1 The Lord said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing 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 me a king among his sons.
2 Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hears of it, he will kill me. The Lord said, Take a heifer with you, and say, I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.
3 Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do: and you shall anoint to me him whom I name to you.
4 Samuel did what the Lord said, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, Do you come in peace?
5 He said, In peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
6 When they had come, he looked at Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, "Don't look on his face, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, Neither has the Lord chosen this one.
9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, Neither has the Lord chosen this one.
10 Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, the Lord has not chosen these.
11 Samuel said to Jesse, Are here all your children? He said, There is still the youngest, and, behold, he is keeping the sheep. Samuel said to Jesse, Send and get him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.
12 He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and entirely handsome and good looking. The Lord said, Arise, anoint him; for this is he.
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers: and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
14 Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.
15 Saul's servants said to him, Look now, an evil spirit from God is troubling you.
16 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you, to search for a man who is a skillful player on the harp: and when the evil spirit from God is on you, he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well.
17 Saul said to his servants, Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.
18 Then one of the young men answered, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him.
19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.
20 Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul.
21 David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he greatly pleased him; and he became his armor bearer.
22 Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Please let David stay with me; for he has found favor in my sight.
23 So when the evil spirit from God was on Saul, David took the harp, and played with his hand: Saul was relieved, and became well, and the evil spirit departed from him.