1 Samuel 16 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Samuel Goes to Bethlehem

1 Now the LORD ^H3068 said ^H559 to Samuel ^H8050, “How ^H4970 long ^H5704 are you going to mourn ^H56 for [fn]Saul ^H7586, since 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, because ^H3588 I have chosen ^H7200 a king ^H4428 for Myself among his sons ^H1121.”

2 But Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559, “How ^H349 can I go ^H1980? When Saul ^H7586 hears ^H8085 about it, he will kill ^H2026 me.” But the LORD ^H3068 said ^H559, “Take ^H3947 a heifer ^H5697 H1241 [fn]with you and say ^H559, ‘I have come ^H935 to sacrifice ^H2076 to the LORD ^H3068.’ 3 And you shall invite ^H7121 Jesse ^H3448 to the sacrifice ^H2077, and I will let ^H3045 you know ^H3045 what ^H834 you shall do ^H6213; and you shall anoint ^H4886 for Me the one whom ^H834 I [fn]designate ^H559 to you.” 4 So Samuel ^H8050 did ^H6213 what ^H834 the LORD ^H3068 told ^H1696 him, and he came ^H935 to Bethlehem ^H1035. Then 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 the LORD ^H3068. Consecrate ^H6942 yourselves and come ^H935 with me to the sacrifice ^H2077.” He also consecrated ^H6942 Jesse ^H3448 and his sons ^H1121 and invited ^H7121 them to the sacrifice ^H2077.

6 When they entered ^H935, he looked ^H7200 at Eliab ^H446 and thought ^H559, “Surely ^H389 the LORD’S ^H3068 anointed ^H4899 is standing before ^H5048 Him.” 7 But the LORD ^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 does not see as man ^H120 sees ^H7200, since ^H3588 man ^H120 looks ^H7200 at [fn]the outward ^H5869 appearance ^H5869, but the LORD ^H3068 looks ^H7200 at the heart ^H3824.” 8 Then Jesse ^H3448 called ^H7121 Abinadab ^H41 and had him pass ^H5674 before ^H6440 Samuel ^H8050. But he said ^H559, “The LORD ^H3068 has not chosen ^H977 this ^H2088 one ^H2088, either ^H1571.” 9 Next Jesse ^H3448 had [fn]Shammah ^H8048 pass ^H5674 by ^H5674. And he said ^H559, “The LORD ^H3068 has not chosen ^H977 this ^H2088 one ^H2088, either ^H1571.” 10 So Jesse ^H3448 had seven ^H7651 of his sons ^H1121 pass ^H5674 before ^H6440 Samuel ^H8050. But Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559 to Jesse ^H3448, “The LORD ^H3068 has not chosen ^H977 these ^H428.” 11 Then Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559 to Jesse ^H3448, “Are ^H8552 these all ^H8552 the boys ^H5288?” And he said ^H559, “The youngest ^H6996 is still ^H5750 left ^H7604, but behold ^H2009, he is tending ^H7462 the sheep ^H6629.” So Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559 to Jesse ^H3448, “Send ^H7971 word and bring ^H3947 him; for we will not take ^H5437 our places ^H5437 at ^H5437 the table ^H5437 until ^H5704 he comes ^H935 here ^H6311.”

David Anointed

12 So he sent ^H7971 word and brought ^H935 him in ^H935. Now he was [fn]reddish ^H132, with beautiful ^H3303 eyes ^H5869 and a handsome ^H2896 appearance ^H7210. And the LORD ^H3068 said ^H559, “Arise ^H6965, anoint ^H4886 him; for this ^H2088 is he.” 13 So 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 the LORD ^H3068 rushed ^H6743 upon ^H5921 David ^H1732 from that day ^H3117 forward ^H4605. And Samuel ^H8050 set ^H6965 out ^H6965 and went ^H1980 to Ramah ^H7414.

14 Now the Spirit ^H7307 of the LORD ^H3068 left ^H5493 Saul ^H7586, and an evil ^H7451 spirit ^H7307 from the LORD ^H3068 terrified ^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 terrifying ^H1204 you. 16 May our lord ^H113 now ^H4994 command ^H559 your servants ^H5650 who are before ^H6440 you. Have them search ^H1245 for a man ^H376 who is a skillful ^H3045 musician ^H5059 on the harp ^H3658; and it shall come ^H1961 about ^H1961 whenever the evil ^H7451 spirit ^H7307 from God ^H430 is upon you, that he shall play ^H5059 the harp with his hand ^H3027, and you will become well ^H2895.” 17 So Saul ^H7586 said ^H559 to his servants ^H5650, “Now ^H4994 select ^H7200 for me 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 responded ^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 valiant ^H2428 mighty ^H1368 man ^H1368, a warrior ^H4421, skillful ^H995 in speech ^H1697, and a handsome ^H8389 man ^H376; and the LORD ^H3068 is with him.” 19 So Saul ^H7586 sent ^H7971 messengers ^H4397 to Jesse ^H3448 [fn]to say ^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 jug ^H4997 of wine ^H3196, and he took a young ^H1423 goat ^H5795, and sent ^H7971 them to Saul ^H7586 by his son ^H1121 David ^H1732. 21 Then David ^H1732 came ^H935 to Saul ^H7586 and [fn]attended ^H5975 H6440 him; and Saul greatly ^H3966 loved ^H157 him, and he became ^H1961 his armor ^H3627 bearer ^H5375. 22 So Saul ^H7586 sent ^H7971 word to Jesse ^H3448, saying ^H559, “Let David ^H1732 now ^H4994 [fn]be ^H5975 H6440 my attendant ^H5975 H6440 for he has found ^H4672 favor ^H2580 in my sight ^H5869.” 23 So it came ^H1961 about ^H1961 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 feel ^H7304 relieved ^H7304 and become well ^H2895, and the evil ^H7451 spirit ^H7307 would leave ^H5493 him.