1 Samuel 16:14-23

Complete Jewish Bible

¹⁴ Now the Spirit of Adonai had left Sha’ul; instead, an evil spirit from Adonai would suddenly come over him. ¹⁵ Sha’ul’s servants said to him, “Do you notice that there’s an evil spirit from God that suddenly comes over you? ¹⁶ Let our lord now command your servants who are here with you to look for a man who knows how to play the lyre. Then, if the evil spirit from God comes over you, he will play; and it will do you good.” ¹⁷ Sha’ul said to his servants, “Find me a man who can play well, and bring him to me.” ¹⁸ One of the young men answered, “Here, I’ve seen one of the sons of Yishai the Beit-Lachmi who knows how to play. He’s a brave soldier, he can fight, he chooses his words carefully and he’s pleasant-looking. Besides, Adonai is with him.” ¹⁹ So Sha’ul sent messengers to Yishai saying, “Send me David your son, who is out with the sheep.” ²⁰ Yishai took a donkey, loaded it with bread, a bottle of wine and a kid, and sent them with David his son to Sha’ul. ²¹ David came to Sha’ul and presented himself to him. Sha’ul took a great liking to him and made him his armor-bearer. ²² Sha’ul sent a message to Yishai: “Please let David stay in my service, because I’m pleased with him.” ²³ So it was that whenever the [evil] spirit from God came over Sha’ul, David would take the lyre and play it, with the result that Sha’ul would find relief and feel better, as the evil spirit left him.