Samuel anoints David
1The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.’
2But Samuel said, ‘How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.’
The Lord said, ‘Take a heifer with you and say, “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.” 3Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.’
4Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, ‘Do you come in peace?’
5Samuel replied, ‘Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.’ Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.’
7But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’
8Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, ‘The Lord has not chosen this one either.’ 9Jesse then made Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, ‘Nor has the Lord chosen this one.’ 10Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, ‘The Lord has not chosen these.’ 11So he asked Jesse, ‘Are these all the sons you have?’
‘There is still the youngest,’ Jesse answered. ‘He is tending the sheep.’
Samuel said, ‘Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.’
12So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the Lord said, ‘Rise and anoint him; this is the one.’
13So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.
David in Saul’s service
14Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil16:14 Or and a harmful; similarly in verses 15, 16 and 23 spirit from the Lord tormented him.
15Saul’s attendants said to him, ‘See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the lyre. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes on you, and you will feel better.’
17So Saul said to his attendants, ‘Find someone who plays well and bring him to me.’
18One of the servants answered, ‘I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with him.’
19Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, ‘Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.’ 20So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.
21David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armour-bearers. 22Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, ‘Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.’
23Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.
Samueli Adzoza Davide Kukhala Mfumu
1Yehova anati kwa Samueli, “Kodi udzamulira Sauli mpaka liti, popeza Ine ndamukana kuti akhale mfumu ya Israeli? Dzaza mafuta mʼbotolo lako ndipo unyamuke kupita kwa Yese wa ku Betelehemu popeza ndadzisankhira mmodzi mwa ana ake kukhala mfumu.”
2Koma Samueli anati, “Kodi ndingapite bwanji? Sauli akamva zimenezi adzandipha.”
Yehova anayankha, “Tenga ngʼombe yayikazi ndipo ukanene kuti, ‘Ndabwera kudzapereka nsembe kwa Yehova. 3Ukamuyitane Yese ku mwambo wa nsembe, ndipo ine ndidzakuwuza choti ukachite. Ukandidzozere amene ndikakulozere.’ ”
4Samueli anachita zimene Yehova ananena, ndipo anabweradi ku Betelehemu kuja. Akuluakulu a mu mzindawo anamuchingamira ali njenjenje ndi mantha ndipo anamufunsa kuti, “Kodi mwabwera mwa mtendere?”
5Samueli anayankha kuti, “Inde, kwabwino. Ndabwera kudzapereka nsembe kwa Yehova. Mudzipatule ndipo mubwere kudzapereka nsembe pamodzi nane.” Kenaka iye anamupatula Yese ndi ana ake aamuna ndipo anawayitana kudzapereka nsembe.
6Pamene anafika, Samueli anaona Eliabu ndipo anaganiza “Ndithu wodzozedwa wa Yehova uja ndi uyu wayima pamaso pakeyu.”
7Koma Yehova anati kwa Samueli, “Usaone maonekedwe ake kapena msinkhu wake, pakuti ndamukana iyeyu. Yehova sapenya zimene munthu amapenya. Anthu amapenya zakunja, koma Mulungu amapenya za mu mtima.”
8Kenaka Yese anayitana Abinadabu namubweretsa pamaso pa Samueli. Koma Samueli anati, “Yehova sanamusankhenso ameneyu.” 9Ndipo Yese anayitana Sama, koma Samueli anati, “Ngakhale uyu Yehova sanamusankhe.” 10Pambuyo pake, Yese anayitana ana ake amuna asanu ndi awiri kuti apite kwa Samueli. Koma Samueli anati, “Yehova sanasankhe amenewa.” 11Tsono Samueli anafunsa Yese kuti, “Kodi awa ndi ana ako onse aamuna?”
Yese anayankha kuti, “Ayi, alipo wina wamngʼono amene watsala, koma akuweta nkhosa.”
Samueli anati, “Apite munthu akamutenge popeza sitipereka nsembe mpaka iye atabwera.”
12Choncho anatuma munthu kukamutenga ndipo anabwera naye. Iye anali wofiirira, wa maonekedwe abwino ochititsa kaso.
Ndipo Yehova anati, “Mudzoze popeza ndi ameneyu.”
13Samueli anatenga botolo la mafuta ndi kumudzoza pamaso pa abale ake, ndipo Mzimu wa Yehova unabwera mwamphamvu pa Davide kuyambira tsiku limenelo mpaka mʼtsogolo. Pambuyo pake Samueli anabwerera ku Rama.
Davide Atumikira Sauli
14Nthawi imeneyo Mzimu wa Yehova unamuchokera Sauli, ndipo mzimu woyipa wochokera kwa Yehova unayamba kumuzunza.
15Atumiki a Sauli anati, “Taonani mzimu woyipa wochokera kwa Mulungu ukukuzunzani. 16Ndiyetu, inu mbuye wathu titumeni ife antchito anu kuti tikafune munthu wodziwa bwino kuyimba zeze. Tsono pamene mzimu woyipa wochokera kwa Mulungu wakufikirani, iye azidzayimba ndipo mudzakhala bwino.”
17Choncho Sauli anati kwa atumiki ake, “Chabwino, kandipezereni munthu wodziwa bwino kuyimba ndipo mubwere naye kuno.”
18Mmodzi mwa antchito ake anati, “Ine ndinaona mwana wa Yese wa ku Betelehemu. Ndiye munthu wodziwa bwino kuyimba, wolimba mtima, ngwazi pa nkhondo, wodziwa kuyankhula ndi wokongola. Ndipotu Yehova ali ndi iye.”
19Ndipo Sauli anatumiza amithenga kwa Yese kukanena kuti, “Nditumizireni mwana wanu Davide, amene amaweta nkhosa.” 20Choncho Yese anatenga bulu namunyamulitsa buledi, thumba la vinyo ndi mwana wambuzi mmodzi. Zonsezi anamupatsa mwana wake Davide kuti akapereke kwa Sauli.
21Davide anafika kwa Sauli ndipo anayamba ntchito. Sauli anamukonda kwambiri Davide ndipo anamusandutsa wonyamula zida zake za nkhondo. 22Kenaka Sauli anatumiza mawu kwa Yese ndi kuti, “Mulole kuti Davide azinditumikira, pakuti ndamukonda kwambiri.”
23Nthawi zonse mzimu woyipa wochokera kwa Mulungu umati ukamufikira Sauli, Davide ankatenga zeze wake nʼkumamuyimbira. Choncho Sauli ankapeza bwino, ndipo mzimu woyipa uja unkamusiya.
