Chapter 16

Samuel Is Sent to Bethlehem. ^1 (A)The Lord said to Samuel: How long will you grieve for Saul, whom I have rejected as king of Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for from among his sons I have decided on a king.^[a]

⁶ As they came, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the anointed is here before the Lord.” ⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel: Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. God does not see as a mortal, who sees the appearance. The Lord looks into the heart.^{(A) 8 (B)}Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him before Samuel, who said, “The Lord has not chosen him.” ⁹ Next Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” ¹⁰ In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any one of these.” ¹¹ Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, but he is tending the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him; we will not sit down to eat until he arrives here.”^{(C) 12} Jesse had the young man brought to them. He was ruddy, a youth with beautiful eyes, and good looking. The Lord said: There—anoint him, for this is the one!^{(D) 13} Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand, anointed him in the midst of his brothers, and from that day on, the spirit of the Lord rushed upon David. Then Samuel set out for Ramah.^(E)