Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” Jesse replied, “There is still one left, the youngest; he is tending the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send word and bring him; because we will not sit down [to eat the sacrificial meal] until he comes here.”

After Jesse presented seven of his sons to him, Samuel told Jesse, “The Lord hasn’t chosen any of these.”

Now David was the son of the Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah named Jesse. Jesse had eight sons and during Saul’s reign was already an old man.

Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

And Saul said to him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me as a lier-in-wait, as at this day?

And Nabal answered David's servants and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there are many servants now-a-days that break away every man from his master.

And Jehovah said to Samuel, How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I will send you to Jesse of Bethlehem. For I have seen a king for Me among his sons.

And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for Me whomever I name to you.

And he said, Peaceably. I have come to sacrifice to Jehovah. Sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

And Jesse called Abinadab, and he passed him before Samuel, but he said, Also Jehovah has not chosen this one.

And Jesse passed Shammah by, but he said, Also Jehovah has not chosen this one.

And one of the servants answered and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skillful in playing, and a mighty warrior and a man of battle, and prudent in speech. And he is a person of good form, and Jehovah is with him.

And Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.

And Jesse took an ass loaded with bread and a skin of wine and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul.

And Saul sent to Jesse saying, Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.

And the three oldest sons of Jesse went out, and followed Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the first-born; and his second, Abinadab; and the third Shammah.

And Jesse said to his son David, Please take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to your brothers.

And David rose up early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper, and got up and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the barricade, and to the army which was going out to fight, and shouted for the battle.

And Saul said to him, Whose son are you, young man? And David answered, I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.

And it happened on the next day, the second of the month, David's place was empty. And Saul said to his son Jonathan, Why does the son of Jesse not come to the meal, neither yesterday nor today?

And Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own confusion, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness?

For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. And now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.

And Saul said to his servants standing by him, Now hear, Benjamites, will the son of Jesse give to any of you fields and vineyards, and make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds?

But all of you have conspired against me, and none of you was revealing in my ear when my son cut a covenant with the son of Jesse? And not one of you is sorry for me, even to reveal in my ear that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as today.

So Jesse sent for him. He had beautiful eyes and a healthy, handsome appearance.

Then the Lord said, “Anoint him, for he is the one.”