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Samuel Goes to Bethlehem

¹ Now the LORD said to Samuel, "^(C1)How long will you grieve over Saul, since ^(C2)I have rejected him from being king over Israel? ^(C3)Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to ^(C4)Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have ^(C5)selected a king for Myself among his sons."² But Samuel said, "How can I go? When Saul hears of it, he will kill me." And the LORD said, "^(C1)Take a heifer with you and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.'³ "You shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and ^(C1)I will show you what you shall do; and ^(C2)you shall anoint for Me the one whom I ^(F1)designate to you."⁴ So Samuel did what the LORD said, and came to ^(C1)Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, "^(C2)Do you come in peace?"⁵ He said, "In peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. ^(C1)Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." He also consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

⁶ When they entered, he looked at ^(C1)Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD'S anointed is before Him."⁷ 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 ^(F1)God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, ^(C1)but the LORD looks at the heart."⁸ Then Jesse called ^(C1)Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, "The LORD has not chosen this one either."⁹ Next Jesse made ^(F1)(C1)Shammah pass by. And he said, "The LORD has not chosen this one either."¹⁰ Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen these."¹¹ And Samuel said to Jesse, "Are these all the children?" And he said, "^(C1)There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is tending the sheep." Then Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and ^(F1)bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here."

David Anointed

^14 (C1)Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and ^(C2)an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him.¹⁵ Saul's servants then said to him, "Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrorizing you.¹⁶ "Let our lord now command your servants who are before you. Let them seek a man who is a skillful player on the harp; and it shall come about when the evil spirit from God is on you, that ^(C1)he shall play the harp with his hand, and you will be well."¹⁷ So Saul said to his servants, "Provide for me now a man who can play well and bring him to me."¹⁸ Then one of the young men said, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, ^(C1)a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one prudent in speech, and a handsome man; and ^(C2)the LORD is with him."¹⁹ So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, "Send me your son David who is with the flock."²⁰ Jesse ^(C1)took a donkey loaded with bread and a jug of wine and a young goat, and sent them to Saul by David his son.²¹ Then David came to Saul and ^(F1)(C1)attended him; and ^(F2)Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor bearer.²² Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Let David now stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight."²³ So it came about whenever ^(C1)the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.