| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” | 1The LORD said to Samuel, "How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem because I have selected a king from his sons." |
| 2And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ | 2Samuel asked, "How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me!" The LORD answered, "Take a young cow with you and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.' |
| 3And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.” | 3Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will let you know what you are to do. You are to anoint for Me the one I indicate to you." |
| 4Samuel did what the LORD commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” | 4Samuel did what the LORD directed and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, "Do you come in peace?" |
| 5And he said, “Peaceably; 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 invited them to the sacrifice. | 5"In peace," he replied. "I've come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. |
| 6When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him.” | 6When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, "Certainly the LORD's anointed one is here before Him." |
| 7But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” | 7But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the LORD sees, for man sees what is visible, but the LORD sees the heart." |
| 8Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” | 8Jesse called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel. "The LORD hasn't chosen this one either," Samuel said. |
| 9Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” | 9Then Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, "The LORD hasn't chosen this one either." |
| 10And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.” | 10After Jesse presented seven of his sons to him, Samuel told Jesse, "The LORD hasn't chosen any of these." |
| 11Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” | 11Samuel asked him, "Are these all the sons you have?" "There is still the youngest," he answered, "but right now he's tending the sheep." Samuel told Jesse, "Send for him. We won't sit down to eat until he gets here." |
| 12And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the LORD said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” | 12So Jesse sent for him. He had beautiful eyes and a healthy, handsome appearance. Then the LORD said, "Anoint him, for he is the one." |
| 13Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. | 13So Samuel took the horn of oil, anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD took control of David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah. |
| 14Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him. | 14Now the Spirit of the LORD had left Saul, and an evil spirit sent from the LORD began to torment him, |
| 15And Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you. | 15so Saul's servants said to him, "You see that an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. |
| 16Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.” | 16Let our lord command your servants here in your presence to look for someone who knows how to play the lyre. Whenever the evil spirit from God troubles you, that person can play the lyre, and you will feel better." |
| 17So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me.” | 17Then Saul commanded his servants, "Find me someone who plays well and bring him to me." |
| 18One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the LORD is with him.” | 18One of the young men answered, "I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is also a valiant man, a warrior, eloquent, handsome, and the LORD is with him." |
| 19Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.” | 19Then Saul dispatched messengers to Jesse and said, "Send me your son David, who is with the sheep." |
| 20And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul. | 20So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and one young goat and sent them by his son David to Saul. |
| 21And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. | 21When David came to Saul and entered his service, Saul admired him greatly, and David became his armor-bearer. |
| 22And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight.” | 22Then Saul sent word to Jesse: "Let David remain in my service, for I am pleased with him." |
| 23And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him. | 23Whenever the spirit from God troubled Saul, David would pick up his lyre and play, and Saul would then be relieved, feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him. |
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