Samuel Anoints David

16 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn^(A) for Saul, since I have rejected^(B) him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil^(C) and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse^(D) of Bethlehem. I have chosen^(E) 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^(F) you what to do. You are to anoint^(G) for me the one I indicate.”

⁴ Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem,^(H) the elders of the town trembled^(I) when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?^(J)”

⁵ Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate^(K) 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^(L) 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,^(M) but the Lord looks at the heart.”^(N)

⁸ Then Jesse called Abinadab^(O) and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” ⁹ Jesse then had Shammah^(P) 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^(Q) the sons you have?”

“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”^(R)

Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”

¹² So he^(S) sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome^(T) features.

Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”

¹³ So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed^(U) him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord^(V) came powerfully upon David.^(W) Samuel then went to Ramah.

David in Saul’s Service

¹⁴ Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed^(X) from Saul, and an evil^[a] spirit^(Y) from the Lord tormented him.^(Z)

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.^(AA) 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^(AB) of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior.^(AC) He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with^(AD) him.”

¹⁹ Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.^(AE)” ²⁰ So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread,^(AF) 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.^(AG) 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^(AH) would leave him.

¹⁵ While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that^[a] Saul had come out to take his life.^{(A) 16} And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength^(B) in God. ¹⁷ “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king^(C) over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” ¹⁸ The two of them made a covenant^(D) before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.

¹⁹ The Ziphites^(E) went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us^(F) in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah,^(G) south of Jeshimon? ²⁰ Now, Your Majesty, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for giving^(H) him into your hands.”

²¹ Saul replied, “The Lord bless^(I) you for your concern^(J) for me. ²² Go and get more information. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty. ²³ Find out about all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information. Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track^(K) him down among all the clans of Judah.”

²⁴ So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon,^(L) in the Arabah south of Jeshimon.^{(M) 25} Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.

²⁶ Saul^(N) was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them, ²⁷ a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land.” ²⁸ Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth.^{[b] 29} And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds^(O) of En Gedi.^[c](P)

David Spares Saul’s Life

24 ^[d]After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.^(Q)” ² So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look^(R) for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.

³ He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave^(S) was there, and Saul went in to relieve^(T) himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. ⁴ The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke^(U) of when he said^[e] to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’”^(V) Then David crept up unnoticed and cut^(W) off a corner of Saul’s robe.

⁵ Afterward, David was conscience-stricken^(X) for having cut off a corner of his robe. ⁶ He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed,^(Y) or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” ⁷ With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.

⁸ Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.^{(Z) 9} He said to Saul, “Why do you listen^(AA) when men say, ‘David is bent on harming^(AB) you’? ¹⁰ This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared^(AC) you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’ ¹¹ See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut^(AD) off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty^(AE) of wrongdoing^(AF) or rebellion. I have not wronged^(AG) you, but you are hunting^(AH) me down to take my life.^{(AI) 12} May the Lord judge^(AJ) between you and me. And may the Lord avenge^(AK) the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. ¹³ As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,^(AL)’ so my hand will not touch you.

¹⁴ “Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog?^(AM) A flea?^{(AN) 15} May the Lord be our judge^(AO) and decide^(AP) between us. May he consider my cause and uphold^(AQ) it; may he vindicate^(AR) me by delivering^(AS) me from your hand.”

¹⁶ When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice,^(AT) David my son?” And he wept aloud. ¹⁷ “You are more righteous than I,”^(AU) he said. “You have treated me well,^(AV) but I have treated you badly.^{(AW) 18} You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the Lord delivered^(AX) me into your hands, but you did not kill me. ¹⁹ When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward^(AY) you well for the way you treated me today. ²⁰ I know that you will surely be king^(AZ) and that the kingdom^(BA) of Israel will be established in your hands. ²¹ Now swear^(BB) to me by the Lord that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.^(BC)”

²² So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.^(BD)