1 Samuel 16
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1And 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.
2And 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.
3And 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.
4And 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?
5And 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.
6And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him.
7But 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.
8Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
9Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
10Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.
11And 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.
12And 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.
13Then 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.
14But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
15And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
16Let 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.
17And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.
18Then 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.
19Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.
20And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.
21And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
22And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.
23And 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.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- אָמַרʼâmarH55922× in this chapter
to say (used with great latitude)
- אֵלʼêlH41321× in this chapter
near, with or among; often in general, to
- יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâhH306816× in this chapter
Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
- יִשַׁיYishayH344813× in this chapter
Jishai, David's father
- שָׁאוּלShâʼûwlH758611× in this chapter
Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two Israelites
- שְׁמוּאֵלShᵉmûwʼêlH805011× in this chapter
Shemuel, the name of three Israelites
- אֵתʼêthH85310× in this chapter
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
- בּוֹאbôwʼH93510× in this chapter
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
- כִּיkîyH35887× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- רָאָהrâʼâhH72007× in this chapter
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
- רוּחַrûwachH73077× in this chapter
wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions)
- שָׁלַחshâlachH79717× in this chapter
to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)
- בֵּןbênH11216× in this chapter
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
- דָּוִדDâvidH17326× in this chapter
David, the youngest son of Jesse
- הָיָהhâyâhH19616× in this chapter
to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
- לֹאlôʼH38085× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- לָקַחlâqachH39475× in this chapter
to take (in the widest variety of applications)
- נָגַןnâganH50595× in this chapter
properly, to thrum, i.e. beat atune with the fingers; expectation. to play on astringed instrument; hence (generally), to make music
- פָּנִיםpânîymH64405× in this chapter
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
- אֲשֶׁרʼăsherH8345× in this chapter
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
- בֵּית הַלַּחְמִיBêyth hal-LachmîyH10224× in this chapter
a Beth-lechemite, or native of Bethlechem
- יָדyâdH30274× in this chapter
a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
- אִישׁʼîyshH3764× in this chapter
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
- נָאnâʼH49944× in this chapter
'I pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the Imperative or Future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction
- רַעraʻH74514× in this chapter
bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)
- הוּאhûwʼH19313× in this chapter
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
- הָלַךְhâlakH19803× in this chapter
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
- הִנֵּהhinnêhH20093× in this chapter
lo!
- זֶבַחzebachH20773× in this chapter
properly, a slaughter, i.e. the flesh of an animal; by implication, a sacrifice (the victim or the act)
- זֶהzehH20883× in this chapter
the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that
- טוֹבṭôwbH28963× in this chapter
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)
- יָדַעyâdaʻH30453× in this chapter
to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)
- אֱלֹהִיםʼĕlôhîymH4303× in this chapter
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
- מָשַׁחmâshachH48863× in this chapter
to rub with oil, i.e. to anoint; by implication, to consecrate; also to paint
- עֶבֶדʻebedH56503× in this chapter
a servant
- עָבַרʻâbarH56743× in this chapter
to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation)
- עַיִןʻayinH58693× in this chapter
an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
- עַלʻalH59213× in this chapter
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
- עִםʻimH59733× in this chapter
adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then usually unrepresented in English)
- קָרָאqârâʼH71213× in this chapter
to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)