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1 Samuel 15:27-16:23
New International Version
1 Samuel 15:27-16:23
New International Version
27 As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe,(A) and it tore.(B) 28 Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn(C) the kingdom(D) of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you.(E) 29 He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie(F) or change(G) his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind.”
30 Saul replied, “I have sinned.(H) But please honor(I) me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God.” 31 So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.
32 Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites.”
Agag came to him in chains.[a] And he thought, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”
33 But Samuel said,
“As your sword has made women childless,
so will your mother be childless among women.”(J)
And Samuel put Agag to death before the Lord at Gilgal.
34 Then Samuel left for Ramah,(K) but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah(L) of Saul. 35 Until the day Samuel(M) died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned(N) for him. And the Lord regretted(O) that he had made Saul king over Israel.
Samuel Anoints David
16 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn(P) for Saul, since I have rejected(Q) him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil(R) and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse(S) of Bethlehem. I have chosen(T) one of his sons to be king.”
2 But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”
The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show(U) you what to do. You are to anoint(V) for me the one I indicate.”
4 Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem,(W) the elders of the town trembled(X) when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?(Y)”
5 Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate(Z) yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab(AA) and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance,(AB) but the Lord looks at the heart.”(AC)
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab(AD) and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 9 Jesse then had Shammah(AE) pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all(AF) the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”(AG)
Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
12 So he(AH) sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome(AI) features.
Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”
13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed(AJ) him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord(AK) came powerfully upon David.(AL) Samuel then went to Ramah.
David in Saul’s Service
14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed(AM) from Saul, and an evil[b] spirit(AN) from the Lord tormented him.(AO)
15 Saul’s attendants said to him, “See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the lyre.(AP) He will play when the evil spirit from God comes on you, and you will feel better.”
17 So Saul said to his attendants, “Find someone who plays well and bring him to me.”
18 One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse(AQ) of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior.(AR) He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with(AS) him.”
19 Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.(AT)” 20 So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread,(AU) a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.
21 David came to Saul and entered his service.(AV) Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers. 22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”
23 Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit(AW) would leave him.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 15:32 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
- 1 Samuel 16:14 Or and a harmful; similarly in verses 15, 16 and 23
1 Samuel 15:27-16:23
King James Version
1 Samuel 15:27-16:23
King James Version
27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.
28 And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.
29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.
30 Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord thy God.
31 So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the Lord.
32 Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past.
33 And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.
34 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.
35 And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the Lord repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.
16 And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
2 And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.
3 And call Jesse 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 Samuel did that which the Lord 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 the Lord: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse 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 the Lord's anointed is before him.
7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.
9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.
10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these.
11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, 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 the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
14 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.
15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
16 Let our lord 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 God 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 Jesse 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 the Lord is with him.
19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.
20 And Jesse 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 Jesse, 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 God 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.
New International Version (NIV) 
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