16:1 And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
16:2 And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear [it], he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.
16:3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me [him] whom i name unto thee.
16:4 And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
16:5 And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the lORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
16:6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed [is] before him.
16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
16:8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. 16:9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
16:10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.
16:11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all [thy] children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
16:12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he [was] ruddy, [and] withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this [is] he. 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
16:14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
16:15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
16:16 Let our lord now command thy servants, [which are] before thee, to seek out a man, [who is] a cunning player on an 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.
16:17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring [him] to me.
16:18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, [that is] cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD [is] with him.
16:19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which [is] with the sheep.
16:20 And Jesse took an ass [laden] with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent [them] by David his son unto saul.
16:21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
[1] {And David} Cf. # 1Sa 17:55,56 The order of events is:
(1) David, whose skill on the harp, and valour in the combatwith the lion and bear # 1Sa 17:34,36 were known to "one of the servants" of Saul, was brought to play before the king # 1Sa 16:17,18 (2) David returns to Bethlehem # 1Sa 17:15 (3) david is sent to Saul's camp # 1Sa 17:17,18 and performs his great exploit. (4) Saul's question # 1Sa 17:55,56 implies only that he had forgotten the name of David's father --not remarkable certainly in an oriental king.
16:22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight. 16:23 And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
