וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל שְׁמוּאֵל עַד מָתַי אַתָּה מִתְאַבֵּל אֶל שָׁאוּל וַאֲנִי מְאַסְתִּיו מִמְּלֹךְ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל מַלֵּא קַרְנְךָ שֶׁמֶן וְלֵךְ אֶשְׁלָחֲךָ אֶל יִשַׁי בֵּית הַלַּחְמִי כִּי רָאִיתִי בְּבָנָיו לִי מֶלֶךְ

The Lord said to Samuel: Until when will you mourn over Saul, and I have spurned him from reigning over Israel? As far as I am concerned, Saul’s status as king is no longer tenable, and it remains your responsibility to ensure the continuation of the monarchy. Therefore, fill your horn, probably the horn of a cow, with oil, and go; I will send you to Yishai the Bethlehemite, from the city of Bethlehem, as I have seen among his sons a king for me.

וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֵיךְ אֵלֵךְ וְשָׁמַע שָׁאוּל וַהֲרָגָנִי וַיֹּאמֶר ה' עֶגְלַת בָּקָר תִּקַּח בְּיָדֶךָ וְאָמַרְתָּ לִזְבֹּחַ לַה' בָּאתִי

Samuel said: How will I go? If it becomes known that I have gone to anoint another king, Saul will hear of it, and he will kill me. There is no clearer act of rebellion than this. It is uncertain whether Saul would have actually sought to kill the prophet, but no king could possibly allow the appointment of a different king during his reign. The Lord said: Take a calf with you, and say, as a cover story: I have come to present a peace offering to the Lord.

וְקָרָאתָ לְיִשַׁי בַּזָּבַח וְאָנֹכִי אוֹדִיעֲךָ אֵת אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה וּמָשַׁחְתָּ לִי אֵת אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיךָ

As part of the preparations for the feast, you shall invite Yishai to the feast, and I will tell you that which you shall do, and you shall anoint for Me whom I will say to you.

וַיַּעַשׂ שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' וַיָּבֹא בֵּית לָחֶם וַיֶּחֶרְדוּ זִקְנֵי הָעִיר לִקְרָאתוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁלֹם בּוֹאֶךָ

Samuel did that which the Lord had spoken, and he came to Bethlehem, which was not too far from his hometown. The elders of the city hastened toward him. They rushed out to meet him nervously, as the arrival of the leader of Israel to their unimportant city puzzled and possibly even frightened them. And they, literally he, perhaps the most senior of the elders, said: Do you come in peace? Or has something untoward occurred?

וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁלוֹם לִזְבֹּחַ לַה' בָּאתִי הִתְקַדְּשׁוּ וּבָאתֶם אִתִּי בַּזָּבַח וַיְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת יִשַׁי וְאֶת בָּנָיו וַיִּקְרָא לָהֶם לַזָּבַח

He, Samuel, said: In peace; I have come to present an offering to the Lord. The sacrifice is the reason for my arrival. Prepare yourselves, and come with me to the offering. He told Yishai, one of the elders and most important residents of the city, and his sons to prepare, and he invited them to the feast.

וַיְהִי בְּבוֹאָם וַיַּרְא שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת אֱלִיאָב וַיֹּאמֶר אַךְ נֶגֶד ה' מְשִׁיחוֹ

It was when they, the sons of Yishai, came, that he saw Eliav, the firstborn, and he said, probably to himself: Indeed, before the Lord is His anointed. This young man must be worthy in God’s eyes to be His anointed.

וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל שְׁמוּאֵל אַל תַּבֵּט אֶל מַרְאֵהוּ וְאֶל גְּבֹהַּ קוֹמָתוֹ כִּי מְאַסְתִּיהוּ כִּי לֹא אֲשֶׁר יִרְאֶה הָאָדָם כִּי הָאָדָם יִרְאֶה לַעֵינַיִם וַה' יִרְאֶה לַלֵּבָב

The Lord said to Samuel: Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, as I have spurned him. He is not great in My eyes; for it, reality, is not as man sees; for man sees into the eyes, the outward appearance, but the Lord alone sees into the heart. You are impressed by his looks, but God has not chosen him.

וַיִּקְרָא יִשַׁי אֶל אֲבִינָדָב וַיַּעֲבִרֵהוּ לִפְנֵי שְׁמוּאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר גַּם בָּזֶה לֹא בָחַר ה'

Yishai summoned Avinadav and passed him before Samuel. It is unclear whether Samuel had informed Yishai of why he had called him and his sons. Perhaps he told him that he required one of his sons to assist him in the sacrifice of the offering, as in that period it was permitted to sacrifice offerings anywhere, and even those who were not descendants of Aaron could participate in the ritual. He, Samuel, said: This one too, the Lord has not chosen.

וַיַּעֲבֵר יִשַׁי שַׁמָּה וַיֹּאמֶר גַּם בָּזֶה לֹא בָחַר ה'

Yishai passed Shama, his third son, before Samuel. He, Samuel, said: This one too, the Lord has not chosen.

וַיַּעֲבֵר יִשַׁי שִׁבְעַת בָּנָיו לִפְנֵי שְׁמוּאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל יִשַׁי לֹא בָחַר ה' בָּאֵלֶּה

Yishai passed his seven sons before Samuel. Samuel said to Yishai: The Lord has not chosen these.

וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל יִשַׁי הֲתַמּוּ הַנְּעָרִים וַיֹּאמֶר עוֹד שָׁאַר הַקָּטָן וְהִנֵּה רֹעֶה בַּצֹּאן וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל יִשַׁי שִׁלְחָה וְקָחֶנּוּ כִּי לֹא נָסֹב עַד בֹּאוֹ פֹה

Samuel said to Yishai: Is that the last of the lads? Do you have no more sons? He said: There is yet the youngest remaining, and behold, he is herding the sheep. It is unclear whether David was the very youngest son or one of the youngest. In any case, he was not considered important enough to be suggested as a possible contributor to the sacrifice, and was left to tend the flock. Samuel said to Yishai: Send and fetch him here, as we will not recline to eat; alternatively, we will not move from here, until he comes here.

וַיִּשְׁלַח וַיְבִיאֵהוּ וְהוּא אַדְמוֹנִי עִם יְפֵה עֵינַיִם וטוֹב רֹאִי וַיֹּאמֶר ה' קוּם מְשָׁחֵהוּ כִּי זֶה הוּא

He sent and brought him. He, this as yet unnamed young shepherd, was ruddy, with beautiful eyes, and in general he had a fine, beautiful, appearance. The Lord said: Rise, anoint him, as this is he.

וַיִּקַּח שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת קֶרֶן הַשֶּׁמֶן וַיִּמְשַׁח אֹתוֹ בְּקֶרֶב אֶחָיו וַתִּצְלַח רוּחַ ה'אֶל דָּוִד מֵהַיּוֹם הַהוּא וָמָעְלָה וַיָּקָם שְׁמוּאֵל וַיֵּלֶךְ הָרָמָתָה

Samuel took the horn of oil, and he anointed him as king in the midst of his brothers, but not in the presence of strangers; and the spirit of the Lord, a spirit of strength and holiness, rested upon David, who is here named for the first time, from that day onward. The effect of his anointment gradually became more pronounced with the passing of time. Samuel rose and went to his home in Rama, having fulfilled his mission.

וְרוּחַ ה' סָרָה מֵעִם שָׁאוּל וּבִעֲתַתּוּ רוּחַ רָעָה מֵאֵת ה'

But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and instead an evil spirit of madness from the Lord terrified him.

וַיֹּאמְרוּ עַבְדֵי שָׁאוּל אֵלָיו הִנֵּה נָא רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים רָעָה מְבַעִתֶּךָ

Saul’s servants said to him: Behold, now, it is evident that an evil spirit from God is terrifying you.

יֹאמַר נָא אֲדֹנֵנוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ לְפָנֶיךָ יְבַקְשׁוּ אִישׁ יֹדֵעַ מְנַגֵּן בַּכִּנּוֹר וְהָיָה בִּהְיוֹת עָלֶיךָ רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים רָעָה וְנִגֵּן בְּיָדוֹ וְטוֹב לָךְ

Let our lord say to us, as your servants are before you: Let a man be sought who knows to play the harp. Although Saul’s problems were not widely known, his close advisors, who were loyal to him and cared for him, were aware of his attacks and wished to help him. It is also likely that they had observed that music eased his spirits. And it will be, when the evil spirit from God is upon you, he will play with his hand and then it will be well for you.

וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל עֲבָדָיו רְאוּ נָא לִי אִישׁ מֵיטִיב לְנַגֵּן וַהֲבִיאוֹתֶם אֵלָי

Saul said to his servants: Now find for me a man who plays well, and bring him to me.

וַיַּעַן אֶחָד מֵהַנְּעָרִים וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה רָאִיתִי בֵּן לְיִשַׁי בֵּית הַלַּחְמִי יֹדֵעַ נַגֵּן וְגִבּוֹר חַיִל וְאִישׁ מִלְחָמָה וּנְבוֹן דָּבָר וְאִישׁ תֹּאַר וַה' עִמּוֹ

One of the lads answered and said: Behold, I have seen a son of Yishai the Bethlehemite. Bethlehem is not far from Givat Shaul. Apparently, David had gained a reputation as one who knows to play, and furthermore, of one who is a mighty warrior and a man of war. The young man sought to stress that David was not merely a talented musician, but also one who would be suitable to accompany the king for his other qualities. In addition, he is one who is discerning of matters and a man of form, and the Lord is with him. Such an individual is worthy of joining your entourage, and when necessary he can also play music for you.

וַיִּשְׁלַח שָׁאוּל מַלְאָכִים אֶל יִשָׁי וַיֹּאמֶר שִׁלְחָה אֵלַי אֶת דָּוִד בִּנְךָ אֲשֶׁר בַּצֹּאן

The king accepted the suggestion. Saul sent messengers to Yishai, and said: Send David, your son who is with the sheep, looking after them, to me. This was a very natural request for Saul, who would regularly draft men for his wars and his court (see 14:52).

וַיִּקַּח יִשַׁי חֲמוֹר לֶחֶם וְנֹאד יַיִן וּגְדִי עִזִּים אֶחָד וַיִּשְׁלַח בְּיַד דָּוִד בְּנוֹ אֶל שָׁאוּל

Yishai took a donkey laden with bread, a wineskin, and one kid, and he sent them with David his son to Saul.

וַיָּבֹא דָוִד אֶל שָׁאוּל וַיַּעֲמֹד לְפָנָיו וַיֶּאֱהָבֵהוּ מְאֹד וַיְהִי לוֹ נֹשֵׂא כֵלִים

David came to Saul and stood before him, and he, Saul, loved him greatly, and he, David, became an armor-bearer for him.

וַיִּשְׁלַח שָׁאוּל אֶל יִשַׁי לֵאמֹר יַעֲמָד נָא דָוִד לְפָנַי כִּי מָצָא חֵן בְּעֵינָי

When the king realized David’s fine character, Saul sent to Yishai, saying, either as a request or as an announcement of the new permanent appointment to the king’s court: Please, let David stand, remain, before me, as he has found favor in my eyes.

וְהָיָה בִּהְיוֹת רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים אֶל שָׁאוּל וְלָקַח דָּוִד אֶת הַכִּנּוֹר וְנִגֵּן בְּיָדוֹ וְרָוַח לְשָׁאוּל וטוֹב לוֹ וְסָרָה מֵעָלָיו רוּחַ הָרָעָה

In addition to David’s daily function as one of the king’s armor-bearers, or a member of his court, every so often it was when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, David would take the harp, and play with his hand, and Saul would be relieved from his discomfort, and it would be well for him, and when he heard the music the evil spirit would depart from him.