STORIES FROM THE BIBLE ---5--2

 

        DAVID - The Shepherd boy --2

 

     The Lord said to Samuel : " Do not weep and mourn any longer over Saul, for I have refused him as king. Fill the horn with oil, and go to Bethlehem in Judah. There find a man  named Jesse, for  I have chosen a king among his sons." Samuel went over the mountains southward from Ramah to Bethlemem to find the one whom God has chosen. And he invited Jesse and his sons to a service. When they came, he looked at the sons of Jesse very closely. As soon as the young David came, the Lord said Samuel: " Arise anoint him, for this is the one whom I have chosen."

 

     The Samuel poured oil on David's head, in the presence of all his brothers. But no one knew at that time the anointing to mean that David was to be the king. Perhaps they thought that David was chosen to be a Prophet like Samuel. David grew up stong and brave. he was not afraid of the wild beasts which tried to carry away his sheep.

More than once he fought with lions. and bears, and killed them, when they seized the lambs of his flock. And David, alone all days, practised  throwing stones in a sling, until

he could strike exactly the place for which he aimed. When he swung his sling, he knew that the stone would go to the very spot at which he was throwing it.

 

     And young as he was, David thought of God, and talked with God, and God talked with Davod, and showed to David his will. After Saul had disobeyed the voice of the Load, the spirit of the Load left Saul, and no longer spoke to him.

And Saul became very sad of heart. At timed a madness would come upon him, and at all times he was very unhappy. The servants of Saul noticed that when some one played on the harp and sang, Saul's spirit was made more cheerful; and the sadness of soul left him.

At one time Saul said: " Find some one who can play well, and bring him to me. Let him listen to music; for it drives away my sadness."