1 Samuel 16

1And the Lord said to Samuel. How It long wilt thou mourn for Saul, whom I have rejected from reigning over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and come, that I may send thee to Isai the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

2And Samuel said: How shall I go? for Saul will hear of it, and he will kill me. And the Lord said: Thou shalt take with thee a calf of the herd, and thou shalt say: I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.

3And thou shalt call Isai to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou art to do, and thou shalt anoint him whom I shall shew to thee.

4Then Samuel did as the Lord had said to him. And he came to Bethlehem, and the ancients of the city wondered, and meeting him, they said: Is thy coming hither peaceable?

5And he said: It is peaceable: I am come to offer sacrifice to the Lord, be ye sanctified, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Isai and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

6And when they were come in, he saw Eliab, and said: Is the Lord’s anointed before him?

7And the Lord said to Samuel: Look not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature: because I have rejected him, nor do I judge according to the look of man: for man seeth those things that appear, but the Lord beholdeth the heart.

8And Isai called Abinadab, and brought him before Samuel. And he said: Neither hath the Lord chosen this.

9And Isai brought Samma, and he said of him: Neither hath the Lord chosen this.

10Isai therefore brought his seven sons before Samuel: and Samuel said to Isai: The Lord hath not chosen any one of these.

11And Samuel said to Isai: Are here all thy sons? He answered: There remaineth yet a young one, who keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said to Isai: Send, and fetch him, for we will not sit down till he come hither.

12He sent therefore and brought him Now he was ruddy and beautiful to behold, and of a comely face. And the Lord said: Arise, and anoint him, for this is he.

13Then 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: and Samuel rose up, and went to Ramatha.

14But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.

15And the servants of Saul said to him: Behold now an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

16Let our lord give orders, and thy servants who are before thee will seek out a man skillful in playing on the harp, that when the evil spirit from the Lord is upon thee, he may play with his hand, and thou mayest bear it more easily.

17And Saul said to his servants: Provide me then some man that can play well, and bring him to me.

18And one of the servants answering, said: Behold I have seen a son of Isai the Bethlehemite, a skillful player, and one of great strength, and a man fit for war, and prudent in his words, and a comely person: and the Lord is with him.

19Then Saul sent messengers to Isai, saying: Send me David thy son, who is in the pastures.

20And Isai took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid of the flock, and sent them by the hand of David his son to Saul.

21And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him exceedingly, and made him his armourbearer.

22And Saul sent to Isai, saying: Let David stand before me: for he hath found favour in my sight.

23So whensoever the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, David took his harp, and played with his hand, and Saul was refreshed, and was better, for the evil spirit departed from him.

1Dixitque Dominus ad Samuelem: Usquequo tu luges Saul, cum ego projecerim eum ne regnet super Israël? Imple cornu tuum oleo, et veni, ut mittam te ad Isai Bethlehemitem: providi enim in filiis ejus mihi regem.

2Et ait Samuel: Quomodo vadam? audiet enim Saul, et interficiet me. Et ait Dominus: Vitulum de armento tolles in manu tua, et dices: Ad immolandum Domino veni.

3Et vocabis Isai ad victimam, et ego ostendam tibi quid facias, et unges quemcumque monstravero tibi.

4Fecit ergo Samuel sicut locutus est ei Dominus. Venitque in Bethlehem, et admirati sunt seniores civitatis occurrentes ei: dixeruntque: Pacificusne est ingressus tuus?

5Et ait: Pacificus: ad immolandum Domino veni: sanctificamini, et venite mecum ut immolem. Sanctificavit ergo Isai et filios ejus, et vocavit eos ad sacrificium.

6Cumque ingressi essent, vidit Eliab, et ait: Num coram Domino est christus ejus?

7Et dixit Dominus ad Samuelem: Ne respicias vultum ejus, neque altitudinem staturæ ejus: quoniam abjeci eum, nec juxta intuitum hominis ego judico: homo enim videt ea quæ parent, Dominus autem intuetur cor.

8Et vocavit Isai Abinadab, et adduxit eum coram Samuele. Qui dixit: Nec hunc elegit Dominus.

9Adduxit autem Isai Samma, de quo ait: Etiam hunc non elegit Dominus.

10Adduxit itaque Isai septem filios suos coram Samuele: et ait Samuel ad Isai: Non elegit Dominus ex istis.

11Dixitque Samuel ad Isai: Numquid jam completi sunt filii? Qui respondit: Adhuc reliquus est parvulus, et pascit oves. Et ait Samuel ad Isai: Mitte, et adduc eum: nec enim discumbemus priusquam huc ille veniat.

12Misit ergo, et adduxit eum. Erat autem rufus, et pulcher aspectu, decoraque facie: et ait Dominus: Surge, unge eum: ipse est enim.

13Tulit ergo Samuel cornu olei, et unxit eum in medio fratrum ejus: et directus est spiritus Domini a die illa in David, et deinceps. Surgensque Samuel abiit in Ramatha.

14Spiritus autem Domini recessit a Saul, et exagitabat eum spiritus nequam a Domino.

15Dixeruntque servi Saul ad eum: Ecce spiritus Dei malus exagitat te.

16Jubeat dominus noster, et servi tui qui coram te sunt quærent hominem scientem psallere cithara, ut quando arripuerit te spiritus Domini malus, psallat manu sua, et levius feras.

17Et ait Saul ad servos suos: Providete ergo mihi aliquem bene psallentem, et adducite eum ad me.

18Et respondens unus de pueris, ait: Ecce vidi filium Isai Bethlehemitem scientem psallere, et fortissimum robore, et virum bellicosum, et prudentem in verbis, et virum pulchrum: et Dominus est cum eo.

19Misit ergo Saul nuntios ad Isai, dicens: Mitte ad me David filium tuum, qui est in pascuis.

20Tulit itaque Isai asinum plenum panibus, et lagenam vini, et hædum de capris unum, et misit per manum David filii sui Sauli.

21Et venit David ad Saul, et stetit coram eo: at ille dilexit eum nimis, et factus est ejus armiger.

22Misitque Saul ad Isai, dicens: Stet David in conspectu meo: invenit enim gratiam in oculis meis.

23Igitur quandocumque spiritus Domini malus arripiebat Saul, David tollebat citharam, et percutiebat manu sua, et refocillabatur Saul, et levius habebat: recedebat enim ab eo spiritus malus.

1And the Lord said to Samuel: “How long will you mourn for Saul, though I have rejected him, so that he would not reign over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and approach, so that I may send you to Jesse of Bethlehem. For I have provided a king from among his sons for myself.”

2And Samuel said: “How shall I go? For Saul will hear of it, and he will put me to death.” And the Lord said: “You shall take, by your hand, a calf from the herd. And you shall say, ‘I have arrived in order to immolate to the Lord.’

3And you shall call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will reveal to you what you should do. And you shall anoint whomever I will indicate to you.”

4Therefore, Samuel did just as the Lord told him. And he went to Bethlehem, and the elders of the city wondered. And meeting him, they said, “Is your arrival peaceful?”

5And he said: “It is peaceful. I have arrived in order to immolate to the Lord. Be sanctified, and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and he called them to the sacrifice.

6And when they had entered, he saw Eliab, and he said, “Could he be the Christ in the sight of the Lord?”

7And the Lord said to Samuel: “You should not look with favor on his face, nor on the height of his stature. For I have rejected him. Neither do I judge by the appearance of a man. For man sees those things that are apparent, but the Lord beholds the heart.”

8And Jesse called Abinadab, and he brought him before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.”

9Then Jesse brought Shammah. And he said about him, “And the Lord has not chosen this one.”

10And so Jesse brought his seven sons before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.”

11And Samuel said to Jesse, “Could the sons now be completed?” But he responded, “There still remains a little one, and he pastures the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse: “Send and bring him. For we shall not recline to eat, until he arrives here.”

12Therefore, he sent and brought him. Now he was ruddy, and beautiful to behold, and with a stately face. And the Lord said, “Rise up, anoint him! For it is he.”

13Therefore, Samuel took the horn of oil, and he anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord was guiding David from that day and thereafter. And Samuel rose up, and he went away to Ramah.

14But the Spirit of the Lord withdrew from Saul, and a wicked spirit from the Lord disturbed him.

15And the servants of Saul said to him: “Behold, an evil spirit from God disturbs you.

16May our lord order, and your servants, who are before you, will seek a man skillful in playing a stringed instrument, so that when the evil spirit from the Lord assails you, he may play with his hand, and you may bear it more easily.”

17And Saul said to his servants, “Then provide for me someone who can play well, and bring him to me.”

18And one of the servants, responding, said: “Behold, I have seen the son of Jesse of Bethlehem, a skillful player, and very strong and robust, a man fit for war, and prudent in words, a handsome man. And the Lord is with him.”

19Therefore, Saul sent messengers to Jesse, saying, “Send to me your son David, who is in the pastures.”

20And so, Jesse took a donkey laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid from one of the goats, and he sent them, by the hand of his son David, to Saul.

21And David went to Saul, and stood before him. And he loved him exceedingly, and he made him his armor bearer.

22And Saul sent to Jesse, saying: “Let David remain before my sight. For he has found favor in my eyes.”

23And so, whenever the evil spirit from the Lord assailed Saul, David took up his stringed instrument, and he struck it with his hand, and Saul was refreshed and uplifted. For the evil spirit withdrew from him.