New Living Translation

English Standard Version

Samuel Anoints David as King

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.”

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David Anointed King

The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.”

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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.

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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.’

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Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me.”

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And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.”

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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?”

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Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?”

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“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.

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And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

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When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the LORD’s anointed!”

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When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.”

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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.”

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But the Lord said to Samuel, “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, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

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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.”

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Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.”

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Next Jesse summoned Shimea,a but Samuel said, “Neither is this the one the LORD has chosen.”

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Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.”

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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.”

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And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.”

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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.”

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Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest,a but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.”

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So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes.
And the LORD said, “This is the one; anoint him.”

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And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.”

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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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Then 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.

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David Serves in Saul’s Court

Now the Spirit of the LORD had left Saul, and the LORD sent a tormenting spiritb that filled him with depression and fear.

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David in Saul’s Service

Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him.

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Some of Saul’s servants said to him, “A tormenting spirit from God is troubling you.

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And Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you.

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Let us find a good musician to play the harp whenever the tormenting spirit troubles you. He will play soothing music, and you will soon be well again.”

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Let our lord now command your servants 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 play it, and you will be well.”

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“All right,” Saul said. “Find me someone who plays well, and bring him here.”

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So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me.”

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One of the servants said to Saul, “One of Jesse’s sons from Bethlehem is a talented harp player. Not only that — he is a brave warrior, a man of war, and has good judgment. He is also a fine-looking young man, and the LORD is with him.”

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One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.”

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So Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, “Send me your son David, the shepherd.”

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Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.”

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Jesse responded by sending David to Saul, along with a young goat, a donkey loaded with bread, and a wineskin full of wine.

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And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul.

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So David went to Saul and began serving him. Saul loved David very much, and David became his armor bearer.

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And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer.

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Then Saul sent word to Jesse asking, “Please let David remain in my service, for I am very pleased with him.”

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And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight.”

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And whenever the tormenting spirit from God troubled Saul, David would play the harp. Then Saul would feel better, and the tormenting spirit would go away.

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And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.

Parallel

New Living Translation

English Standard Version

1 Samuel 16

1 Samuel 16