1 Samuel 16:1-3

Contemporary English Version

16 ^1 (A) One day he said, “Samuel, I've rejected Saul, and I refuse to let him be king any longer. Stop feeling sad about him. Put some olive oil^[a] in a small container^[b] and go visit a man named Jesse, who lives in Bethlehem. I've chosen one of his sons to be my king.”

² Samuel answered, “If I do that, Saul will find out and have me killed.”

“Take a calf with you,” the Lord replied. “Tell everyone that you've come to offer it as a sacrifice to me, ³ then invite Jesse to the sacrifice.^[c] When I show you which one of his sons I have chosen, pour the olive oil on his head.”