1Samuel 16 - Prayer Tents

Samuel Anoints David as King

16Now the LORD said to Samuel, "You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king."H3068H559H8050H56H7586H3988H4427H3478H4390H7161H8081H3212H7971H3448H1022H7200H4428H1121 2But Samuel asked, "How can I do that? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me." "Take a heifer with you," the LORD replied, "and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the LORD.H8050H559H3212H7586H8085H2026H3068H559H3947H1241H5697H3027H559H935H2076H3068 3Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me."H7121H3448H2077H3045H6213H4886H559 4So Samuel did as the LORD instructed. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town came trembling to meet him. "What's wrong?" they asked. "Do you come in peace?"H8050H6213H3068H1696H935H1035H2205H5892H2729H7125H559H935H7965 5"Yes," Samuel replied. "I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." Then Samuel performed the purification rite for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice, too.H559H7965H935H2076H3068H6942H935H2077H6942H3448H1121H7121H2077 6When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, "Surely this is the LORD's anointed!"H935H7200H446H559H3068H4899 7But the LORD said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."H3068H559H8050H5027H4758H1364H6967H3988H120H7200H120H7200H5869H3068H7200H3824 8Then Jesse told his son Abinadab to step forward and walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, "This is not the one the LORD has chosen."H3448H7121H41H5674H6440H8050H559H3068H977 9Next Jesse summoned Shimea, but Samuel said, "Neither is this the one the LORD has chosen."H3448H8048H5674H559H3068H977 10In the same way all seven of Jesse's sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen any of these."H3448H7651H1121H5674H6440H8050H8050H559H3448H3068H977 11Then Samuel asked, "Are these all the sons you have?" "There is still the youngest," Jesse replied. "But he's out in the fields watching the sheep and goats." "Send for him at once," Samuel said. "We will not sit down to eat until he arrives."H8050H559H3448H8552H5288H559H7604H6996H7462H6629H8050H559H3448H7971H3947H5437H935H6311 12So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes. And the LORD said, "This is the one; anoint him."H7971H935H132H5973H3303H5869H2896H7210H3068H559H6965H4886 13So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.H8050H3947H7161H8081H4886H7130H251H7307H3068H6743H1732H3117H4605H8050H6965H3212H7414

David Serves in Saul’s Court

14Now the Spirit of the LORD had left Saul, and the LORD sent a tormenting spirit that filled him with depression and fear.H7307H3068H5493H7586H7451H7307H3068H1204 15Some of Saul's servants said to him, "A tormenting spirit from God is troubling you.H7586H5650H559H7451H7307H430H1204 16Let us find a good musician to play the harp whenever the tormenting spirit troubles you. He will play soothing music, and you will soon be well again."H113H559H5650H6440H1245H376H3045H5059H3658H7451H7307H430H5059H3027H2895 17"All right," Saul said. "Find me someone who plays well, and bring him here."H7586H559H5650H7200H376H5059H3190H935 18One of the servants said to Saul, "One of Jesse's sons from Bethlehem is a talented harp player. Not only that—he is a brave warrior, a man of war, and has good judgment. He is also a fine-looking young man, and the LORD is with him."H6030H259H5288H559H7200H1121H3448H1022H3045H5059H1368H2428H376H4421H995H1697H8389H376H3068 19So Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, "Send me your son David, the shepherd."H7586H7971H4397H3448H559H7971H1732H1121H6629 20Jesse responded by sending David to Saul, along with a young goat, a donkey loaded with bread, and a wineskin full of wine.H3448H3947H2543H3899H4997H3196H259H1423H5795H7971H3027H1732H1121H7586 21So David went to Saul and began serving him. Saul loved David very much, and David became his armor bearer.H1732H935H7586H5975H6440H157H3966H5375H3627 22Then Saul sent word to Jesse asking, "Please let David remain in my service, for I am very pleased with him."H7586H7971H3448H559H1732H5975H6440H4672H2580H5869 23And whenever the tormenting spirit from God troubled Saul, David would play the harp. Then Saul would feel better, and the tormenting spirit would go away.H7307H430H7586H1732H3947H3658H5059H3027H7586H7304H2895H7451H7307H5493