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32. David the Shepherd Boy.

After this Samuel went to Bethlehem in the land of Judah at the command of God, to the house of a man named Jesse, to choose one of his sons quietly to succeed Saul. For God had chosen one of this man's sons to be king. Jesse had eight sons.

Jesse called his firstborn son, Eliab, and presented him to the prophet. Eliab pleased Samuel, for he was a handsome man. But the Lord said to Samuel: ‘Do not look at his appearance!’ For it is not as a man sees. A man sees what is before his eyes, but God looks at the heart.
Give me, my child, your heart!
Jesse let his second son Abinadab pass by the prophet. The Lord had not chosen Abinadab either. Jesse let seven sons pass by. The Lord had not chosen any of them. No one thought of the eighth. He was in the field tending his father's sheep and did not know what important things were going on at home in his father's house, while he was perhaps playing a beautiful morning psalm on the harp with a light and cheerful mind. Samuel asked Jesse if these were all his sons that he had just seen. Jesse said that there was still one left, the youngest; he was tending the sheep. This was David. Samuel sent for him. There came a handsome boy of a beautiful red colour, with beautiful eyes and a good figure. The Lord said: ‘Anoint him! This is the one.’ So Samuel took the jar of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. David took such a journey from the flock of sheep to the royal anointing. Afterwards Samuel died in Ramah, the city of his father, and this was the boy to whom his mother brought a new robe when she came to Shiloh for the festival. He brought his people back to the Lord their God and anointed two kings in Israel.