Now the LORDsaidto Samuel,"Howlongwill you grieveoverSaul,since I have rejectedhim from beingkingoverIsrael?Fillyour hornwith oiland go;I will sendyou to Jessethe Bethlehemite,for I have selecteda kingfor Myself among his sons."
Sincethe daythat I broughtMy peopleIsraelfrom Egypt,I did not choosea cityout of allthe tribesof Israel[in which] to builda housethat My namemight be there,but I choseDavidto be overMy peopleIsrael.'
Now Elishathe prophetcalledoneof the sonsof the prophetsand saidto him, "Girdup your loins,and takethisflaskof oilin your handand goto Ramoth-gilead.
"Then takethe flaskof oiland pourit on his headand say,'Thussaysthe LORD,"I have anointedyou kingoverIsrael."'Then openthe doorand fleeand do not wait."
He aroseand wentinto the house,and he pouredthe oilon his headand saidto him, "Thussaysthe LORD,the Godof Israel,I have anointedyou kingoverthe peopleof the LORD,[even] overIsrael.
So allthe eldersof Israelcameto the kingat Hebron,and Davidmadea covenantwith them in Hebronbeforethe LORD;and they anointedDavidkingoverIsrael,according to the wordof the LORDthroughSamuel.
"Yet, the LORD,the Godof Israel,choseme from allthe houseof my fatherto be kingoverIsraelforever.For He has chosenJudahto be a leader;and in the houseof Judah,my father'shouse,and among the sonsof my fatherHe tookpleasurein me to make[me] kingoverallIsrael.
Then a shootwill springfrom the stemof Jesse,And a branchfrom his rootswill bearfruit.
Then in that dayThe nationswill resortto the rootof Jesse,Whowill standas a signalfor the peoples;And His restingplacewill be glorious.
"Behold,I have madehim a witnessto the peoples,A leaderand commanderfor the peoples.
"Therefore do not prayfor thispeople,norliftup a cryor prayerfor them; for I will not listenwhenthey callto Me becauseof their disaster.
Then the LORDsaidto me, "Even thoughMosesand Samuelwere to standbeforeMe, My heartwould not be with thispeople;sendthem awayfrom My presenceand let them go!
They callthem rejectedsilver,Becausethe LORDhas rejectedthem.
"As for you, do not prayfor thispeople,and do not liftup cryor prayerfor them, and do not intercedewith Me; for I do not hearyou.
Then he said,"Theseare the twoanointedoneswho are standingby the Lordof the wholeearth."
AgainIsaiahsays,"THERE SHALL COMETHE ROOTOF JESSE,AND HE WHO ARISESTO RULEOVER THE GENTILES,IN HIM SHALL THE GENTILESHOPE."
And whatmoreshall I say?For timewill failme if I tellof Gideon,Barak,Samson,Jephthah,of Davidand Samueland the prophets,
Ifanyoneseeshis brothercommittinga sinnot [leading] to death,he shall askand [God] will for him givelifeto thosewho commit sinnot [leading] to death.There is a sin[leading] to death;I do not saythat he should make requestfor this.
Then Samueltookthe flaskof oil,pouredit on his head,kissedhim and said,"Has not the LORDanointedyou a ruleroverHis inheritance?
"I regretthat I have madeSaulking,for he has turnedbackfrom followingMe and has not carriedout My commands."And Samuelwas distressedand criedout to the LORDallnight.
"For rebellionis as the sinof divination,And insubordinationis as iniquityand idolatry.Becauseyou have rejectedthe wordof the LORD,He has also rejectedyou from [being] king."
But Samuelsaidto Saul,"I will not returnwith you; for you have rejectedthe wordof the LORD,and the LORDhas rejectedyou from beingkingoverIsrael."
Samueldidnot seeSaulagainuntilthe dayof his death;for SamuelgrievedoverSaul.And the LORDregrettedthat He had madeSaulkingoverIsrael.
Saul'sservantsthen saidto him, "Beholdnow,an evilspiritfrom Godis terrorizingyou.
So it cameabout whenever the [evil] spiritfrom Godcameto Saul,Davidwould takethe harpand play[it] with his hand;and Saulwould be refreshedand be well,and the evilspiritwould departfrom him.
Now Davidwas the sonof the Ephrathiteof Bethlehemin Judah,whose namewas Jesse,and he had eightsons.And Jesse was oldin the daysof Saul,advanced[in years] among men.
"About this timetomorrowI will sendyou a manfrom the landof Benjamin,and you shall anointhim to be princeoverMy peopleIsrael;and he will deliverMy peoplefrom the handof the Philistines.For I have regardedMy people,becausetheir cryhas cometo Me."
