Verse 1
The Lord then saide vnto Samuel, Howe long wilt thou mourne for Saul, seeing I haue cast him away from reigning ouer Israel? Fill thine horne with oyle and come, I will sende thee to Ishai the Bethlehemite: for I haue prouided mee a King among his sonnes.
Verse 2
And Samuel sayde, Howe can I goe? For if Saul shall heare it, he will kill me. Then the Lorde answered, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to doe sacrifice to the Lord.
Verse 3
And call Ishai to the sacrifice, and I will shewe thee what thou shalt doe, and thou shalt anoynt vnto me him whom I name vnto thee.
Verse 4
So Samuel did that the Lorde bade him, and came to Beth-lehem, and the Elders of the towne were astonied at his coming, and sayd, Commest thou peaceablie?
Verse 5
And he answeared, Yea: I am come to doe sacrifice vnto the Lorde: sanctifie your selues, and come with me to the sacrifice; he sanctified Ishai & his sonnes, & called them to the sacrifice.
Verse 6
And when they were come, hee looked on Eliab, and saide, Surely the Lordes Anointed is before him.
Verse 7
But the Lord said vnto Samuel, Looke not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature, because I haue refused him: for God seeth not as man seeth: for ma looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord beholdeth the heart.
Verse 8
Then Ishai called Abinadab, & made him come before Samuel; he saide, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.
Verse 9
Then Ishai made Shammah come; he said, Neither yet hath the Lorde chosen him.
Verse 10
Againe Ishai made his seue sonnes to come before Samuel: and Samuel saide vnto Ishai, The Lord hath chosen none of these.
Verse 11
Finally, Samuel said vnto Ishai, Are there no more children but these? And hee sayde, There remaineth yet a litle one behinde, that keepeth the sheepe. Then Samuel saide vnto Ishai, Sende and set him: for we will not sit downe, till he be come hither.
Verse 12
And he sent, and brought him in: and he was ruddie, & of a good countenance, and comely visage; the Lorde saide, Arise, and anoynt him: for this is he.
Verse 13
Then Samuel tooke the horne of oyle, and anoynted him in the middes of his brethren; the Spirit of the Lord came vpon Dauid, from that day forwarde: then Samuel rose vp, and went to Ramah.
Verse 14
But the Spirite of the Lorde departed from Saul, and an euill spirite sent of the Lorde vexed him.
Verse 15
And Sauls seruants said vnto him, Beholde nowe, the euill spirite of God vexeth thee.
Verse 16
Let our Lord therefore command thy seruants, that are before thee, to seeke a man that is a cunning plaier vpon the harpe: that when the euil spirit of God commeth vpon thee, hee may play with his hand, and thou maiest be eased.
Verse 17
Saul then saide vnto his seruantes, Prouide me a man, I pray you, that can play well, & bring him to me.
Verse 18
Then answered one of his seruauntes, and sayde, Beholde, I haue seene a sonne of Ishai, a Bethlehemite, that can plaie, and is strong, valiant and a man of warre and wise in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him.
Verse 19
Wherefore Saul sent messengers vnto Ishai, and said, Send me Dauid thy sonne which is with the sheepe.
Verse 20
And Ishai tooke an asse laden with breade and a flagon of wine and a kidde, and sent them by the hand of Dauid his sonne vnto Saul.
Verse 21
And Dauid came to Saul, and stoode before him: and he loued him verie well, and he was his armour bearer.
Verse 22
And Saul sent to Ishai, saying, Let Dauid nowe remaine with me: for he hath found fauour in my sight.
Verse 23
And so when the euil spirite of God came vpon Saul, Dauid tooke an harpe and plaied with his hande, and Saul was refreshed, and was eased: for the euill spirit departed from him.