Yahweh said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go! I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have seen a king for myself among his sons.”
But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” Yahweh said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh.’
Then call Jesse to the sacrifice and I will show you what you are to do. You are to anoint for me the one whom I tell you.”
So Samuel did what Yahweh said, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come in peace?”
And he said, “In peace. I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. Make yourselves holy and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he sanctified Jesse and his sons and called them to the sacrifice.
And when they had come, he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely Yahweh’s anointed is before him.”
But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For God does not see as man sees, for man sees the outward appearance, but Yahweh sees the heart.”
Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one either.”
Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one either.”
And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “Yahweh has not chosen these!”
Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the boys you have?” And he said, “There is still the youngest, but behold, he is shepherding the flock.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down to eat until he comes here.”
So he sent and brought him. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and of good appearance. Yahweh said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is he!”
Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers, and the spirit of Yahweh rushed upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
David in Saul's Service
Now the spirit of Yahweh had departed from Saul and an evil spirit from Yahweh terrorized him.
Then Saul’s servants said to him, “See now, an evil spirit from God is terrorizing you.
Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. And when an evil spirit from God is on you then he can play it with his hand, and it will be good for you.”
So Saul said to his servants, “Look for a man for me who can play well, and bring him to me.”
Then one of the young men answered and said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who knows how to play music, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech and a handsome man, and Yahweh is with him!”
So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son who is with the flock.”
So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread and a skin-bottle of wine and a young goat, and sent them by David his son to Saul.
So David came to Saul and stood before him, and he loved him greatly and he became his armor-bearer.
And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my eyes.”
And whenever the spirit from God was on Saul, David took the harp and played it with his hand, so Saul would find relief and it would be good for him, and the evil spirit would depart from him.