David Anointed to Succeed Saul

1The LORD told Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I’ve rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I’m sending you to Jesse from Bethlehem because I’ve chosen for myself one of his sons as king.”

2Samuel said, “How can I go? Saul will hear about thisa and kill me!”

The LORD said, “Take a heiferb with you and say, ‘I’ve come to offer a sacrifice to the LORD.’ 3You are to invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I’ll show you what you are to do. You are to anoint for me the one I tell you.”

4Samuel did what the LORD said and went to Bethlehem. The elders of the town came out to meet him trembling, and said, “May your coming be in peace.”

5He said, “Peace, I’ve come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Samuelc consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

6When they arrived, Samueld saw Eliab, and said, “Surely he’s the LORD’se anointed.”f

7The LORD told Samuel, “Don’t look at his appearance or his height,g for I’ve rejected him. Truly, God does not seeh what man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”

8Then Jesse summoned Abinadab and brought him before Samuel, and he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” 9Then Jesse brought Shammah, and he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” 10Jesse brought seven of his sons before Samuel, and Samuel told Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.”

11Then Samuel told Jesse, “Are these all the young men?” He said, “There yet remains the youngest one, and right now he’s tending the sheep.” Samuel told Jesse, “Send someone to get him,i for we won’t do anything elsej until he arrives here.” 12So he sent and brought him. He had a dark, healthy complexion, with beautiful eyes, and he was handsome. The LORD said, “Get up and anoint him, for this is the one.”

God’s Spirit Comes on David and Departs from Saul

13Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed Davidk in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD came on David from that day forward. Then Samuel got up and went to Ramah.

14The Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. 15Saul’s servants told him, “Look, an evil spirit from God is troubling you. 16Let our lord order his servants who attend youl to look for a man who is skilled in playing the lyre. And then when an evil spirit from God comes on you, he will playm and you will be better.”

17Saul told his servants, “Findn a man for me who can play well and bring him to me.”

18One of the young men answered: “Look, I’ve seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skilled in playing. The man is a valiant soldier, gifted in speech, and handsome. And the LORD is with him.”

19So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.”

20Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a container of wine, and one kid, and sent them to Saul along with his son David. 21David went to Saul and began to serve him.o Saul loved him very much, and he became his armor bearer. 22Saul sent a messengerp to Jesse to tell him, “Allow David to serve me, because I’m pleased with him.”q 23Whenever an evilr spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the lyre and play it.s Relief would come to Saul and he would be better, because the evil spirit would leave him.