1 One day he said, “Samuel, I've rejected Saul, and I refuse to let him be king any longer. Stop feeling sad about him. Put some olive oil in a small container and go visit a man named Jesse, who lives in Bethlehem. I've chosen one of his sons to be my king.”
2 Samuel answered, “If I do that, Saul will find out and have me killed.”
“Take a calf with you,” the Lord replied. “Tell everyone that you've come to offer it as a sacrifice to me, 3 then invite Jesse to the sacrifice. When I show you which one of his sons I have chosen, pour the olive oil on his head.”
4 Samuel did what the Lord told him and went to Bethlehem. The town leaders went to meet him, but they were terribly afraid and asked, “Is this a friendly visit?”
5 “Yes, it is!” Samuel answered. “I've come to offer a sacrifice to the Lord. Get yourselves ready to take part in the sacrifice and come with me.” Samuel also invited Jesse and his sons to come to the sacrifice, and he got them ready to take part.
6 When Jesse and his sons arrived, Samuel noticed Jesse's oldest son, Eliab. “He has to be the one the Lord has chosen,” Samuel said to himself.
7 But the Lord told him, “Samuel, don't think Eliab is the one just because he's tall and handsome. He isn't the one I've chosen. People judge others by what they look like, but I judge people by what is in their hearts.”
8 Jesse told his son Abinadab to go over to Samuel, but Samuel said, “No, the Lord hasn't chosen him.”
9 Next, Jesse sent his son Shammah to him, and Samuel said, “The Lord hasn't chosen him either.”
10 One by one, Jesse told all seven of his sons to go over to Samuel. Finally, Samuel said, “Jesse, the Lord hasn't chosen any of these young men. 11 Do you have any other sons?”
“Yes,” Jesse answered. “My youngest son David is out taking care of the sheep.”
“Send for him!” Samuel said. “We won't start the ceremony until he gets here.”
12 Jesse sent for David. He was a healthy, good-looking boy with a sparkle in his eyes. As soon as David came, the Lord told Samuel, “He's the one! Get up and pour the olive oil on his head.”
13 Samuel poured the oil on David's head while his brothers watched. At that moment, the Spirit of the Lord took control of David and stayed with him from then on.
Samuel returned home to Ramah.
David Plays the Harp for Saul
14 The Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord was terrifying him. 15 “It's an evil spirit from God that's frightening you,” Saul's officials told him. 16 “Your Majesty, let us go and look for someone who is good at playing the harp. He can play for you whenever the evil spirit from God bothers you, and you'll feel better.”
17 “All right,” Saul answered. “Find me someone who is good at playing the harp and bring him here.”
18 “A man named Jesse who lives in Bethlehem has a son who can play the harp,” one official said. “He's a brave warrior, he's good-looking, he can speak well, and the Lord is with him.”
19 Saul sent a message to Jesse: “Tell your son David to leave your sheep and come here to me.”
20 Jesse loaded a donkey with bread and a goatskin full of wine, then he told David to take the donkey and a young goat to Saul. 21 David went to Saul and started working for him. Saul liked him so much that he put David in charge of carrying his weapons. 22 Not long after this, Saul sent another message to Jesse: “I really like David. Please let him stay with me.”
23 Whenever the evil spirit from God bothered Saul, David would play his harp. Saul would relax and feel better, and the evil spirit would go away.
Dāvids tiek svaidīts par ķēniņu
1 Kungs teica Samuēlam: “Cik ilgi tu sērosi par Saulu, tādēļ ka es esmu atmetis viņu no valdīšanas pār Israēlu? Piepildi ragu ar eļļu un ej – es tevi sūtu pie betlēmieša Jišaja, jo es esmu izraudzījies ķēniņu no viņa dēliem.” 2 Samuēls teica: “Kā lai es eju? Sauls to padzirdēs un mani nokaus.” Un Kungs teica: “Ņem līdzi teli un saki: es esmu nācis upurēt Kungam. 3 Aicini Jišaju līdzi upurēt, un es tev teikšu, kas jādara. Svaidi man to, kuru tev norādīšu.” 4 Samuēls darīja, kā Kungs teica, gāja uz Betlēmi, un pilsētas vecajie izbijušies nāca viņam pretī un vaicāja: “Vai tu nāc ar mieru?” 5 Viņš atbildēja: “Ar mieru! Es esmu nācis upurēt Kungam. Šķīstieties un nāciet upurēt kopā ar mani.” Un viņš svētīja Jišaju un viņa dēlus un aicināja viņus līdzi upurēt. 6 Kad tie atnāca, viņš ieraudzīja Elīābu un nodomāja: “Patiesi, viņa svaidītais ir Kunga priekšā.” 7 Bet Kungs atbildēja Samuēlam: “Neraugies uz viņa izskatu un dižo augumu – viņu es esmu atmetis. Jo es neskatos tā kā cilvēki. Cilvēks raugās ar acīm, bet Kungs redz sirdī.” 8 Tad Jišajs aicināja Abīnādāvu un lika viņam nākt Samuēla priekšā, bet tas teica: “Arī šo Kungs nav izvēlējies.” 9 Tad Jišajs lika nākt Šammam, bet Samuēls teica: “Arī šo Kungs nav izvēlējies.” 10 Tā Jišajs lika saviem septiņiem dēliem nākt Samuēla priekšā, bet Samuēls teica Jišajam: “Kungs nav izvēlējies nevienu no šiem.” 11 Un viņš jautāja Jišajam: “Vai šie tev ir visi zēni?” Tas sacīja: “Vēl palicis jaunākais. Redzi, viņš gana avis.” Un Samuēls teica Jišajam: “Sūti pēc viņa, mēs neko nesāksim, iekams viņš nebūs atnācis.” 12 Tad viņš lika to atvest, un tas bija sārtvaidzis skaistām acīm un glītu augumu. Un Kungs teica: “Celies, svaidi viņu, jo tas ir viņš!” 13 Samuēls ņēma eļļas ragu un svaidīja viņu brāļu priekšā, un Kunga Gars spēji nāca pār Dāvidu kopš tās dienas un turpmāk. Bet Samuēls cēlās un gāja uz Rāmu.
Dāvids Saula dienestā
14 Kunga Gars atstāja Saulu, un Kungs viņam uzsūtīja ļaunu garu. 15 Un Saula kalpi viņam teica: “Palūk, Dievs tev ir uzsūtījis ļaunu garu. 16 Lai mūsu kungs liek saviem kalpiem, kas tavā priekšā, sameklēt kādu, kas prot spēlēt liru. Un, kad no Dieva pār tevi nāks ļaunais gars, tad viņš lai spēlē un tev paliks labi.”
17 Un Sauls teica saviem kalpiem: “Tad atrodiet prasmīgu spēlmani un atvediet pie manis!” 18 Viens no puišiem teica: “Redzi, es esmu ievērojis betlēmieša Jišaja dēlu – viņš prot spēlēt, ir drosmīgs vīrs un karotājs, prātīgs vārdos un izskatīgs, un Kungs ir ar viņu.” 19 Tad Sauls sūtīja vēstnešus pie Jišaja, sacīdams: “Sūti pie manis savu dēlu Dāvidu, kurš pie avīm!” 20 Un Jišajs ņēma ēzeli, uzlika tam maizi, ādas trauku ar vīnu un kazlēnu un nosūtīja Saulam ar savu dēlu Dāvidu. 21 Dāvids atnāca pie Saula un stājās viņa priekšā, un tas viņu ļoti iemīlēja, un viņš kļuva tā ieroču nesējs. 22 Un Sauls sūtīja pie Jišaja, sacīdams: “Ļauj, lai Dāvids paliek manā kalpībā, jo viņš ir guvis manu vēlību.” 23 Un, kad vien no Dieva pār Saulu nāca ļaunais gars, tad Dāvids ņēma liru un spēlēja, un Saulam kļuva viegli un labi, un ļaunais gars viņu atstāja.
