1 Samuel 16.1-13
Posted: 02 Nov 2006 @ 00:00
1The LORD said to Samuel, ‘How long will you grieve over Saul? I have
rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out;
I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a
king among his sons.’ 2Samuel said, ‘How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will
kill me.’ And the LORD said, ‘Take a heifer with you, and say, “I have come to
sacrifice to the LORD.” 3Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you
what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name 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?’ 5He said,
‘Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD; sanctify yourselves and come
with me to the sacrifice.’ And he sanctified 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 now before the LORD.’ 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 does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but
the LORD looks on the heart.’ 8Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass
before Samuel. He said, ‘Neither has the LORD chosen this one.’ 9Then Jesse
made Shammah pass by. And he said, ‘Neither has the LORD chosen this one.’
10Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse,
‘The LORD has not chosen any of these.’ 11Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Are all your
sons here?’ And he said, ‘There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the
sheep.’ And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send and bring him; for we will not sit down
until he comes here.’ 12He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had
beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The LORD said, ‘Rise and anoint him; for this
is the one.’ 13Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the
presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David
from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.