1 Samuel 16:14-19

New King James Version

A Distressing Spirit Troubles Saul

^14 (A)But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and ^(B)a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him. ¹⁵ And Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you. ¹⁶ Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. And it shall be that he will ^(C)play it with his hand when the ^[a]distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.”

¹⁷ So Saul said to his servants, ^[b]“Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.”

¹⁸ Then one of the servants answered and said, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and ^(D)the Lord is with him.”

¹⁹ Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.”