⁷But 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,^g but the Lord looks at the heart.”^h

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

“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”^l

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

¹²So he^m sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsomeⁿ features.

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

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

Read in Logos

1 Samuel 16:7: But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”

Cross references

f 1 Sa 17:13; 1 Ch 2:13
g Ps 147:10
hSee 1 Sa 2:3; 2 Sa 7:20; See Ps 44:21; See 139:23; See Rev 2:23
i 1 Sa 17:13
j 1 Sa 17:13; 2 Sa 13:3; 21:21
k 1 Sa 17:12
lSee Ge 37:2; 2 Sa 7:8
m 1 Sa 9:17
nSee Ge 39:6
oSee 1 Sa 2:35; See 2 Sa 22:51
p 1 Sa 18:12
qSee 1 Sa 11:6