1tc The Lucianic recension of the Old Greek translation includes the following words: “And the Lord said to Samuel.”

2map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.

3tn Heb “for I have seen among his sons for me a king.”

4tn Heb “in your hand.”

5tn Heb “say”; KJV, NRSV “name”; NIV “indicate.”

6tn Heb “said.”

7map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.

8tc In the MT the verb is singular (“he said”), but the translation follows many medieval Hebrew mss and ancient versions in reading the plural (“they said”).

9tn Heb “he”; the referent (Samuel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

10tn Heb “saw.”

11tn Heb “said”; the words “to himself” are implied, given the secrecy surrounding Samuel’s mission to Bethlehem (v. 2).

12tn Heb “his anointed one.”

13tn Heb “don’t look toward.”

14tn Heb “for not that which the man sees.” The translation follows the LXX, which reads, “for not as man sees does God see.” The MT has suffered from homoioteleuton or homoioarcton. See P. K. McCarter, I Samuel (AB), 274.

15tn Heb “to the eyes.”

16tn Heb “and caused him to pass before.”

17tn Heb “he” (also in v. 9); the referent (Samuel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

18tn Heb “caused to pass by.”

19tn Heb “caused seven of his sons to pass before Samuel.” This could be taken as referring to seven sons in addition to the three mentioned before this, but 1 Sam 17:12 says Jesse had eight sons, not eleven. 1 Chr 2:13-15 lists only seven sons, including David. However, 1 Chr 27:18 mentions an additional son, named Elihu.

20tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jesse) has been specified in the translation both here and in v. 12 for clarity.

21tn Heb “and he sent and brought him.”

22tn Or “an injurious spirit”; cf. NLT “a tormenting spirit.” The phrase need not refer to an evil, demonic spirit. The Hebrew word translated “evil” may refer to the character of the spirit or to its effect upon Saul. If the latter, another translation option might be “a mischief-making spirit.”

23tn Heb “and he will play with his hand.”

24tn Heb “and it will be better for you.”

25tn Heb “see.”

26tn Heb “answered and said.”

27map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.

28tn Heb “mighty man of valor and a man of war.”

29tn Heb “discerning of word.”

30tn Heb “a man of form.”

31tn Heb “a kid of the goats.”

32tn Heb “by the hand of.”

33tn Heb “he loved him.”

34tn Heb “Let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my eyes.”

35tn Heb “would turn aside from upon him.”