1 Samuel 16 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

David Anointed King

1 Then Yahweh ^H3068 said ^H559 to Samuel ^H8050, “How ^H4970 long ^H5704 will you be grieving ^H56 over ^H413 Saul ^H7586? I have rejected ^H3988 him from being ^H4427 king ^H4427 over ^H5921 Israel ^H3478. Fill ^H4390 your horn ^H7161 with oil ^H8081 and go ^H1980; I will send ^H7971 you to Jesse ^H3448 the Bethlehemite ^H1022, for I see ^H7200 among his sons ^H1121 a king ^H4428 for Me.”

2 But Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559, “How ^H349 can I go ^H1980? Saul ^H7586 will hear ^H8085 of it and will kill ^H2026 me.” Then Yahweh ^H3068 said ^H559, “Take ^H3947 a heifer ^H5697 with you and say ^H559, ‘I have come ^H935 to sacrifice ^H2076 to Yahweh ^H3068.’ 3 And you shall invite ^H7121 Jesse ^H3448 to the sacrifice ^H2077, and I will make you know ^H3045 what ^H834 you shall do ^H6213; and you shall anoint ^H4886 for Me the one whom ^H834 I say ^H559 to you.” 4 So Samuel ^H8050 did ^H6213 what ^H834 Yahweh ^H3068 said ^H1696 and came ^H935 to Bethlehem ^H1035. And the elders ^H2205 of the city ^H5892 came ^H2729 trembling ^H2729 to meet ^H7122 him and said ^H559, “Do you come ^H935 in peace ^H7965?” 5 And he said ^H559, “In peace ^H7965; I have come ^H935 to sacrifice ^H2076 to Yahweh ^H3068. Set ^H6942 yourselves apart ^H6942 as holy ^H6942 and come ^H935 with me to the sacrifice ^H2077.” He also set ^H6942 apart ^H6942 Jesse ^H3448 and his sons ^H1121 as holy ^H6942 and invited ^H7121 them to the sacrifice ^H2077.

6 Now it happened ^H1961, when they entered ^H935, he looked ^H7200 at Eliab ^H446 and thought ^H559, “Surely ^H389 the anointed ^H4899 of Yahweh ^H3068 is before ^H5048 Him.” 7 But Yahweh ^H3068 said ^H559 to Samuel ^H8050, “Do not look ^H5027 at his appearance ^H4758 or at the height ^H1364 of his stature ^H6967, because ^H3588 I have rejected ^H3988 him; for [fn]God ^H430 sees not as man ^H120 sees ^H7200, for man ^H120 looks ^H7200 at the outward ^H5869 appearance ^H5869, but Yahweh ^H3068 looks ^H7200 at the heart ^H3824.” 8 Then Jesse ^H3448 called ^H7121 Abinadab ^H41 and made him pass ^H5674 before ^H6440 Samuel ^H8050. And he said ^H559, “Yahweh ^H3068 has not chosen ^H977 this ^H2088 one ^H2088 either ^H1571.” 9 Next Jesse ^H3448 made [fn]Shammah ^H8048 pass ^H5674 by ^H5674. And he said ^H559, “Yahweh ^H3068 has not chosen ^H977 this ^H2088 one ^H2088 either ^H1571.” 10 Thus Jesse ^H3448 made seven ^H7651 of his sons ^H1121 pass ^H5674 before ^H6440 Samuel ^H8050. But Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559 to Jesse ^H3448, “Yahweh ^H3068 has not chosen ^H977 these ^H428.” 11 And Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559 to Jesse ^H3448, “Are these all ^H8552 the young ^H5288 men ^H5288?” And he said ^H559, “There remains ^H7604 yet ^H5750 the youngest ^H6996, and behold ^H2009, he is shepherding ^H7462 the sheep ^H6629.” Then Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559 to Jesse ^H3448, “Send ^H7971 and [fn]bring ^H3947 him, for we will not turn ^H5437 around ^H5437 until ^H5704 he comes ^H935 here ^H6311.” 12 So he sent ^H7971 and brought ^H935 him in ^H935. Now he was ruddy ^H132, with beautiful ^H3303 eyes ^H5869 and a handsome ^H2896 appearance ^H7210. And Yahweh ^H3068 said ^H559, “Arise ^H6965, anoint ^H4886 him, for this ^H2088 is he.” 13 Then Samuel ^H8050 took ^H3947 the horn ^H7161 of oil ^H8081 and anointed ^H4886 him in the midst ^H7130 of his brothers ^H251; and the Spirit ^H7307 of Yahweh ^H3068 [fn]came ^H6743 mightily ^H6743 upon David ^H1732 from that day ^H3117 forward ^H4605. And Samuel ^H8050 arose ^H6965 and went ^H1980 to Ramah ^H7414.

David Becomes Saul’s Armor Bearer

14 Now the Spirit ^H7307 of Yahweh ^H3068 departed ^H5493 from Saul ^H7586, and an evil ^H7451 spirit ^H7307 from Yahweh ^H3068 terrorized ^H1204 him.

15 Saul’s ^H7586 servants ^H5650 then said ^H559 to him, “Behold ^H2009 now ^H4994, an evil ^H7451 spirit ^H7307 from God ^H430 is terrorizing ^H1204 you. 16 Let our lord ^H113 now ^H4994 speak ^H559 to your servants ^H5650 who are before ^H6440 you. Let them seek ^H1245 a man ^H376 who is a skillful ^H3045 musician ^H5059 on the harp ^H3658; and it shall be ^H1961 that when the evil ^H7451 spirit ^H7307 from God ^H430 is on you, he shall play ^H5059 the harp with his hand ^H3027, and you will be well ^H2895.” 17 So Saul ^H7586 said ^H559 to his servants ^H5650, “Provide ^H7200 for me now ^H4994 a man ^H376 who can play ^H5059 well ^H3190 and bring ^H935 him to me.” 18 Then one ^H259 of the young ^H5288 men ^H5288 answered ^H6030 and said ^H559, “Behold ^H2009, I have seen ^H7200 a son ^H1121 of Jesse ^H3448 the Bethlehemite ^H1022 who is a skillful ^H3045 musician ^H5059, a mighty ^H1368 man ^H1368 of valor ^H2428, a warrior ^H4421, one who is understanding ^H995 in speech ^H1697, and man ^H376 of fine ^H8389 form ^H8389; and Yahweh ^H3068 is with him.” 19 So Saul ^H7586 sent ^H7971 messengers ^H4397 to Jesse ^H3448 and said ^H559, “Send ^H7971 me your son ^H1121 David ^H1732 who ^H834 is with the flock ^H6629.” 20 And Jesse ^H3448 took ^H3947 a donkey ^H2543 loaded with bread ^H3899 and a wineskin ^H4997 of wine ^H3196 and a young ^H1423 goat ^H5795 and sent ^H7971 them to Saul ^H7586 by David ^H1732 his son ^H1121. 21 Then David ^H1732 came ^H935 to Saul ^H7586 and stood ^H5975 before ^H6440 him; and [fn]Saul loved ^H157 him greatly ^H3966, and he became ^H1961 his armor ^H3627 bearer ^H5375. 22 So Saul ^H7586 sent ^H7971 to Jesse ^H3448, saying ^H559, “Let David ^H1732 now ^H4994 stand ^H5975 before ^H6440 me, for he has found ^H4672 favor ^H2580 in my sight ^H5869.” 23 Thus it happened ^H1961 that whenever the evil spirit ^H7307 from God ^H430 came ^H1961 to Saul ^H7586, David ^H1732 would take ^H3947 the harp ^H3658 and play ^H5059 it with his hand ^H3027; and Saul ^H7586 would be refreshed ^H7304 and be well ^H2895, and the evil ^H7451 spirit ^H7307 would depart ^H5493 from him.