Study Desk

The Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you be filled with sorrow because of Saul, since I have turned away from him being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse of Bethlehem. For I have chosen a king for Myself among his sons."

Samuel said, "I have come in peace to give a gift to the Lord. Make yourselves holy and come with me as I give the gift." He set apart Jesse and his sons also, and asked them to come to the gift-giving.

Jesse made seven of his sons pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, "The Lord has not chosen these."

So he sent for him and brought him in. His youngest son had good color in his skin, beautiful eyes and was good-looking. The Lord said, "Rise up and choose him. For this is the one."

Then Samuel took the horn of oil and poured the oil on him in front of his brothers. The Spirit of the Lord came upon David with strength from that day on. And Samuel got up and went to Ramah.

So Saul said to his servants, "Find me a man who can play well, and bring him to me."

One of the young men said, "I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who plays music well. He is a man with strength of heart, a man of war, wise in his speaking, and good-looking. And the Lord is with him."

Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a bottle of wine, and a young goat, and sent them to Saul with David his son.

When the bad spirit sent from God came upon Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand. And Saul would receive new strength and be well. The bad spirit would leave him.

Then a strong fighter came out from the armies of the Philistines. His name was Goliath, from Gath. He was almost twice as tall as most men.

He wore brass leg-coverings, and had a brass spear on his shoulders.

The long part of his spear was like a cross-piece used on a cloth-maker. The iron head of his spear weighed as much as 600 pieces of silver. A man walked before him to carry his shield.

But David went to and from Saul, to take care of his father's flock at Bethlehem.

Then Jesse said to his son David, "Take for your brothers a basket of this baked grain and these ten loaves. Hurry and carry them to your brothers among the army.

David left the things with the man to take care of them. He ran to the army, and went to meet with his brothers.

The men of Israel said, "Have you seen the man who has come out? He has come out to stand against Israel. The king will make the man who kills him rich. And he will give him his daughter, and make his father's family free from paying taxes in Israel."

His oldest brother Eliab heard what he said to the men. He became very angry with David and said, "Why have you come here? With whom have you left those few sheep in the desert? I know of your pride and the sin of your heart. You have come to see the battle."

But David said to Saul, "Your servant was taking care of his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock,

I went after him and fought him and saved it from his mouth. When he came against me, I took hold of him by the hair of his head and hit him and killed him.

Then Saul dressed David with his clothes. He put a brass head covering on his head, and dressed him with heavy battle-clothes.