I Samuel 16

vayyomer Adonai el-shemu'el ad-matay attah mitabbel el-sha'ul va'ani me'astiv mimmelokh al-yisra'el malle qarnekha shemen velekh eshlakhakha el-yishay bet-hallakhmi ki-ra'iti bevanayw li melekh

And GOD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and set out; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have decided on one of his sons to be king.”

vayyomer shemu'el ekh elekh veshama sha'ul vaharagani vayyomer Adonai eglat baqar tiqqakh beyadekha ve'amarta lizboakh la-Adonai bati

Samuel replied, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” GOD answered, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to GOD.’

veqarata leyishay bazzavakh ve'anokhi odi'akha et asher-ta'aseh umashakhta li et asher-omar elekha

Invite Jesse to the sacrificial feast, and then I will make known to you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I point out to you.”

vayya'as shemu'el et asher dibber Adonai vayyavo bet lakhem vayyekherdu ziqne ha'ir liqrato vayyomer shalom bo'ekha

Samuel did what GOD commanded. When he came to Bethlehem, the elders of the city went out in alarm to meet him and said, “Do you come on a peaceful errand?”

vayyomer shalom lizboakh la-Adonai bati hitqaddeshu uvatem itti bazzavakh vayeqaddesh et-yishay ve'et-banayw vayyiqra lahem lazzavakh

“Yes,” he replied, “I have come to sacrifice to GOD. Purify yourselves and join me in the sacrificial feast.” He also instructed Jesse and his sons to purify themselves and invited them to the sacrificial feast.

vayehi bevo'am vayyar et-eli'av vayyomer akh neged Adonai meshikho

When they arrived and he saw Eliab, he thought: “Surely GOD’s anointed stands here.”

vayyomer Adonai el-shemu'el al-tabbet el-marehu ve'el-gevoah qomato ki me'astihu ki lo asher yireh ha'adam ki ha'adam yireh la'enayim va-Adonai yireh lallevav

But GOD said to Samuel, “Pay no attention to his appearance or his stature, for I have rejected him. For [GOD sees] not as humans see; humans see only what is visible, but GOD sees into the heart.”

vayyiqra yishay el-avinadav vayya'avirehu lifne shemu'el vayyomer gam-bazeh lo-vakhar Adonai

Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass before Samuel; but he said, “GOD has not chosen this one either.”

vayya'aver yishay shammah vayyomer gam-bazeh lo-vakhar Adonai

Next Jesse presented Shammah; and again he said, “GOD has not chosen this one either.”

vayya'aver yishay shivat banayw lifne shemu'el vayyomer shemu'el el-yishay lo-vakhar Adonai ba'elleh

Thus Jesse presented seven of his sons before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, “GOD has not chosen any of these.”

vayyomer shemu'el el-yishay hatammu hanne'arim vayyomer od sha'ar haqqatan vehinneh ro'eh batson vayyomer shemu'el el-yishay shilkhah veqakhennu ki lo-nasov ad-bo'o foh

Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the boys you have?” He replied, “There is still the youngest; he is tending the flock.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send someone to bring him, for we will not sit down to eat until he gets here.”

vayyishlakh vayevi'ehu vehu admoni im-yefeh enayim vetov ro'i vayyomer Adonai qum meshakhehu ki-zeh hu

So they sent and brought him. He was ruddy-cheeked, bright-eyed, and handsome. And GOD said, “Rise and anoint him, for this is the one.”

vayyiqqakh shemu'el et-qeren hashemen vayyimshakh oto beqerev ekhayw vattitslakh ruakh-Adonai el-david mehayyom hahu vama'elah vayyaqom shemu'el vayyelekh haramatah

Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of GOD gripped David from that day on. Samuel then set out for Ramah.

veruakh Adonai sarah me'im sha'ul uvi'atattu ruakh-ra'ah me'et Adonai

Now the spirit of GOD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from GOD began to terrify him.

vayyomeru avde-sha'ul elayw hinneh-na ruakh-elohim ra'ah meva'ittekha

Saul’s courtiers said to him, “An evil spirit of God is terrifying you.

yomar-na adonenu avadekha lefanekha yevaqshu ish yodea menaggen bakkinnor vehayah bihyot alekha ruakh-elohim ra'ah veniggen beyado vetov lakh

Let our lord give the order [and] the courtiers in attendance on you will look for someone who is skilled at playing the lyre; whenever the evil spirit of God comes over you, he will play it and you will feel better.”

vayyomer sha'ul el-avadayw re'u-na li ish metiv lenaggen vahavi'otem elay

So Saul said to his courtiers, “Find me someone who can play well and bring him to me.”

vayya'an ekhad mehanne'arim vayyomer hinneh ra'iti ben leyishay bet hallakhmi yodea naggen vegibbor khayil ve'ish milkhamah unevon davar ve'ish to'ar va-Adonai immo

One of the attendants spoke up, “I have observed a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skilled in music; he is a stalwart fellow and a warrior, sensible in speech, and handsome in appearance—and GOD is with him.”

vayyishlakh sha'ul malakhim el-yishay vayyomer shilkhah elay et-david binkha asher batson

Whereupon Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, “Send me your son David, who is with the flock.”

vayyiqqakh yishay khamor lekhem venod yayin ugedi izzim ekhad vayyishlakh beyad-david beno el-sha'ul

Jesse took a donkey [laden with] bread, a skin of wine, and a kid, and sent them to Saul by his son David.

vayyavo david el-sha'ul vayya'amod lefanayw vayye'ehavehu me'od vayehi-lo nose khelim

So David came to Saul and entered his service; [Saul] took a strong liking to him and made him one of his arms-bearers.

vayyishlakh sha'ul el-yishay lemor ya'amod-na david lefanay ki-matsa khen be'enay

Saul sent word to Jesse, “Let David remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”

vehayah bihyot ruakh-elohim el-sha'ul velaqakh david et-hakkinnor veniggen beyado veravakh lesha'ul vetov lo vesarah me'alayw ruakh hara'ah

Whenever the [evil] spirit of God came upon Saul, David would take the lyre and play it; Saul would find relief and feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.