1 Samuel
1 Samuel 16
King James Version · tap any highlighted word for context
1 Samuel 16 — Scripture text (King James Version)
And the LORD said unto , How long wilt thou mourn for , seeing I have rejected him from reigning over ? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to the : for I have provided me a king among his sons. And said, How can I go? if hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD. And call to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee. And did that which the LORD spake, and came to . And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked , and said, Surely the LORD’S anointed is before him. But the LORD said unto , Look not his countenance, or the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh the heart. Then called , and made him pass before . And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. Then made to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. Again, made seven of his sons to pass before . And said unto , The LORD hath not chosen these. And said unto , Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the . And said unto , Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. 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. Then took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon from that day forward. So rose up, and went to . But the Spirit of the LORD departed from , and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. And ’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player an : 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 . And said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play , and bring him to me. Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of the , 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. Wherefore sent messengers unto , and said, Send me thy son, which is with the . And took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by his son unto . And came to , and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer. And sent to , saying, Let , I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight. And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon , that took an , and played with his hand: so was refreshed, and was , and the evil spirit departed from him.