1 Samuel 16
Open in the reader1Now He-Who-Is said to Heard-of-God, “How long are you going to mourn for Asked-For, since I have rejected him as king over Strives-with-God? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Man-of-He-Who-Is of House-of-Bread, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.”
2“How can I go?” Heard-of-God asked. “Asked-For will hear of it and kill me!” He-Who-Is answered, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to He-Who-Is.’
3Then invite Man-of-He-Who-Is to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you are to do. You are to anoint for Me the one I indicate.”
4So Heard-of-God did what He-Who-Is had said and went to House-of-Bread. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?”
5“In peace,” he replied. “I have come to sacrifice to He-Who-Is. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Man-of-He-Who-Is and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6When they arrived, Heard-of-God saw My-God-Is-Father and said, “Surely here before He-Who-Is is His anointed.”
7But He-Who-Is said to Heard-of-God, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; He-Who-Is does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but He-Who-Is sees the heart.”
8Then Man-of-He-Who-Is called My-Father-Is-Generous and presented him to Heard-of-God, who said, “He-Who-Is has not chosen this one either.”
9Next Man-of-He-Who-Is presented Desolation, but Heard-of-God said, “He-Who-Is has not chosen this one either.”
10Thus Man-of-He-Who-Is made seven of his sons pass before Heard-of-God, but Heard-of-God told him, “He-Who-Is has not chosen any of these.”
11And Heard-of-God asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied, “but he is tending the sheep.” “Send for him,” Heard-of-God replied. “For we will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”
12Man-of-He-Who-Is and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And He-Who-Is said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”
13So Heard-of-God took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of He-Who-Is rushed upon Beloved from that day forward. Then Heard-of-God set out and went to The-Height.
14Now the Spirit of He-Who-Is departed from Asked-For, and a spirit of distress from He-Who-Is began to torment him.
15Asked-For’s servants said to him, “Surely a spirit of distress from God is tormenting you.
16Let our lord command your servants here to seek out someone who can skillfully play the harp. Whenever the spirit of distress from God is upon you, he is to play it, and you will be well.”
17And Asked-For commanded his servants, “Find me someone who plays well, and bring him to me.”
18One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Man-of-He-Who-Is of House-of-Bread who knows how to play the harp. He is a mighty man of valor, a warrior, eloquent and handsome, and He-Who-Is is with him.”
19So Asked-For sent messengers to Man-of-He-Who-Is and said, “Send me your son Beloved, who is with the sheep.”
20And Man-of-He-Who-Is took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and one young goat and sent them to Asked-For with his son Beloved.
21When Beloved came to Asked-For and entered his service, Asked-For loved him very much, and Beloved became his armor-bearer.
22Then Asked-For sent word to Man-of-He-Who-Is, saying, “Let Beloved remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”
23And whenever the spirit from God came upon Asked-For, Beloved would pick up his harp and play. Then Asked-For would find relief and feel better, and the spirit of distress would depart from him.