The Lantern

I Samuel16

Samuel Anoints David

And the LORD said to Samuel: “How long will you mourn over Saul, when I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite — for I have seen among his sons a king for myself.”

And Samuel said, “How can I go? Saul will hear of it and kill me.” And the LORD said, “Take a heifer of the herd with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’

And call Jesse to the sacrifice; and I myself will make known to you what you shall do, and you shall anoint for me the one I say to you.”

And Samuel did what the LORD spoke, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city trembled to meet him, and one said, “Is your coming peace?”

And he said: “Peace. I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

And it was, when they came, that he saw Eliab; and he said, “Surely his anointed is before the LORD.”

And the LORD said to Samuel: “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For it is not what man sees — for man sees with the eyes, but the LORD sees the heart.”

And Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel; and he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.”

And Jesse made Shammah pass by; and he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.”

And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel; and Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.”

And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the young men?” And he said, “There still remains the youngest — and look, he is shepherding the flock.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and take him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.”

And he sent and brought him in. And he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a good appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise, anoint him — for this is he.”

And Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the spirit of the LORD rushed on David from that day forward. And Samuel rose and went to Ramah.

David Serves Saul

And the spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul; and an evil spirit from the LORD terrified him.

And the servants of Saul said to him: “Look, please — an evil spirit of God is terrifying you.

Let our lord now speak: your servants are before you. Let them seek a man who knows how to play the lyre; and it shall be, when the evil spirit of God is on you, that he will play with his hand, and it will be well with you.”

And Saul said to his servants, “Find me, please, a man who plays well, and bring him to me.”

And one of the young men answered and said: “Look — I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who knows how to play; and he is a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and understanding in speech, and a man of good form — and the LORD is with him.”

And Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the flock.”

And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, and a skin of wine, and one young goat, and sent them by the hand of David his son to Saul.

And David came to Saul and stood before him; and he loved him greatly, and he became his weapon-bearer.

And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David stand before me, please — for he has found favor in my eyes.”

And it was, whenever the spirit of God was on Saul, that David took the lyre and played with his hand; and there was relief for Saul, and it was well with him, and the evil spirit departed from him.