Adonoy said to Shmuel, "How long will you mourn over Shaul, for I have rejected him from reigning over Yisroel. Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to Yishay the Beis Lechemite, for I have seen among his sons, a king for Myself."

Shmuel said, "How can I go? If Shaul hears about it, he will kill me." Adonoy said, "Take a calf with you and say, 'I have come to bring an offering to Adonoy.'

Invite Yishay to the sacrificial meal, then I will tell you what to do, and you will anoint for Me the one whom I will tell you."

Shmuel did what Adonoy had spoken, and he came to Beis Lechem. The elders of the city hurried out to greet him, and [one of them] said, "Do you come in peace?"

He said, "Peace. It is to bring an offering to Adonoy that I have come. Prepare yourselves and come with me to the sacrificial feast." He invited Yishay and his sons, and called them to the sacrificial feast.

As they arrived, he saw Eliov and he said, "Surely, before Adonoy is His anointed."

Adonoy said to Shmuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at his great height, for I have rejected him. For it is not as man perceives it; man sees what is visible to the eyes, but Adonoy sees into the heart." For it is not as man perceives it; man sees what is visible to the eyes, but Adonoy sees into the heart."

Yishay called Avinodov and brought him before Shmuel; but he said, "Adonoy did not choose this one either."

Yishay brought Shammoh, but he said, "Adonoy did not choose this one either."

Yishay presented his seven sons before Shmuel, but Shmuel said to Yishay, "Adonoy did not choose these."

Shmuel said to Yishay, "Are there no more youths?" And he said, "The youngest one is still left, and he is tending the sheep now." Shmuel said to Yishay, "Send for him and bring him, for we will not sit until he comes here."

He sent for him and brought him. He had a reddish complexion, with beautiful eyes and handsome. Adonoy then said, "Rise and anoint him, for this is he."

Shmuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the spirit of Adonoy passed over Dovid from that day on. Then Shmuel rose and went to Romoh.

The spirit of Adonoy left Shaul, and he was tormented by an evil spirit from Adonoy.

Shaul's servants said him, 'Look now, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you.

Let our lord please tell your servants who are before you, that they should seek a man who knows how to play the harp, so that when the evil spirit from God comes upon you, he will play music with his hand[s] and you will be well."

Shaul said to his servants, "Please find for me a man who plays well, and bring him to me."

One of the youths responded and said, 'Behold, I have observed that a son of Yishay the Beis Lechemite, knows how to play; he is courageous and a warrior, who speaks wisely and is a handsome man; and Adonoy is with him."

Shaul sent messengers to Yishay, saying, "Send me Dovid your son who is with the sheep."

Yishay took a donkey [laden with] bread, a jug of wine, and one kid, and sent them with his son Dovid, to Shaul.

Dovid came to Shaul and stood before him; he loved him very much, and he became his arms bearer.

Shaul sent [word] to Yishay, saying, "Please let Dovid stand before me, for he has found favor in my eyes."

And it happened that whenever the [evil] spirit from God was upon Shaul, Dovid would take the harp and play with his hand[s], and Shaul would be relieved and feel well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.