1 Samuel 16
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
Samuel Anoints David
16 The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long are you going to mourn for Saul,(A) since I have rejected him as king over Israel?(B) Fill your horn with oil(C) and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem(D) because I have selected for myself a king from his sons.’
2 Samuel asked, ‘How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me! ’
The Lord answered, ‘Take a young cow with you and say, “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.”(E) 3 Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will let you know what you are to do.(F) You are to anoint for me the one I indicate to you.’(G)
4 Samuel did what the Lord directed and went to Bethlehem.(H) When the elders of the town met him, they trembled[a] and asked, ‘Do[b] you come in peace? ’(I)
5 ‘In peace,’ he replied. ‘I’ve come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves(J) and come with me to the sacrifice.’[c] Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab(K) and said, ‘Certainly the Lord’s anointed one is here before him.’
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or his stature because I have rejected him. Humans do not see what the Lord sees,[d] for humans see what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.’(L)
8 Jesse called Abinadab(M) and presented him to Samuel. ‘The Lord hasn’t chosen this one either,’ Samuel said. 9 Then Jesse presented Shammah,(N) but Samuel said, ‘The Lord hasn’t chosen this one either.’ 10 After Jesse presented seven of his sons to him, Samuel told Jesse, ‘The Lord hasn’t chosen any of these.’ 11 Samuel asked him, ‘Are these all the sons you have? ’
‘There is still the youngest,’(O) he answered, ‘but at the moment he’s tending the sheep.’ Samuel told Jesse, ‘Send for him. We won’t sit down to eat until he gets here.’ 12 So Jesse sent for him. He had beautiful eyes and a healthy,[e] handsome appearance.(P)
Then the Lord said, ‘Anoint him, for he is the one.’(Q) 13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him(R) in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully on David from that day forward.(S) Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah.
David in Saul’s Court
14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul,(T) and an evil spirit sent from the Lord began to torment him, 15 so Saul’s servants said to him, ‘You see that an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord command your servants here in your presence to look for someone who knows how to play the lyre. Whenever the evil spirit from God comes on you, that person can play the lyre, and you will feel better.’(U)
17 Then Saul commanded his servants, ‘Find me someone who plays well and bring him to me.’
18 One of the young men answered, ‘I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is also a valiant man,(V) a warrior, eloquent, handsome, and the Lord is with him.’(W)
19 Then Saul dispatched messengers to Jesse and said, ‘Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.’ 20 So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a wineskin, and one young goat and sent them by his son David to Saul.(X) 21 When David came to Saul(Y) and entered his service, Saul loved him very much, and David became his armour-bearer. 22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse: ‘Let David remain in my service, for he has found favour with me.’ 23 Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul,(Z) David would pick up his lyre and play, and Saul would then be relieved, feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.
1 Samuel 16
New American Standard Bible
Samuel Goes to Bethlehem
16 Now the Lord said to Samuel, “(A)How long are you going to mourn for [a]Saul, since (B)I have rejected him from being king over Israel? (C)Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to (D)Jesse the Bethlehemite, because I have (E)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, “(F)Take a heifer [b]with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 And you shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and (G)I will let you know what you shall do; and (H)you shall anoint for Me the one whom I [c]designate to you.” 4 So Samuel did what the Lord told him, and he came to (I)Bethlehem. Then the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, “(J)Do you come in peace?” 5 And he said, “In peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. (K)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 (L)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 [d]God does not see as man sees, since man looks at [e]the outward appearance, (M)but the Lord looks at the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called (N)Abinadab and had him pass before Samuel. But he said, “The Lord has not chosen this one, either.” 9 Next Jesse had [f](O)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, “(P)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 [g]reddish, with (Q)beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the Lord said, “(R)Arise, anoint him; for this is he.” 13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and (S)anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and (T)the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel set out and went to Ramah.
14 (U)Now the Spirit of the Lord left Saul, and (V)an evil spirit from the Lord terrified him. 15 Saul’s servants then said to him, “Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrifying you. 16 May our lord now command your servants who are before you. Have them search for a man who is a skillful musician on the harp; and it shall come about whenever the evil spirit from God is upon you, that (W)he shall play the harp with his hand, and you will become well.” 17 So Saul said to his servants, “Now select for me a man who can play well, and bring him to me.” 18 Then one of the young men responded and said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, (X)a valiant mighty man, a warrior, skillful in speech, and a handsome man; and (Y)the Lord is with him.” 19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse [h]to say, “Send me your son David, who is with the flock.” 20 And Jesse (Z)took a donkey loaded with bread and a jug of wine, and he took a young goat, and sent them to Saul by his son David. 21 Then David came to Saul and [i](AA)attended him; and Saul greatly loved him, and he became his armor bearer. 22 So Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Let David now [j]be my attendant for he has found favor in my sight.” 23 So it came about whenever (AB)the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would feel relieved and become well, and the evil spirit would leave him.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 16:1 I.e., God’s rejection of Saul
- 1 Samuel 16:2 Lit by your hand
- 1 Samuel 16:3 Lit say to you
- 1 Samuel 16:7 As in LXX; MT, He does not see what man sees
- 1 Samuel 16:7 Lit the eyes; or what is before the eyes
- 1 Samuel 16:9 In 2 Sam 13:3, Shimeah; in 1 Chr 2:13, Shimea
- 1 Samuel 16:12 I.e., of reddish hair or skin
- 1 Samuel 16:19 Lit and said
- 1 Samuel 16:21 Lit stood before him
- 1 Samuel 16:22 Lit stand before me
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