Part 304

16:13. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward: and Samuel rose up, and went to Ramatha.

16:14. But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.

From the Lord.... An evil spirit, by divine permission, and for his punishment, either possessed or obsessed him.

16:15. And the servants of Saul said to him: Behold now an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

16:16. Let our lord give orders, and thy servants who are before thee, will seek out a man skilful in playing on the harp, that when the evil spirit from the Lord is upon thee, he may play with his hand, and thou mayst bear it more easily.

16:17. And Saul said to his servants: Provide me then some man that can play well, and bring him to me.

16:18. And one of the servants answering, said: Behold I have seen a son of Isai, the Bethlehemite, a skilful player, and one of great strength, and a man fit for war, and prudent in his words, and a comely person: and the Lord is with him.

16:19. Then Saul sent messengers to Isai, saying: Send me David, thy son, who is in the pastures.

16:20. And Isai took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid of the flock, and sent them by the hand of David, his son, to Saul.

16:21. And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him exceedingly, and made him his armourbearer.

16:22. And Saul sent to Isai, saying: Let David stand before me: for he hath found favour in my sight.

16:23. So whensoever the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, David took his harp, and played with his hand, and Saul was refreshed, and was better, for the evil spirit departed from him.

Departed from him.... Chased away by David’s devotion.

1 Kings Chapter 17

War with the Philistines. Goliath challengeth Israel. He is slain by David.

17:1. Now the Philistines gathering together their troops to battle, assembled at Socho of Juda: and camped between Socho and Azeca, in the borders of Dommim.

17:2. And Saul and the children of Israel being gathered together, came to the valley of Terebinth, and they set the army in array to fight against the Philistines.

17:3. And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.

17:4. And there went out a man baseborn from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Geth, whose height was six cubits and a span:

17:5. And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was clothed with a coat of mail with scales, and the weight of his coat of mail was five thousand sicles of brass:

17:6. And he had greaves of brass on his legs, and a buckler of brass covered his shoulders.

17:7. And the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred sicles of iron: and his armourbearer went before him.

17:8. And standing, he cried out to the bands of Israel, and said to them: Why are you come out prepared to fight? am not I a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose out a man of you, and let him come down and fight hand to hand.

17:9. If he be able to fight with me, and kill me, we will be servants to you: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, you shall be servants, and shall serve us.

17:10. And the Philistine said: I have defied the bands of Israel this day: give me a man, and let him fight with me hand to hand.

17:11. And Saul and all the Israelites hearing these words of the Philistine, were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

17:12. Now David was the son of that Ephrathite, of Bethlehem Juda, before mentioned, whose name was Isai, who had eight sons, and was an old man in the days of Saul, and of great age among men.

17:13. And his three eldest sons followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle, were Eliab, the firstborn, and the second, Abinadab, and the third Samma: