1 Samuel 16:1-10 ▼

1 The Lorde sayd vnto Samuel: Howe long wilt thou mourne for Saul, seing I haue cast him away from raigning ouer Israel? Fill thyne horne with oyntment, and come, that I may send thee to Isai the Bethlemite: for I haue prouided me a king among his sonnes.

2 And Samuel sayd: How can I go? For if Saul heare it, he will kill me. The Lord aunswered: Take an heyfer with thee, and saye: I am come to offer to the Lorde.

3 And call Isai to the offering, and I will shewe thee what thou shalt do: And thou shalt annoynt vnto me him whom I name vnto thee.

4 And so Samuel did as the Lord bade him, and came to Bethlehem: and the elders of the towne were astonyed at his comming, and saide: Commest thou peaceably?

5 He aunswered: Yea, I am come to offer vnto the Lorde: Sanctifie your selues, and come with me to the offering. And he sanctified Isai and his sonnes, and bade them to the offering.

6 And when they were come, he loked on Eliab, & saide: Surelye the Lordes annoynted is before him.

7 But the Lorde sayde vnto Samuel: Loke not on his fashion, or on ye height of his stature, because I haue refused him: For God seeth not as man seeth. For man loketh on the outward appearaunce, but the Lorde beholdeth the heart.

8 Then Isai called Abinadab, & made him come before Samuel, and he sayd: Neither hath the Lorde chosen this.

9 Then Isai made Samma come, and he sayd: Neither yet hath the Lorde chosen him.

10 Againe Isai made seuen of his sonnes to come before Samuel, and Samuel sayd vnto Isai: The Lorde hath chosen none of these.