⁴ However the Lord God of Israel ^(A)chose me above all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever, for He has chosen ^(B)Judah to be the ruler. And of the house of Judah, ^(C)the house of my father, and ^(D)among the sons of my father, He was pleased with me to make me king over all Israel.

² yet ^(A)Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came a ^(B)ruler, although ^[a]the birthright was Joseph’s—

David Anointed King

16 Now the Lord said to Samuel, ^(A)“How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? ^(B)Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to ^(C)Jesse the Bethlehemite. For ^(D)I have ^[a]provided Myself a king among his sons.”

⁶ So it was, when they came, that he looked at ^(A)Eliab and ^(B)said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!”

⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, ^(C)“Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have ^[a]refused him. ^(D)For^[b] the Lord does not see as man sees; for man ^(E)looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the ^(F)heart.”

⁸ So Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” ⁹ Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” ¹⁰ Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” ¹¹ And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the ^(G)sheep.”

And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not ^[c]sit down till he comes here.” ¹² So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ^(H)ruddy, ^(I)with ^[d]bright eyes, and good-looking. ^(J)And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!” ¹³ Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and ^(K)the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.

²⁷ Now You have been pleased to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You have blessed it, O Lord, and it shall be blessed forever.”

²³ “And now, O Lord, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, let it be established forever, and do as You have said.

⁸ Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: ^(A)“I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. ⁹ And ^(B)I have been with you wherever you have gone, ^(C)and have ^[a]cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth. ¹⁰ Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will ^(D)plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; ^(E)nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, ^11 (F)since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the Lord ^[b]tells you ^(G)that He will make you a ^[c]house.

^12 (H)“When your days are fulfilled and you ^(I)rest with your fathers, ^(J)I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. ^13 (K)He shall build a house for My name, and I will ^(L)establish the throne of his kingdom forever. ^14 (M)I will be his Father, and he shall be ^(N)My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the ^[d]blows of the sons of men. ¹⁵ But My mercy shall not depart from him, ^(O)as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. ¹⁶ And ^(P)your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before ^[e]you. Your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”

¹⁴ For it is evident that ^(A)our Lord arose from ^(B)Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning ^[a]priesthood.