King James Version

1 And the LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have seen among his sons a king for myself." 2 And Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me." And the LORD said, "Take a heifer with you and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.'" 3 And you shall call to Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will make known to you what you shall do, and you shall anoint for me whom I declare to you. 4 And Samuel did what the LORD spoke, and he came to Bethlehem, and the elders of the city trembled at his coming and said, "Is your coming peace?" 5 And he said, "Peace to the sacrifice to the Lord; I have come to sanctify you. And you have come with me to the sacrifice." And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and he called them to the sacrifice. 6 And when they came, he saw Eliab and said, "Surely, this is the one before the Lord's anointed." 7 And the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him; for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 8 And Jesse called Abinadab and brought him before Samuel, and he said, "Even in this one, the Lord has not chosen." 9 And Jesse brought him by, and he said, "Even in this one, the LORD has not chosen." 10 And Jesse brought his seven sons before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, "The Lord has not chosen any of these." 11 And Samuel said to Jesse, "Are the young men all here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and bring him, for we will not sit down until he comes here." 12 And he sent and brought him, and he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and good-looking. And the LORD said, "Arise, anoint him, for this is he." 13 And Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. 14 And the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. 15 And Saul's servants said to him, "Behold, now a harmful spirit from God is terrorizing you." 16 Let your servants please seek out a man who is skillful in playing the harp, and it shall be that when the evil spirit from God is upon you, he will play with his hand, and it will be good for you. 17 And Saul said to his servants, "Please see if there is a man skilled at playing, and bring him to me." 18 And one of the young men answered and said, "Indeed, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome man; and the LORD is with him." 19 And Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, "Send to me David your son who is with the sheep." 20 And Jesse took a donkey, bread, and a bottle of wine, and a young goat, and he sent them by the hand of his son David to Saul. 21 And David came to Saul and stood before him, and he loved him very much, and he became his armor bearer. 22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my eyes." 23 And it came to pass, when the Spirit of God was upon Saul, that David took the harp and played it with his hand; and Saul was refreshed, and it was good for him, and the evil spirit departed from him.