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.
Samuel ma twirisa David a rire Ombara
1 Muhona wa tja ku Samuel: “Mo ṱoruhoze na Saul nga ruṋe? Ami mbe mu nakaura kutja a ha rire ombara mOisrael. Urisa onya yoye nomaze omatwirise, nu u yende kObetlehem! Ami me ku hindi komurumendu wena Isai, tjinga amba toorora umwe wovazandu ve okurira ombara.”
2 Nu Samuel we mu pura a tja: “Ami me sora vi okutjita nao? Saul tja zuu otjiṋa hi me ndji zepa.”
Nu Muhona wa zira nai: “Twaerera ondana ondume, u katje: ‘Ami mbe ya okupunguhira Muhona.’ 3 Ṋanga Isai komukandi wombunguhiro, nu ami me ku tjivisa imbi mbi mo pu pokutjita. Ove mo twirisa ingwi ngu me ku urikire kutja a rire ombara.”
4 Nu Samuel wa tjita ihi Muhona tje mu raera, na i kObetlehem; novanane votjihuro ve mu tjakanena nomburuma, nave mu pura ave tja: “Omeero woye nga omanahange?”
5 Eye wa zira a tja: “Ii, omanahange! Ami mbe ya okupunguhira Muhona ombunguhiro. Riyapureye oveni, nu mu ye puna ami kombunguhiro!” Eye wa raera Isai novazandu ve wina kutja ve riyapure, ne ve ṋanga kombunguhiro.
6 Nowo tji ve ya, Samuel wa muna Eliab, omuzandu wa Isai, ne ripura nai mu ye omuini: “Omurumendu ngwi ngwa kurama mba komurungu wa Muhona, tjiri, onguri ingwi Muhona ngwa toorora okutwirisiwa.” 7 Nungwari Muhona wa tja nai ku Samuel: “O tara ku ihi ovandu ku ve tara; ovandu ve tara kombunikiro yomuhapo, nungwari Muhona u tara omutima womundu.”
8 Tjazumba Isai wa isana omuzandu we Abinadab, ne mu eta ku Samuel. Nungwari Samuel wa tja: “Kako, ingwi ka toororerwe i Muhona.” 9 Tjazumba wa eta omuzandu we Sama. Nu Samuel wa tja: “Kako, ingwi wina ka toororerwe i Muhona.” 10 Komuhingo mbwi Isai otja eta ovazandu ve hambombari ku Samuel, nungwari Samuel wa tja ku ye: “Avehe mba Muhona ke ve toororere.” 11 Tjazumba Samuel wa pura Isai a tja: “Ovazandu voye mba owo avehe?”
Isai wa zira nai: “Ngunda pe nongero, nungwari eye u ri pendje, u risa ozonḓu.”
Samuel arire tja tja “Kemuete! Katu nokupunguha ombunguhiro eye ngunda e hiye ya.” 12 Nu Isai wa hinda omundu okukemupaha. Omuzandu ngwi wa ri omuwa mombunikiro nomeho omawa, nomuhapo omuwa. Nu Muhona wa tja ku Samuel: “Onguri ye ngwi, mu twirisa!” 13 Samuel otja toora onya yomaze womiṋinga na twirisire David momurungu womarumbi we. Nombepo ya Muhona ya hita mu David nai kara mu ye okuza keyuva ndo. Nu Samuel arire tja yaruka kOrama.
David ma ungurire Saul
14 Ombepo ya Muhona ya pita mu Saul, nombepo ombi Muhona ndja hinda ye mu zunga. 15 Ovakarere va Saul va tja nai ku ye: “Matu tjiwa kutja ombepo ombi ndja hindwa i Ndjambi mai ku zunga. 16 Tu raera, muhona, tu kapahe omundu ngu tjiwa okunyanda otjiharpe. Indji ombepo ombi tji mai hiti move, omurumendu ngwi otji ma nyanda otjiharpe, nove otji mo kara nawa rukwao.”
17 Saul otja rakiza nai kovakarere ve: “Kendjipahereye omurumendu ngu nyanda nawa, nu mu mu ete ku ami.”
18 Nu umwe wovakarere ve wa tja nai: “Tara, ami mba muna omuzandu wa Isai, Omubetlehem, ngwa sora okunyanda otjiharpe, neye ependa nomurwe wovita, omunamirya, wa hapa nawa, nu Muhona u ri puna ye.”
19 Saul otja tuma ovahindwa ku Isai, ve katje nai: “Ndji hindira omuzandu woye David, ingwi ngu risa ozonḓu.” 20 Isai wa kambura okasino na kutire ko omboroto nondjaṱu yomavinu nokangombona, na hindi omuzandu we David ku Saul puna oviṋa avihe mbi. 21 Nu David wa ungurira Saul. Saul we mu suverere tjinene ne mu toorora kutja a rire omutjinde wovirwise vye. 22 Saul otja hinda ombuze ku Isai a tja: “Ami me vanga David; mu esa a kare mba, e ndji ungurire.” 23 Nokuzambo ombepo ombi ndja hindwa i Ndjambi tji ya penduka mu Saul, David otjaa toora otjiharpe tje, na nyanda. Nombepo ombi otjaa i piti mu Saul, neye otjiye rimunu nawa, na kara nawa rukwao.Otjiharpe
