大卫被膏立为王
耶和华对撒母耳说：“我既厌弃扫罗作以色列的王，你为他悲伤要到几时呢？你将膏油盛满了角；来，我差遣你到伯利恒人耶西那里去，因为我在他儿子中已看中了一个为我作王的。”
And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
2撒母耳说：“我怎么能去呢？扫罗一听见，就会杀我。”耶和华说：“你可以手里牵一头小母牛去，说：‘我来是要向耶和华献祭。’And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.
3你要请耶西来一同献祭，我会指示你当做的事。我对你说的那个人，你要为我膏他。”And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.
4撒母耳遵照耶和华的话去做，来到伯利恒，城里的长老都战战兢兢出来迎接他，有人问他说：“你是为平安来的吗？”And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
5他说：“为平安来的，我来是要向耶和华献祭。你们要使自己分别为圣，来跟我一同献祭。”撒母耳把耶西和他众儿子分别为圣，请他们来一同献祭。And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
6他们来的时候，撒母耳看见以利押，就心里说，耶和华的受膏者一定在耶和华面前了。And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD's anointed is before him.
7耶和华却对撒母耳说：“不要只看他的外貌和他身材高大，我不拣选他。因为耶和华不像人看人，人是看外貌☛“外貌”：原文直译“眼睛看得到的”。，耶和华是看内心。”But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
8耶西叫亚比拿达从撒母耳面前经过，撒母耳说：“耶和华也不拣选他。”Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
9耶西又叫沙玛经过，撒母耳说：“耶和华也不拣选他。”Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
10耶西叫他七个儿子都从撒母耳面前经过，撒母耳对耶西说：“这些都不是耶和华所拣选的。”Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.
11撒母耳对耶西说：“你的儿子都在这里了吗？”他说：“还有一个最小的，看哪，他正在放羊。”撒母耳对耶西说：“你派人去叫他来；他若不来这里，我们必不坐席。”And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
12耶西就派人去叫他来。他面色红润，双目清秀，容貌俊美。耶和华说：“起来，膏他，因为这就是他了。”And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
13撒母耳就用角里的膏油，在他的兄长中膏了他。从这日起，耶和华的灵就大大感动大卫。撒母耳起身回拉玛去了。Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
大卫在扫罗的宫里
14耶和华的灵离开扫罗，有邪灵从耶和华那里来扰乱他。But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
15扫罗的臣仆对他说：“看哪，有邪灵从神那里来扰乱你。And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
16我们的主可以吩咐你面前的臣仆，去找一个善于弹琴的来。神那里来的邪灵临到你身上的时候，他用手弹琴，你就会感觉爽快。”Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
17扫罗对臣仆说：“你们给我找一个善于弹琴的，带到我这里来。”And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.
18仆人中有一个回答说：“看哪，我曾见伯利恒人耶西的一个儿子善于弹琴，是大能的勇士，说话合宜，容貌俊美，耶和华也与他同在。”Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.
19于是扫罗差遣使者到耶西那里，说：“叫你放羊的儿子大卫到我这里来。”Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.
20耶西把几个饼和一皮袋酒，以及一只小山羊，驮在驴上，由儿子大卫的手送给扫罗。And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.
21大卫到了扫罗那里，就侍立在扫罗面前。扫罗很喜欢他，他就作了扫罗拿兵器的人。And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
22扫罗派人到耶西那里，说：“让大卫侍立在我面前，因为他在我眼前蒙了恩宠。”And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.
23从神那里来的邪灵临到扫罗身上的时候，大卫就拿琴，用手弹奏，使扫罗舒畅，感觉爽快，那邪灵就离开他了。And it came to pass, when the evil 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.