David

David

For a time, Saul was a good and wise king, and he followed the Lord. But when he had won a few victories over the Philistines, his head was turned. He became proud and rebelled against the Lord's commands. God told Samuel that he was displeased with Saul as king of the Hebrews. Samuel told this to Saul, then left him, and never saw him again.

There came a day when God said to Samuel: "How long are you going to weep over Saul? Fill your horn with oil and go to Bethlehem, for there, among the sons of Jesse, the grandson of Ruth and Boaz, I have chosen a king.

Samuel did as he was told and found that God had chosen Jesse's youngest son, David, who tended his father's sheep and played the harp with skill. Then Samuel took the horn of oil and appointed David, and the spirit of the Lord was with David from that day on. At the same time the spirit of the Lord left Saul, and he was greatly troubled.

Saul's servants were worried about their king. He had always been excitable, but when he learned that God had rejected him, he began to have spells of gloominess. In order to calm him when he was troubled, he servants begged him to find a man who could play the harp and perhaps soothe him. One of them said, "I have heard the young son of Jesse in Bethlehem, who plays beautifully. He is strong, handsome, and wise, and the Lord is with him."

Messengers were sent to bring David. When Saul saw him and heard him play, he liked David so much that he made the boy his armor-bearer so that he would always be near him. Whenever Saul was deeply troubled, David took his harp and played for him, and Saul was refreshed and the evil spirit departed from him. Saul grew to love David as he loved his own son, Jonathan.