loves him greatly, and makes him his armor-bearer, 21. David plays before Saul when the evil spirit vexed and disquieted him, 23.

1

AND the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? 1fill thine 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, 2How can I go? if Saul 3hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer 4with thee, and say, I am come to 5sacrifice to the LORD.

3

And 6call Jesse to the 7sacrifice, 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 Beth-lehem. And the elders of the town 8trembled at his coming, and 9said, 10Comest thou peaceably?

5

And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: 11sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And 12he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

6

¶And it came to pass, when 13they were come, that he looked on 14Eliab, and 15said, 16Surely the LORD's anointed is before him.

7

But the LORD 17said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have 18refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, buta the LORD looketh on the heart.

8

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And 19he said, 20Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

9

Then Jesse made 21Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

10

Again, Jesse made 22seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.

11

And Samuel said unto Jesse, 23Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepethb the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not 24sit 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 lookc to. And the 25LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

13

Then Samuel tookd the horn of oil, and 26anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and 27the Spirite 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 28an evil spirit from the LORD 29troubled him.

15

And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit 30from God troubleth thee.

16

Let our lord now command 31thy servants, 32which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunningf player on an 33harp: and it shall come to pass, when 34the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, 35and 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 Beth-lehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in 36matters, and a comely person, and the 37LORD 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 38an 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 39stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.

22

And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, 40stand before me; for 41he hath found favour in my sight.

23

And it came to pass, when the evil 42spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: 43so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.