1And Jehovah said unto Samuel , How long wilt thou mourn for Saul , seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel ? fill thy horn with oil , and go : I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite ; for I have provided me a king among his sons . 2And Samuel said , How can I go ? if Saul hear it , he will kill me . And Jehovah said , Take a heifer with thee , and say, I am come to sacrifice to Jehovah . 3And call Jesse to the sacrifice , and I will show thee what thou shalt do : and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee . 4And Samuel did that which Jehovah spake , and came to Beth-lehem . And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling , and said , Comest thou peaceably ? 5And he said , Peaceably ; I am come to sacrifice unto Jehovah : sanctify yourselves , and come with me to the sacrifice . And he sanctified Jesse and his sons , and called them to the sacrifice .
God's Choice of David
6And it came to pass , when they were come , that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely Jehovah ’s anointed is before him . 7But Jehovah said unto Samuel , Look not on his countenance , or on the height of his stature ; because I have rejected him : for Jehovah seeth not as man seeth ; for man looketh on the outward appearance , but Jehovah looketh on the heart . 8Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel . And he said , Neither hath Jehovah chosen this . 9Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by . And he said, Neither hath Jehovah chosen this . 10And Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel . And Samuel said unto Jesse , Jehovah hath not chosen these . 11And Samuel said unto Jesse , Are here all thy children ? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest , and , behold , he is keeping the sheep . And Samuel said unto Jesse , Send and fetch him ; for we will not sit down till he come hither . 12And he sent , and brought him in . Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance , and goodly to look upon . And Jehovah said, Arise , anoint him ; for this is he . 13Then Samuel took the horn of oil , and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon David from that day forward . So Samuel rose up , and went to Ramah .
The Spirit of the Lord Departing from Saul
14Now the Spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul , and an evil spirit from Jehovah troubled him . 15And Saul ’s servants said unto him, Behold now , an evil spirit from God troubleth thee . 16Let our lord now command thy servants , that are before thee , to seek out a man who is a skilful player on the harp : and it shall come to pass , when the evil spirit from God is upon thee , that he shall play with his hand , and thou shalt be well . 17And Saul said unto his servants , Provide me now a man that can play well , and bring him to me . 18Then answered one of the young men , and said , Behold , I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite , that is skilful in playing , and a mighty man of valor , and a man of war , and prudent in speech , and a comely person ; and Jehovah is with him . 19Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse , and said, Send me David thy son , who is with the sheep . 20And Jesse took an ass laden with bread , and a bottle of wine , and a kid , and sent them by David his son unto Saul . 21And David came to Saul , and stood before him : and he loved him greatly ; and he became his armorbearer. 22And Saul sent to Jesse , saying, Let David , I pray thee , stand before me ; for he hath found favor in my sight . 23And it came to pass , when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul , that David took the harp , and played with his hand : so Saul was refreshed , and was well , and the evil spirit departed from him .