⁴ Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem,^(A) the elders of the town trembled^(B) when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?^(C)”

⁵ Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate^(D) yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

⁶ When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab^(E) and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”

⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance,^(F) but the Lord looks at the heart.”^(G)

⁸ Then Jesse called Abinadab^(H) and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” ⁹ Jesse then had Shammah^(I) pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” ¹⁰ Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” ¹¹ So he asked Jesse, “Are these all^(J) the sons you have?”

“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”^(K)

Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”

¹² So he^(L) sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome^(M) features.

Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”

¹³ So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed^(N) him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord^(O) came powerfully upon David.^(P) Samuel then went to Ramah.

The Magi Visit the Messiah

2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea,^(A) during the time of King Herod,^(B) Magi^[a] from the east came to Jerusalem ² and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?^(C) We saw his star^(D) when it rose and have come to worship him.”

³ When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵ “In Bethlehem^(E) in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

⁷ Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. ⁸ He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”