Samuel

Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said to him, “You are blessed by the LORD! I have performed the commandment of the LORD.”

Samuel said, “Then what does this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the cattle which I hear mean?”

Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stay, and I will tell you what the LORD has said to me last night.” He said to him, “Say on.”

Samuel said, “Though you were little in your own sight, weren’t you made the head of the tribes of Israel? the LORD anointed you king over Israel;

Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and your words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for you have rejected the LORD’s word, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.”

As Samuel turned about to go away, Saul grabbed the skirt of his robe, and it tore.

Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.

So Samuel went back with Saul; and Saul worshiped the LORD.

Then Samuel said, “Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites!” Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”

Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women!” Samuel cut Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.

Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul.

Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death; for Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.

The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite; for I have provided a king for myself among his sons.”

Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” The LORD said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.

Samuel did that which the LORD spoke, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?”

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for I see not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.”

Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.”

Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your children here?” He said, “There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is keeping the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.”

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

Now David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. He and Samuel went and lived in Naioth.

Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came on the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.