1 Samuel 16:7-18

English Standard Version

⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, ^(A)“Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, ^(B)but the Lord looks on the heart.” ⁸ Then Jesse called ^(C)Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” ⁹ Then Jesse made ^(D)Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” ¹⁰ And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” ¹¹ Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, ^(E)“There remains yet the youngest,^[a] but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, ^(F)“Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” ¹² And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ^(G)ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, ^(H)“Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” ¹³ Then Samuel took ^(I)the horn of oil ^(J)and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. ^(K)And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

David in Saul's Service

^14 (L)Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, ^(M)and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him. ¹⁵ And Saul's servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you. ¹⁶ Let our lord now command your servants ^(N)who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will ^(O)play it, and you will be well.” ¹⁷ So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me.” ¹⁸ One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, ^(P)a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, ^(Q)and the Lord is with him.”