1 Samuel 16

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Yahweh said to Samuel, 'How much longer do you mean to go on mourning over Saul, now that Imyself have rejected him as ruler of Israel? Fil your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse ofBethlehem, for I have found myself a king from among his sons.'	1 The LORD said to Samuel: "How long will you grieve for Saul, whom I have rejected as king of Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen my king from among his sons."
2 Samuel replied, 'How can I go? When Saul hears of it he wil kill me.' Yahweh then said, 'Take a heiferwith you and say, "I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh."	2 But Samuel replied: "How can I go? Saul will hear of it and kill me." To this the LORD answered: "Take a heifer along and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.'
3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I shal reveal to you what you must do; and you wil anoint for me theone I indicate to you.'	3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I myself will tell you what to do; you are to anoint for me the one I point out to you."
4 Samuel did what Yahweh ordered and went to Bethlehem. The elders of the town came trembling tomeet him and asked, 'Seer, is your coming favourable for us,'	4 Samuel did as the LORD had commanded him. When he entered Bethlehem, the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and inquired, "Is your visit peaceful, O seer?"
5 'Yes,' he replied. 'I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. Purify yourselves and come with me to thesacrifice.' He purified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.	5 He replied: "Yes! I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. So cleanse yourselves and join me today for the banquet." He also had Jesse and his sons cleanse themselves and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they arrived, he looked at Eliab and thought, 'This must be Yahweh's anointed now before him,'	6 As they came, he looked at Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD'S anointed is here before him."
7 but Yahweh said to Samuel, 'Take no notice of his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him;God does not see as human beings see; they look at appearances but Yahweh looks at the heart.'	7 But the LORD said to Samuel: "Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart."
8 Jesse then cal ed Abinadab and presented him to Samuel, who said, 'Yahweh has not chosen this oneeither.'	8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him before Samuel, who said, "The Lord has not chosen him."
9 Jesse then presented Shammah, but Samuel said, 'Yahweh has not chosen this one either.'	9 Next Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, "The LORD has not chosen this one either."
10 Jesse thus presented seven of his sons to Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, 'Yahweh has notchosen these.'	10 In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen any one of these."
11 He then asked Jesse, 'Are these al the sons you have?' Jesse replied, 'There is stil one left, theyoungest; he is looking after the sheep.' Samuel then said to Jesse, 'Send for him, for we shal not sit down toeat until he arrives.'	11 Then Samuel asked Jesse, "Are these all the sons you have?" Jesse replied, "There is still the youngest, who is tending the sheep." Samuel said to Jesse, "Send for him; we will not begin the sacrificial banquet until he arrives here."
12 Jesse had him sent for; he had ruddy cheeks, with fine eyes and an attractive appearance. Yahwehsaid, 'Get up and anoint him: he is the one!'	12 Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them. He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold and making a splendid appearance. The LORD said, "There-anoint him, for this is he!"
13 At this, Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him, surrounded by his brothers; and the spirit ofYahweh seized on David from that day onwards. Samuel, for his part, set off and went to Ramah.	13 Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand, anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and from that day on, the spirit of the LORD rushed upon David. When Samuel took his leave, he went to Ramah.
14 Now the spirit of Yahweh had withdrawn from Saul, and an evil spirit from Yahweh afflicted him withterrors.	14 The spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and he was tormented by an evil spirit sent by the LORD.
15 Saul's servants said to him, 'An evil spirit from God is undoubtedly the cause of your terrors.	15 So the servants of Saul said to him: "Please! An evil spirit from God is tormenting you.
16 Let our lord give the order, and your servants who wait on you wil look for a skilled harpist; when theevil spirit from God comes over you, he wil play and it wil do you good.'	16 If your lordship will order it, we, your servants here in attendance on you, will look for a man skilled in playing the harp. When the evil spirit from God comes over you, he will play and you will feel better."
17 Saul said to his attendants, 'Find me, please, a man who plays wel , and bring him to me.'	17 Saul then told his servants, "Find me a skillful harpist and bring him to me."
18 One of the servants then spoke up and said, 'I have seen one of the sons of Jesse the Bethlehemite:he is a skil ed player, a brave man and a fighter, well spoken, good-looking and Yahweh is with him.'	18 A servant spoke up to say: "I have observed that one of the sons of Jesse of Bethlehem is a skillful harpist. He is also a stalwart soldier, besides being an able speaker, and handsome. Moreover, the LORD is with him."
19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse with the order, 'Send me your son David (who is with the sheep).'	19 Accordingly, Saul dispatched messengers to ask Jesse to send him his son David, who was with the flock.
20 Jesse took five loaves, a skin of wine and a kid, and sent them to Saul by his son David.	20 Then Jesse took five loaves of bread, a skin of wine, and a kid, and sent them to Saul by his son David.
21 David went to Saul and entered his service; Saul became very fond of him and David became hisarmour-bearer.	21 Thus David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul became very fond of him, made him his armor-bearer,
22 Saul then sent a message to Jesse, 'Let David stay in my service, since he has won my favour.'	22 and sent Jesse the message, "Allow David to remain in my service, for he meets with my approval."
23 And whenever the spirit from God came over Saul, David would take a harp and play; Saul wouldthen be soothed; it would do him good, and the evil spirit would leave him.	23 Whenever the spirit from God seized Saul, David would take the harp and play, and Saul would be relieved and feel better, for the evil spirit would leave him.