1 Yehova anati kwa Samueli, “Kodi udzamulira Sauli mpaka liti, popeza Ine ndamukana kuti akhale mfumu ya Israeli? Dzaza mafuta mʼbotolo lako ndipo unyamuke kupita kwa Yese wa ku Betelehemu popeza ndadzisankhira mmodzi mwa ana ake kukhala mfumu.”

2 Koma Samueli anati, “Kodi ndingapite bwanji? Sauli akamva zimenezi adzandipha.”

Yehova anayankha, “Tenga ngʼombe yayikazi ndipo ukanene kuti, ‘Ndabwera kudzapereka nsembe kwa Yehova. 3 Ukamuyitane Yese ku mwambo wa nsembe, ndipo ine ndidzakuwuza choti ukachite. Ukandidzozere amene ndikakulozere.’ ”

4 Samueli anachita zimene Yehova ananena, ndipo anabweradi ku Betelehemu kuja. Akuluakulu a mu mzindawo anamuchingamira ali njenjenje ndi mantha ndipo anamufunsa kuti, “Kodi mwabwera mwa mtendere?”

5 Samueli anayankha kuti, “Inde, kwabwino. Ndabwera kudzapereka nsembe kwa Yehova. Mudzipatule ndipo mubwere kudzapereka nsembe pamodzi nane.” Kenaka iye anamupatula Yese ndi ana ake aamuna ndipo anawayitana kudzapereka nsembe.

6 Pamene anafika, Samueli anaona Eliabu ndipo anaganiza “Ndithu wodzozedwa wa Yehova uja ndi uyu wayima pamaso pakeyu.”

7 Koma Yehova anati kwa Samueli, “Usaone maonekedwe ake kapena msinkhu wake, pakuti ndamukana iyeyu. Yehova sapenya zimene munthu amapenya. Anthu amapenya zakunja, koma Mulungu amapenya za mu mtima.”

8 Kenaka Yese anayitana Abinadabu namubweretsa pamaso pa Samueli. Koma Samueli anati, “Yehova sanamusankhenso ameneyu.” 9 Ndipo Yese anayitana Sama, koma Samueli anati, “Ngakhale uyu Yehova sanamusankhe.” 10 Pambuyo pake, Yese anayitana ana ake amuna asanu ndi awiri kuti apite kwa Samueli. Koma Samueli anati, “Yehova sanasankhe amenewa.” 11 Tsono Samueli anafunsa Yese kuti, “Kodi awa ndi ana ako onse aamuna?”

Yese anayankha kuti, “Ayi, alipo wina wamngʼono amene watsala, koma akuweta nkhosa.”

Samueli anati, “Apite munthu akamutenge popeza sitipereka nsembe mpaka iye atabwera.”

12 Choncho anatuma munthu kukamutenga ndipo anabwera naye. Iye anali wofiirira, wa maonekedwe abwino ochititsa kaso.

Ndipo Yehova anati, “Mudzoze popeza ndi ameneyu.”

13 Samueli anatenga botolo la mafuta ndi kumudzoza pamaso pa abale ake, ndipo Mzimu wa Yehova unabwera mwamphamvu pa Davide kuyambira tsiku limenelo mpaka mʼtsogolo. Pambuyo pake Samueli anabwerera ku Rama.

14 Nthawi imeneyo Mzimu wa Yehova unamuchokera Sauli, ndipo mzimu woyipa wochokera kwa Yehova unayamba kumuzunza.

15 Atumiki a Sauli anati, “Taonani mzimu woyipa wochokera kwa Mulungu ukukuzunzani. 16 Ndiyetu, inu mbuye wathu titumeni ife antchito anu kuti tikafune munthu wodziwa bwino kuyimba zeze. Tsono pamene mzimu woyipa wochokera kwa Mulungu wakufikirani, iye azidzayimba ndipo mudzakhala bwino.”

17 Choncho Sauli anati kwa atumiki ake, “Chabwino, kandipezereni munthu wodziwa bwino kuyimba ndipo mubwere naye kuno.”

18 Mmodzi mwa antchito ake anati, “Ine ndinaona mwana wa Yese wa ku Betelehemu. Ndiye munthu wodziwa bwino kuyimba, wolimba mtima, ngwazi pa nkhondo, wodziwa kuyankhula ndi wokongola. Ndipotu Yehova ali ndi iye.”

19 Ndipo Sauli anatumiza amithenga kwa Yese kukanena kuti, “Nditumizireni mwana wanu Davide, amene amaweta nkhosa.” 20 Choncho Yese anatenga bulu namunyamulitsa buledi, thumba la vinyo ndi mwana wambuzi mmodzi. Zonsezi anamupatsa mwana wake Davide kuti akapereke kwa Sauli.

21 Davide anafika kwa Sauli ndipo anayamba ntchito. Sauli anamukonda kwambiri Davide ndipo anamusandutsa wonyamula zida zake za nkhondo. 22 Kenaka Sauli anatumiza mawu kwa Yese ndi kuti, “Mulole kuti Davide azinditumikira, pakuti ndamukonda kwambiri.”

23 Nthawi zonse mzimu woyipa wochokera kwa Mulungu umati ukamufikira Sauli, Davide ankatenga zeze wake nʼkumamuyimbira. Choncho Sauli ankapeza bwino, ndipo mzimu woyipa uja unkamusiya.