Study Desk

Now the LORD said to Samuel, "How long are you going to mourn for 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, because I have chosen a king for Myself among his sons."

And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

But Samuel said, "How can I go? When Saul hears about it, he will kill me." But the LORD said, "Take a heifer with you and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.'

And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord .

"And you shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will let you know what you shall do; and you shall anoint for Me the one whom I designate to you."

And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.

So Samuel did what the LORD told him, and he came to Bethlehem. Then the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, "Do you come in peace?"

And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?

And he said, "In peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." He also consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord : sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD'S anointed is standing before Him."

And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord 's anointed is before him.

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God does not see as man sees, since man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass before Samuel. But he said, "The LORD has not chosen this one, either."

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.

Next Jesse had Shammah pass by. And he said, "The LORD has not chosen this one, either."

Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.

So Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen these."

Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these.

Then Samuel said to Jesse, "Are these all the boys?" And he said, "The youngest is still left, but behold, he is tending the sheep." So Samuel said to Jesse, "Send word and bring him; for we will not take our places at the table until he comes here."

And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

So he sent word and brought him in. Now he was reddish, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, "Arise, anoint him; for this is he."

And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

So 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 set out and went to Ramah.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

Now the Spirit of the LORD left Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrified him.

But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.

Saul's servants then said to him, "Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrifying you.

And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

"May our lord now command your servants who are before you. Have them search for a man who is a skillful musician on the harp; and it shall come about whenever the evil spirit from God is upon you, that he shall play the harp with his hand, and you will become well."

Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.

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

And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.

Then one of the young men responded and said, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, a valiant mighty man, a warrior, skillful in speech, and a handsome man; and the LORD is with him."

Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him.

So Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, "Send me your son David, who is with the flock."

Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.

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

And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.

Then David came to Saul and attended him; and Saul greatly loved him, and he became his armor bearer.

And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.

So Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, "Let David now be my attendant for he has found favor in my sight."

And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.

So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would feel relieved and become well, and the evil spirit would leave him.

And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.