1 Samuel 16:1-13

New International Version

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.”

²But 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.’ ³Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show^(F) you what to do. You are to anoint^(G) for me the one I indicate.”

⁴Samuel 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)”

⁵Samuel 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.

⁶When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab^(L) and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”

⁷But 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)

⁸Then Jesse called Abinadab^(O) and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” ⁹Jesse then had Shammah^(P) pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” ¹⁰Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” ¹¹So 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.”

¹²So 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.”

¹³So 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.

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Psalm 89:19-27

New International Version

¹⁹Once you spoke in a vision,
    to your faithful people you said:
“I have bestowed strength on a warrior;
    I have raised up a young man from among the people.
²⁰I have found David^(A) my servant;^(B)
    with my sacred oil^(C) I have anointed^(D) him.
²¹My hand will sustain him;
    surely my arm will strengthen him.^(E)
²²The enemy will not get the better of him;^(F)
    the wicked will not oppress^(G) him.
²³I will crush his foes before him^(H)
    and strike down his adversaries.^(I)
²⁴My faithful love will be with him,^(J)
    and through my name his horn^[a] will be exalted.
²⁵I will set his hand over the sea,
    his right hand over the rivers.^(K)
²⁶He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,^(L)
    my God, the Rock^(M) my Savior.’^(N)
²⁷And I will appoint him to be my firstborn,^(O)
    the most exalted^(P) of the kings^(Q) of the earth.

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Footnotes

Psalm 89:24 Horn here symbolizes strength.

Mark 2:23-28

New International Version

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath^(A)^(B)

²³One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain.^(C) ²⁴The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”^(D)

²⁵He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? ²⁶In the days of Abiathar the high priest,^(E) he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat.^(F) And he also gave some to his companions.”^(G)

²⁷Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man,^(H) not man for the Sabbath.^(I) ²⁸So the Son of Man^(J) is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

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