1 Samuel 16 - Israeli Authorized Version

¹ And YY said unto Shmuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Yisrael? fill thine shofar with oil, and go, I will send thee to Yishai the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

² And Shmuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And YY said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to YY .

³ And call Yishai to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.

⁴ And Shmuel did that which YY spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?

⁵ And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto YY : sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Yishai and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

⁶ And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely YY 's anointed is before him.

⁷ But YY said unto Shmuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for YY seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but YY looketh on the heart.

⁸ Then Yishai called AbiNadav, and made him pass before Shmuel. And he said, Neither hath YY chosen this.

⁹ Then Yishai made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath YY chosen this.

¹⁰ Again, Yishai made seven of his sons to pass before Shmuel. And Shmuel said unto Yishai, YY hath not chosen these.

¹¹ And Shmuel said unto Yishai, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Shmuel said unto Yishai, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit 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 look to. And YY said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

¹³ Then Shmuel took the shofar of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of YY came upon David from that day forward. So Shmuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

¹⁴ But the Spirit of YY departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from YY troubled him.

¹⁵ And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from Elohim troubleth thee.

¹⁶ Let our YY now Command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from Elohim 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 Yishai the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and YY is with him.

¹⁹ Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Yishai, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.

²⁰ And Yishai took an 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 stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.

²² And Saul sent to Yishai, 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 spirit from Elohim was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.