Chapter 16

  And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.  

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  And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear [it], he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.  

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  And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me [him] whom I name unto thee.  

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  And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?  

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  And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.  

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  And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed [is] before him.  

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  But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.  

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  Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.  

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  Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.  

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  Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.  

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  And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all [thy] children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.  

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  And he sent, and brought him in. Now he [was] ruddy, [and] withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this [is] he.  

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  Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.  

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  But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.  

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  And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.  

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  Let our lord now command thy servants, [which are] before thee, to seek out a man, [who is] a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.  

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  And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring [him] to me.  

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  Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, [that is] cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD [is] with him.  

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  Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which [is] with the sheep.  

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  And Jesse took an ass [laden] with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent [them] by David his son unto Saul.  

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  And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.  

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  And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.  

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  And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.  

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