1 Samuel 16 Parallel Bible Translations

1 Samuel 16 ▼
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1 The LORD asked Samuel, |How long are you going to mourn for Saul now that I have rejected him as king of Israel? Fill a flask with olive oil and go. I'm sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem because I've selected one of his sons to be 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.” The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”
2 |How can I go?| Samuel asked. |When Saul hears about it, he'll kill me.| The LORD said, |Take a heifer with you and say, 'I've come to sacrifice to the LORD.' 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.’ But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” The LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’
3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice. I will reveal to you what you should do, and you will anoint for me the one I point out to you.| 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.” Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.”
4 Samuel did what the LORD told him. When he came to Bethlehem, the leaders of the city, trembling with fear, greeted him and said, |May peace be with you.| 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?” Samuel did what the LORD said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?”
5 |Greetings,| he replied, |I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Perform the ceremonies to make yourselves holy, and come with me to the sacrifice.| He performed the ceremonies for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 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. Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they came, he saw Eliab and thought, |Certainly, here in the LORD's presence is his anointed king.| When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him.” When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.”
7 But the LORD told Samuel, |Don't look at his appearance or how tall he is, because I have rejected him. God does not see as humans see. Humans look at outward appearances, but the LORD looks into the heart.| 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.” But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and brought him to Samuel. But Samuel said, |The LORD has not chosen this one either.| Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.”
9 Then Jesse had Shammah come to Samuel. |The LORD has not chosen this one either,| Samuel said. Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the LORD chosen this one.”
10 So Jesse brought seven [more] of his sons to Samuel, but Samuel told Jesse, |The LORD has not chosen [any of] these. And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.” Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The LORD has not chosen these.”
11 Are these all the sons you have?| |There's still the youngest one,| Jesse answered. |He's tending the sheep.| Samuel told Jesse, |Send someone to get him. We won't continue until he gets here.| Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, 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.” So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
12 So Jesse sent for him. He had a healthy complexion, attractive eyes, and a handsome appearance. The LORD said, |Go ahead, anoint him. He is the one.| 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.” So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”
13 Samuel took the flask of olive oil and anointed David in the presence of his brothers. The LORD's Spirit came over David and stayed with him from that day on. Then Samuel left for Ramah. 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. So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.
14 Now, the LORD's Spirit had left Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him. Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him. Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him.
15 Saul's officials told him, |An evil spirit from God is tormenting you. And Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you. Saul’s attendants said to him, “See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you.
16 Your Majesty, why don't you command us to look for a man who can play the lyre well? When the evil spirit from God comes to you, he'll strum a tune, and you'll feel better.| 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.” Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the lyre. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes on you, and you will feel better.”
17 Saul told his officials, |Please find me a man who can play well and bring him to me.| So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me.” So Saul said to his attendants, “Find someone who plays well and bring him to me.”
18 One of the officials said, |I know one of Jesse's sons from Bethlehem who can play well. He's a courageous man and a warrior. He has a way with words, he is handsome, and the LORD is with him.| 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.” One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the LORD is with him.”
19 Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, |Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.| Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.” Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.”
20 Jesse took six bushels of bread, a full wineskin, and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul. 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. So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.
21 David came to Saul and served him. Saul loved him very much and made David his armorbearer. And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers.
22 Saul sent [this message] to Jesse, |Please let David stay with me because I have grown fond of him.| And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight.” Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”
23 Whenever God's spirit came to Saul, David took the lyre and strummed a tune. Saul got relief [from his terror] and felt better, and the evil spirit left him. 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. Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.
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