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1. Now Saul being sensible of the miserable condition he had
brought himself into, and that he had made God to be his enemy,
he went up to his royal palace at Gibeah, which name denotes a
hill, and after that day he came no more into the presence of the
prophet. And when Samuel mourned for him, God bid him leave off
his concern for him, and to take the holy oil, and go to
Bethlehem, to Jesse the son of Obed, and to anoint such of his
sons as he should show him for their future king. But Samuel
said, he was afraid lest Saul, when he came to know of it, should
kill him, either by some private method or even openly. But upon
God's suggesting to him a safe way of going thither, he came to
the forementioned city; and when they all saluted him, and asked
what was the occasion of his coming, he told them he came to
sacrifice to God. When, therefore, he had gotten the sacrifice
ready, he called Jesse and his sons to partake of those
sacrifices; and when he saw his eldest son to be a tall and
handsome man, he guessed by his comeliness that he was the person
who was to be their future king. But he was mistaken in judging
about God's providence; for when Samuel inquired of God whether
he should anoint this youth, whom he so admired, and esteemed
worthy of the kingdom, God said, "Men do not see as God seeth.
Thou indeed hast respect to the fine appearance of this youth,
and thence esteemest him worthy of the kingdom, while I propose
the kingdom as a reward, not of the beauty of bodies, but of the
virtue of souls, and I inquire after one that is perfectly comely
in that respect; I mean one who is beautiful in piety, and
righteousness, and fortitude, and obedience, for in them consists
the comeliness of the soul." When God had said this, Samuel bade
Jesse to show him all his sons. So he made five others of his
sons to come to him; of all of whom Eliab was the eldest,
Aminadab the second, Shammall the third, Nathaniel the fourth,
Rael the fifth, and Asam the sixth. And when the prophet saw that
these were no way inferior to the eldest in their countenances,
he inquired of God which of them it was whom he chose for their
king. And when God said it was none of them, he asked Jesse
whether he had not some other sons besides these; and when he
said that he had one more, named David, but that he was a
shepherd, and took care of the flocks, Samuel bade them call him
immediately, for that till he was come they could not possibly
sit down to the feast. Now, as soon as his father had sent for
David, and he was come, he appeared to be of a yellow complexion,
of a sharp sight, and a comely person in other respects also.
This is he, said Samuel privately to himself, whom it pleases God
to make our king. So he sat down to the feast, and placed the
youth under him, and Jesse also, with his other sons; after which
he took oil in the presence of David, and anointed him, and
whispered him in the ear, and acquainted him that God chose him
to be their king; and exhorted him to be righteous, and obedient
to his commands, for that by this means his kingdom would
continue for a long time, and that his house should be of great
splendor, and celebrated in the world; that he should overthrow
the Philistines; and that against what nations soever he should
make war, he should be the conqueror, and survive the fight; and
that while he lived he should enjoy a glorious name, and leave
such a name to his posterity also.
2. So Samuel, when he had given him these admonitions, went away.
But the Divine Power departed from Saul, and removed to David;
who, upon this removal of the Divine Spirit to him, began to
prophesy. But as for Saul, some strange and demoniacal disorders
came upon him, and brought upon him such suffocations as were
ready to choke him; for which the physicians could find no other
remedy but this, That if any person could charm those passions by
singing, and playing upon the harp, they advised them to inquire
for such a one, and to observe when these demons came upon him
and disturbed him, and to take care that such a person might
stand over him, and play upon the harp, and recite hymns to him.
Accordingly Saul did not delay, but commanded them to seek
out such a man. And when a certain stander-by said that he had
seen in the city of Bethlehem a son of Jesse, who was yet no more
than a child in age, but comely and beautiful, and in other
respects one that was deserving of great regard, who was skillful
in playing on the harp, and in singing of hymns, [and an
excellent soldier in war,] he sent to Jesse, and desired him to
take David away from the flocks, and send him to him, for he had
a mind to see him, as having heard an advantageous character of
his comeliness and his valor. So Jesse sent his son, and gave him
presents to carry to Saul. And when he was come, Saul was pleased
with him, and made him his armor-bearer, and had him in very
great esteem; for he charmed his passion, and was the only
physician against the trouble he had from the demons, whensoever
it was that it came upon him, and this by reciting of hymns, and
playing upon the harp, and bringing Saul to his right mind again.
However, he sent to Jesse, the father of the child, and desired
him to permit David to stay with him, for that he was delighted
with his sight and company; which stay, that he might not
contradict Saul, he granted.
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