1 Samuel 16:1-13
New Living Translation
Samuel Anoints David as King
16 Now the Lord said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.”
2 But Samuel asked, “How can I do that? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”
“Take a heifer with you,” the Lord replied, “and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord. 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me.”
4 So Samuel did as the Lord instructed. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town came trembling to meet him. “What’s wrong?” they asked. “Do you come in peace?”
5 “Yes,” Samuel replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then Samuel performed the purification rite for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice, too.
6 When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!”
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
8 Then Jesse told his son Abinadab to step forward and walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “This is not the one the Lord has chosen.” 9 Next Jesse summoned Shimea,[a] but Samuel said, “Neither is this the one the Lord has chosen.” 10 In the same way all seven of Jesse’s sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” 11 Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats.”
“Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”
12 So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes.
And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.”
13 So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.
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- 16:9 Hebrew Shammah, a variant spelling of Shimea; compare 1 Chr 2:13; 20:7.
1 Samuel 16:1-13
Legacy Standard Bible
David Anointed King
16 Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “(A)How long will you be grieving over Saul? (B)I have rejected him from being king over Israel. (C)Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to (D)Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I (E)see among his sons a king for Me.” 2 But Samuel said, “How can I go? Saul will hear of it and will kill me.” Then Yahweh said, “(F)Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh.’ 3 And you shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and (G)I will make you know what you shall do; and (H)you shall anoint for Me the one whom I say to you.” 4 So Samuel did what Yahweh said and came to (I)Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, “(J)Do you come in peace?” 5 And he said, “In peace; I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. (K)Set yourselves apart as holy and come with me to the sacrifice.” He also set apart Jesse and his sons as holy and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 Now it happened, when they entered, he looked at (L)Eliab and thought, “Surely the anointed of Yahweh is before Him.” 7 But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for [a]God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, (M)but Yahweh looks at the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called (N)Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one either.” 9 Next Jesse made [b](O)Shammah pass by. And he said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one either.” 10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “Yahweh has not chosen these.” 11 And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the young men?” And he said, “(P)There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is shepherding the sheep.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and [c]bring him, for we will not turn around until he comes here.” 12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with (Q)beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And Yahweh said, “(R)Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and (S)anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and (T)the Spirit of Yahweh [d]came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 16:7 As in Gr; Heb He does not see what man sees
- 1 Samuel 16:9 In 2 Sam 13:3, Shimeah; in 1 Chr 2:13, Shimea
- 1 Samuel 16:11 Lit take
- 1 Samuel 16:13 Lit succeeded, rushed upon
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