1 Samuel 16:2-3 - Compare All Versions
1 Samuel 16:2-3 MSG (The Message)
“I can’t do that,” said Samuel. “Saul will hear about it and kill me.” GOD said, “Take a heifer with you and announce, ‘I’ve come to lead you in worship of GOD, with this heifer as a sacrifice.’ Make sure Jesse gets invited. I’ll let you know what to do next. I’ll point out the one you are to anoint.”
1 Samuel 16:2-3 KJV (King James Version)
And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD. And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.
1 Samuel 16:2-3 NASB1995 (New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995)
But Samuel said, “How can I go? When Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ You shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for Me the one whom I designate to you.”
1 Samuel 16:2-3 NCV (New Century Version)
But Samuel said, “If I go, Saul will hear the news and will try to kill me.” The LORD said, “Take a young calf with you. Say, ‘I have come to offer a sacrifice to the LORD.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice. Then I will tell you what to do. You must appoint the one I show you.”
1 Samuel 16:2-3 ASV (American Standard Version)
And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And Jehovah said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to Jehovah. And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.
1 Samuel 16:2-3 NIV (New International Version)
But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” The LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.”
1 Samuel 16:2-3 NKJV (New King James Version)
And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” But the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.”
1 Samuel 16:2-3 AMP (Amplified Bible)
But Samuel said, “How can I go? When Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “Take a heifer from the herd with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ You shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do [after that]; and you shall anoint for Me the one whom I designate.”
1 Samuel 16:2-3 NLT (New Living Translation)
But Samuel asked, “How can I do that? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” “Take a heifer with you,” the LORD replied, “and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the LORD. Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me.”
1 Samuel 16:2-3 ESV (English Standard Version 2025)
And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.”