(KJV) 1 Samuel 16¹

⥃Samuel Anoints David

[1] And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long² wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing³ I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil⁴, and go, I will send thee to Jesse⁵ the Beth–lehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.⁶ [2] And Samuel said, How can I go⁷? if Saul hear [it], he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take an heifer⁸ with thee⁹, and say, I am come¹⁰ to sacrifice to the Lord. [3] And call Jesse¹¹ to the sacrifice, and I will shew¹² thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint¹³ 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 trembled¹⁴ at his coming¹⁵, and said, Comest¹⁶ thou peaceably? [5] And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord: sanctify yourselves¹⁷, 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 looked on Eliab¹⁸, and said, Surely¹⁹ the Lord’s anointed [is] before him. [7] But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not²⁰ on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for [the Lord seeth] not²¹ as man seeth; for man looketh²² on the outward appearance²³, but the Lord looketh on the heart²⁴. [8] Then Jesse called Abinadab²⁵, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this. [9] Then Jesse made Shammah²⁶ to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this. [10] Again, Jesse made seven²⁷ 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 remaineth²⁸ yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down²⁹ till he come hither. [12] And he sent, and brought him in. Now he [was] ruddy³⁰, [and] withal of a beautiful countenance³¹, and goodly to look to. And the Lord³² said, Arise, anoint him³³: for this [is] he. [13] Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed³⁴ him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit³⁵ of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

⥃David Serves Saul

[14] But the Spirit³⁶ of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit³⁷ from the Lord troubled³⁸ him. [15] And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. [16] Let our lord now command thy servants, [which are] before thee³⁹, to seek out a man, [who is] a cunning play⁴⁰er on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is 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 servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth–lehemite, [that is] cunning in playing, and a mighty⁴¹ valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent⁴² in matters⁴³, and a comely⁴⁴ person, and the Lord⁴⁵ [is] with him.

[19] [¶]Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which [is] with the sheep⁴⁶. [20] And Jesse took an ass [laden⁴⁷] 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 him⁴⁸: and he loved him⁴⁹ greatly; and he became his armourbearer. [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] spirit⁵⁰ from God was upon Saul⁵¹, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.