The First Book of Samuel, Chapter 16שמואל א 16

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל עַד מָתַי֙ אַתָּה֙ מִתְאַבֵּ֣ל אֶל שָׁא֔וּל וַאֲנִ֣י מְאַסְתִּ֔יו מִמְּלֹ֖ךְ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מַלֵּ֨א קַרְנְךָ֜ שֶׁ֗מֶן וְלֵ֤ךְ אֶֽשְׁלָחֲךָ֙ אֶל יִשַׁ֣י בֵּֽית הַלַּחְמִ֔י כִּֽי רָאִ֧יתִי בְּבָנָ֛יו לִ֖י מֶֽלֶךְ

And YHWH said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill your horn with oil, and go, I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֵ֣יךְ אֵלֵ֔ךְ וְשָׁמַ֥ע שָׁא֖וּל וַהֲרָגָ֑נִי וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֗ה עֶגְלַ֤ת בָּקָר֙ תִּקַּ֣ח בְּיָדֶ֔ךָ וְאָ֣מַרְתָּ֔ לִזְבֹּ֥חַ לַֽיהוָ֖ה בָּֽאתִי

And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear , he will kill me. And YHWH said, Take an heifer with you, and say, I am come to sacrifice to YHWH.

וְקָרָ֥אתָ לְיִשַׁ֖י בַּזָּ֑בַח וְאָֽנֹכִ֗י אוֹדִֽיעֲךָ֙ אֵ֣ת אֲשֶֽׁר תַּעֲשֶׂ֔ה וּמָשַׁחְתָּ֣ לִ֔י אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר אֹמַ֖ר אֵלֶֽיךָ

And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew you what you shall do: and you shall anoint to me whom I name to you.

וַיַּ֣עַשׂ שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל אֵ֚ת אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה וַיָּבֹ֖א בֵּ֣ית לָ֑חֶם וַיֶּחֶרְד֞וּ זִקְנֵ֤י הָעִיר֙ לִקְרָאת֔וֹ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר שָׁלֹ֥ם בּוֹאֶֽךָ

And Samuel did that which YHWH spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest you peaceably?

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁל֗וֹם לִזְבֹּ֤חַ לַֽיהוָה֙ בָּ֔אתִי הִֽתְקַדְּשׁ֔וּ וּבָאתֶ֥ם אִתִּ֖י בַּזָּ֑בַח וַיְקַדֵּ֤שׁ אֶת יִשַׁי֙ וְאֶת בָּנָ֔יו וַיִּקְרָ֥א לָהֶ֖ם לַזָּֽבַח

And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice to YHWH: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

וַיְהִ֣י בְּבוֹאָ֔ם וַיַּ֖רְא אֶת אֱלִיאָ֑ב וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אַ֛ךְ נֶ֥גֶד יְהוָ֖ה מְשִׁיחֽוֹ

And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely YHWH's anointed before him.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל אַל תַּבֵּ֧ט אֶל מַרְאֵ֛הוּ וְאֶל גְּבֹ֥הַּ קוֹמָת֖וֹ כִּ֣י מְאַסְתִּ֑יהוּ כִּ֣י לֹ֗א אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִרְאֶה֙ הָאָדָ֔ם כִּ֤י הָֽאָדָם֙ יִרְאֶ֣ה לַעֵינַ֔יִם וַיהוָ֖ה יִרְאֶ֥ה לַלֵּבָֽב

But YHWH said to Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but YHWH looketh on the heart.

וַיִּקְרָ֤א יִשַׁי֙ אֶל אֲבִ֣ינָדָ֔ב וַיַּעֲבִרֵ֖הוּ לִפְנֵ֣י שְׁמוּאֵ֑ל וַיֹּ֕אמֶר גַּם בָּזֶ֖ה לֹֽא בָחַ֥ר יְהוָֽה

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither has YHWH chosen this.

וַיַּעֲבֵ֥ר יִשַׁ֖י שַׁמָּ֑ה וַיֹּ֕אמֶר גַּם בָּזֶ֖ה לֹא בָחַ֥ר יְהוָֽה

Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither has YHWH chosen this.

וַיַּעֲבֵ֥ר יִשַׁ֛י שִׁבְעַ֥ת בָּנָ֖יו לִפְנֵ֣י שְׁמוּאֵ֑ל וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶל יִשַׁ֔י לֹא בָחַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה בָּאֵֽלֶּה

Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, YHWH has not chosen these.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֣ל אֶל יִשַׁי֮ הֲתַ֣מּוּ הַנְּעָרִים֒ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר ע֚וֹד שָׁאַ֣ר הַקָּטָ֔ן וְהִנֵּ֥ה רֹעֶ֖ה בַּצֹּ֑אן וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֤ל אֶל יִשַׁי֙ שִׁלְחָ֣ה וְקָחֶ֔נּוּ כִּ֥י לֹא נָסֹ֖ב עַד בֹּא֥וֹ פֹֽה

And Samuel said to Jesse, Are here all children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח וַיְבִיאֵ֨הוּ֙ וְה֣וּא אַדְמוֹנִ֔י עִם יְפֵ֥ה עֵינַ֖יִם וְט֣וֹב רֹ֑אִי וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יְהוָ֛ה ק֥וּם מְשָׁחֵ֖הוּ כִּֽי זֶ֥ה הֽוּא

And he sent, and brought him in. Now he ruddy, withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And YHWH said, Arise, anoint him: for this he.

וַיִּקַּ֨ח שְׁמוּאֵ֜ל אֶת קֶ֣רֶן הַשֶּׁ֗מֶן וַיִּמְשַׁ֣ח אֹתוֹ֮ בְּקֶ֣רֶב אֶחָיו֒ וַתִּצְלַ֤ח רֽוּחַ יְהוָה֙ אֶל דָּוִ֔ד מֵהַיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא וָמָ֑עְלָה וַיָּ֣קָם שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ הָרָמָֽתָה

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of YHWH came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

וְר֧וּחַ יְהוָ֛ה סָ֖רָה מֵעִ֣ם שָׁא֑וּל וּבִֽעֲתַ֥תּוּ רֽוּחַ רָעָ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ת יְהוָֽה

But the Spirit of YHWH departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from YHWH troubled him.

וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ עַבְדֵֽי שָׁא֖וּל אֵלָ֑יו הִנֵּה נָ֧א רֽוּחַ אֱלֹהִ֛ים רָעָ֖ה מְבַעִתֶּֽךָ

And Saul's servants said to him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth you.

יֹאמַר נָ֤א אֲדֹנֵ֨נוּ֙ עֲבָדֶ֣יךָ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ יְבַקְשׁ֕וּ אִ֕ישׁ יֹדֵ֖עַ מְנַגֵּ֣ן בַּכִּנּ֑וֹר וְהָיָ֗ה בִּֽהְי֨וֹת עָלֶ֤יךָ רֽוּחַ אֱלֹהִים֙ רָעָ֔ה וְנִגֵּ֥ן בְּיָד֖וֹ וְט֥וֹב לָֽךְ

Let our lord now command your servants, before you, to seek out a man, a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon you, that he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר שָׁא֖וּל אֶל עֲבָדָ֑יו רְאוּ נָ֣א לִ֗י אִ֚ישׁ מֵיטִ֣יב לְנַגֵּ֔ן וַהֲבִיאוֹתֶ֖ם אֵלָֽי

And Saul said to his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring to me.

וַיַּעַן֩ אֶחָ֨ד מֵהַנְּעָרִ֜ים וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּ֨ה רָאִ֜יתִי בֵּ֣ן לְיִשַׁי֮ בֵּ֣ית הַלַּחְמִי֒ יֹדֵ֣עַ נַ֠גֵּן וְגִבּ֨וֹר חַ֜יִל וְאִ֧ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֛ה וּנְב֥וֹן דָּבָ֖ר וְאִ֣ישׁ תֹּ֑אַר וַיהוָ֖ה עִמּֽוֹ

Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and YHWH with him.

וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח שָׁא֛וּל מַלְאָכִ֖ים אֶל יִשָׁ֑י וַיֹּ֕אמֶר שִׁלְחָ֥ה אֵלַ֛י אֶת דָּוִ֥ד בִּנְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּצֹּֽאן

Wherefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, Send me David your son, which with the sheep.

וַיִּקַּ֨ח יִשַׁ֜י חֲמ֥וֹר לֶ֨חֶם֙ וְנֹ֣אד יַ֔יִן וּגְדִ֥י עִזִּ֖ים אֶחָ֑ד וַיִּשְׁלַ֛ח בְּיַד דָּוִ֥ד בְּנ֖וֹ אֶל שָׁאֽוּל

And Jesse took an ass with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent by David his son to Saul.

וַיָּבֹ֤א דָוִד֙ אֶל שָׁא֔וּל וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֖ד לְפָנָ֑יו וַיֶּאֱהָבֵ֣הֽוּ מְאֹ֔ד וַֽיְהִי ל֖וֹ נֹשֵׂ֥א כֵלִֽים

And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.

וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח שָׁא֔וּל אֶל יִשַׁ֖י לֵאמֹ֑ר יַעֲמָד נָ֤א דָוִד֙ לְפָנַ֔י כִּֽי מָ֥צָא חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינָֽי

And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray you, stand before me; for he has found favour in my sight.

וְהָיָ֗ה בִּֽהְי֤וֹת רֽוּחַ אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל שָׁא֔וּל וְלָקַ֥ח דָּוִ֛ד אֶת הַכִּנּ֖וֹר וְנִגֵּ֣ן בְּיָד֑וֹ וְרָוַ֤ח לְשָׁאוּל֙ וְט֣וֹב ל֔וֹ וְסָ֥רָה מֵעָלָ֖יו ר֥וּחַ הָרָעָֽה

And it came to pass, when the 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.