³⁴ Then Samuel went to ^(A)Ramah, but Saul went up to his house at ^(B)Gibeah of Saul. ³⁵ And ^(C)Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, though Samuel ^(D)mourned for ^[a]Saul. And the Lord regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.

Samuel Goes to Bethlehem

16 Now the Lord said to Samuel, “^(E)How long are you going to mourn for ^[b]Saul, since ^(F)I have rejected him from being king over Israel? ^(G)Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to ^(H)Jesse the Bethlehemite, because I have ^(I)chosen a king for Myself among his sons.” ² But Samuel said, “How can I go? When Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” But the Lord said, “^(J)Take a heifer ^[c]with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ ³ And you shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and ^(K)I will let you know what you shall do; and ^(L)you shall anoint for Me the one whom I ^[d]designate to you.” ⁴ So Samuel did what the Lord told him, and he came to ^(M)Bethlehem. Then the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, “^(N)Do you come in peace?” ⁵ And he said, “In peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. ^(O)Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” He also consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

⁶ When they entered, he looked at ^(P)Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is standing before Him.” ⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for ^[e]God does not see as man sees, since man looks at ^[f]the outward appearance, ^(Q)but the Lord looks at the heart.” ⁸ Then Jesse called ^(R)Abinadab and had him pass before Samuel. But he said, “The Lord has not chosen this one, either.” ⁹ Next Jesse had ^[g](S)Shammah pass by. And he said, “The Lord has not chosen this one, either.” ¹⁰ So Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” ¹¹ Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the boys?” And he said, “^(T)The youngest is still left, but behold, he is tending the sheep.” So Samuel said to Jesse, “Send word and bring him; for we will not take our places at the table until he comes here.”

David Anointed

¹² So he sent word and brought him in. Now he was ^[h]reddish, with ^(U)beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the Lord said, “^(V)Arise, anoint him; for this is he.” ¹³ So Samuel took the horn of oil and ^(W)anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and ^(X)the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel set out and went to Ramah.

Jesus Walks on the Water

¹⁵ So Jesus, aware that they ^[a]intended to come and take Him by force ^(A)to make Him king, ^(B)withdrew again to ^(C)the mountain by Himself, alone.