Chapter 16
1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you continue to mourn for Saul, for I have rejected him as king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and go, I am sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem. I have seen a king for myself among his sons.” 2 But Samuel said, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me.” The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I am going to make a sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will let you know what you are to do. You will anoint for me whomever I point out to you.”
David Is Anointed as King. 4 Samuel did what the Lord had said. When he arrived in Bethlehem, the elders of the city came out to him trembling with fear. They asked, “Do you come in peace?” 5 Samuel answered, “Yes. In peace I have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he purified Jesse and his sons, and he invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they arrived, he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely his anointed one stands before the Lord.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or how tall he stands, for the Lord has rejected him. He does not see the way that men see, for men look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
8 Jesse then summoned Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. He said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 9 Then Jesse had Shammah pass by. He said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 10 Jesse made his seven sons pass in front of Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these either.”
11 Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all of the children?” He said, “There is still the youngest; he is watching the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him and fetch him. We will not sit down until he has arrived.”
12 And so he sent for and brought him. He was ruddy, with a fine and handsome appearance. The Lord said, “Rise up and anoint him, for he is the one.” 13 Samuel took the horn of oil, and he anointed him in the midst of his brothers. The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day onward, and Samuel then returned to Ramah.
14 Saul’s Armor-Bearer.[a][b]Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit oppressed him.[c] 15 Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold, an evil spirit from God is troubling you. 16 Let our lord command your servants to seek out someone who is talented in playing the harp. When an evil spirit from God descends upon you, he can play and you will feel better.” 17 Saul said to his servants, “Find someone for me who plays well and bring him to me.” 18 One of his servants said, “I have seen a son of Jesse from Bethlehem who is talented at playing. He is strong and a brave warrior. He is prudent in his speech and handsome, and the Lord is with him.” 19 [d]So Saul sent messengers to Jesse saying, “Send me David, your son, who is tending the sheep.”
20 Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and a young goat, and he sent them with David, his son, to Saul. 21 David came to Saul and entered into his service. He loved him very much, and he became his armor-bearer.
22 Saul sent to Jesse saying, “Please let David be in my service, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23 Whenever an evil spirit came upon Saul, David took a harp and played it. Saul revived and he felt better, and the evil spirit would depart from him.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 16:14 This passage gives two different accounts of David’s entrance into the service of Saul. A first tradition describes David as the king’s new minstrel. This tradition is interwoven with a second that tells of David’s combat with Goliath. In this second tradition David goes off to see his brothers on the field of battle, and he is not presented to Saul until after his victory over Goliath.
- 1 Samuel 16:14 One of the stories of David being selected for the king’s service.
- 1 Samuel 16:14 An evil spirit oppressed him: when the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, the emptiness was filled with a spirit that caused him to act erratically (i.e., attempt to murder David).
- 1 Samuel 16:19 David is given an opportunity to learn firsthand the ways of leading the people from Saul, who apparently does not know that Samuel has already anointed David as the Lord instructed (v. 13).