1 Samuel 16
Bible in Basic English
1And the Lord said to Samuel, How long will you go on sorrowing for Saul, seeing that I have put him from his place as king over Israel? Take oil in your vessel and go; I will send you to Jesse, the Beth-lehemite: for I have got a king for myself among his sons.
2And Samuel said, How is it possible for me to go? If Saul gets news of it he will put me to death. And the Lord said, Take a young cow with you and say, I have come to make an offering to the Lord.
3And send for Jesse to be present at the offering, and I will make clear to you what you are to do: and you are to put the holy oil on him whose name I give you.
4And Samuel did as the Lord said and came to Beth-lehem. And the responsible men of the town came out to him in fear and said, Do you come in peace?
5And he said, In peace: I have come to make an offering to the Lord: make yourselves clean and come with me to make the offering. And he made Jesse and his sons clean, and sent for them to be present at the offering.
6Now when they came, looking at Eliab, he said, Clearly the man of the Lord's selection is before him.
7But the Lord said to Samuel, Do not take note of his face or how tall he is, because I will not have him: for the Lord's view is not man's; man takes note of the outer form, but the Lord sees the heart.
8Then Jesse sent for Abinadab and made him come before Samuel. And he said, The Lord has not taken this one.
9Then Jesse made Shammah come before him. And he said, The Lord has not taken this one.
10And Jesse made his seven sons come before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, The Lord has not taken any of these.
11Then Samuel said to Jesse, Are all your children here? And he said, There is still the youngest, and he is looking after the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and make him come here: for we will not take our seats till he is here.
12So he sent and made him come in. Now he had red hair and beautiful eyes and pleasing looks. And the Lord said, Come, put the oil on him, for this is he.
13Then Samuel took the bottle of oil, and put the oil on him there among his brothers: and from that day the spirit of the Lord came on David with power. So Samuel went back to Ramah.
14Now the spirit of the Lord had gone from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord was troubling him.
15And Saul's servants said to him, See now, an evil spirit from God is troubling you.
16Now give orders to your servants who are here before you to go in search of a man who is an expert player on a corded instrument: and it will be that when the evil spirit from God is on you, he will make music for you on his instrument, and you will get well.
17And Saul said to his servants, Then get me a man who is an expert player, and make him come to me.
18Then one of the servants in answer said, I have seen a son of Jesse, the Beth-lehemite, who is expert at playing, and a strong man and a man of war; and he is wise in his words, and pleasing in looks, and the Lord is with him.
19So Saul sent his servants to Jesse and said, Send me your son David who is with the sheep.
20And Jesse took five cakes of bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them to Saul by David.
21And David came to Saul, waiting before him: and he became very dear to Saul, who made him his servant, giving him the care of his arms.
22And Saul sent to Jesse saying, Let David be with me, for he is pleasing to me.
23And whenever the evil spirit from God came on Saul, David took his instrument and made music: so new life came to Saul, and he got well, and the evil spirit went away from him.
Reina-Valera 1909
1Y DIJO Jehová á Samuel: ¿Hasta cuándo has tú de llorar á Saúl, habiéndolo yo desechado para que no reine sobre Israel? Hinche tu cuerno de aceite, y ven, te enviaré á Isaí de Beth-lehem: porque de sus hijos me he provisto de rey.
2Y dijo Samuel: ¿Cómo iré? Si Saúl lo entendiere, me matará. Jehová respondió: Toma contigo una becerra de la vacada, y di: A sacrificar á Jehová he venido.
3Y llama á Isaí al sacrificio, y yo te enseñaré lo que has de hacer; y ungirme has al que yo te dijere.
4Hizo pues Samuel como le dijo Jehová: y luego que él llegó á Beth-lehem, los ancianos de la ciudad le salieron á recibir con miedo, y dijeron: ¿Es pacífica tu venida?
5Y él respondió: Sí, vengo á sacrificar á Jehová; santificaos, y venid conmigo al sacrificio. Y santificando él á Isaí y á sus hijos, llamólos al sacrificio.
6Y aconteció que como ellos vinieron, él vió á Eliab, y dijo: De cierto delante de Jehová está su ungido.
7Y Jehová respondió á Samuel: No mires á su parecer, ni á lo grande de su estatura, porque yo lo desecho; porque Jehová mira no lo que el hombre mira; pues que el hombre mira lo que está delante de sus ojos, mas Jehová mira el corazón.
8Entonces llamó Isaí á Abinadab, é hízole pasar delante de Samuel, el cual dijo: Ni á éste ha elegido Jehová.
9Hizo luego pasar Isaí á Samma. Y él dijo: Tampoco á éste ha elegido Jehová.
10E hizo pasar Isaí sus siete hijos delante de Samuel; mas Samuel dijo á Isaí: Jehová no ha elegido á éstos.
11Entonces dijo Samuel á Isaí: ¿Hanse acabado los mozos? Y él respondió: Aun queda el menor, que apacienta las ovejas. Y dijo Samuel á Isaí: Envía por él, porque no nos asentaremos á la mesa hasta que él venga aquí.
12Envió pues por él, é introdújolo; el cual era rubio, de hermoso parecer y de bello aspecto. Entonces Jehová dijo: Levántate y úngelo, que éste es.
13Y Samuel tomó el cuerno del aceite, y ungiólo de entre sus hermanos: y desde aquel día en adelante el espíritu de Jehová tomó á David. Levantóse luego Samuel, y volvióse á Rama.
14Y el espíritu de Jehová se apartó de Saúl, y atormentábale el espíritu malo de parte de Jehová.
15Y los criados de Saúl le dijeron: He aquí ahora, que el espíritu malo de parte de Dios te atormenta.
16Diga pues nuestro señor á tus siervos que están delante de ti, que busquen alguno que sepa tocar el arpa; para que cuando fuere sobre ti el espíritu malo de parte de Dios, él taña con su mano, y tengas alivio.
17Y Saúl respondió á sus criados: Buscadme pues ahora alguno que taña bien, y traédmelo.
18Entonces uno de los criados respondió, diciendo: He aquí yo he visto á un hijo de Isaí de Beth-lehem, que sabe tocar, y es valiente y vigoroso, y hombre de guerra, prudente en sus palabras, y hermoso, y Jehová es con él.
19Y Saúl envió mensajeros á Isaí, diciendo: Envíame á David tu hijo, el que está con las ovejas.
20Y tomó Isaí un asno cargado de pan, y una vasija de vino y un cabrito, y enviólo á Saúl por mano de David su hijo.
21Y viniendo David á Saúl, estuvo delante de él: y amólo él mucho, y fué hecho su escudero.
22Y Saúl envió á decir á Isaí: Yo te ruego que esté David conmigo; porque ha hallado gracia en mis ojos.
23Y cuando el espíritu malo de parte de Dios era sobre Saúl, David tomaba el arpa, y tañía con su mano; y Saúl tenía refrigerio, y estaba mejor, y el espíritu malo se apartaba de él.
King James Version
1And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
2And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.
3And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.
4And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
5And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
6And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him.
7But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
8Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
9Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
10Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.
11And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
12And 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.
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. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
14But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
15And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
16Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: 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 well.
17And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.
18Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, 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.
19Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.
20And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.
21And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
22And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.
23And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
World English Bible
1The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for 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 a king for myself among his sons.”
2Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” The LORD said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’
3Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. You shall anoint to me him whom I name to you.”
4Samuel did that which the LORD spoke, 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.” He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
6When they had come, he looked at Eliab, and said, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him.”
7But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
8Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “The LORD has not chosen this one, either.”
9Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, “The LORD has not chosen this one, either.”
10Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.”
11Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your children here?” He said, “There remains yet the youngest. Behold, he is keeping the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.”
12He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with a handsome face and good appearance. The LORD said, “Arise! Anoint him, for this is he.”
13Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the middle of his brothers. Then the LORD’s Spirit came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
14Now the LORD’s Spirit departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
15Saul’s servants said to him, “See now, an evil spirit from God troubles you.
16Let our lord now command your servants who are in front of you to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. Then when the evil spirit from God is on you, he will play with his hand, and you will be well.”
17Saul said to his servants, “Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.”
18Then one of the young men answered and said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the LORD is with him.”
19Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.”
20Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a container of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by David his son to Saul.
21David came to Saul and stood before him. He loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer.
22Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.”
23When the spirit from God was on Saul, David took the harp and played with his hand; so Saul was refreshed and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.