1 Samuel 16:1-7
New International Version
Samuel Anoints David
16 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn(A) for Saul, since I have rejected(B) him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil(C) and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse(D) of Bethlehem. I have chosen(E) one of his sons to be king.”
2 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.’ 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show(F) you what to do. You are to anoint(G) for me the one I indicate.”
4 Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem,(H) the elders of the town trembled(I) when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?(J)”
5 Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate(K) 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(L) 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,(M) but the Lord looks at the heart.”(N)
1 Samuel 16:1-7
King James Version
16 And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
2 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.
3 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.
4 And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
5 And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.
7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
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1 Samuel 16:1-7
New King James Version
David Anointed King
16 Now the Lord said to Samuel, (A)“How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? (B)Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to (C)Jesse the Bethlehemite. For (D)I have [a]provided Myself a king among his sons.”
2 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, (E)‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 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.”
4 So Samuel did what the Lord said, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town (F)trembled at his coming, and said, (G)“Do you come peaceably?”
5 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. (H)Sanctify[b] yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 So it was, when they came, that he looked at (I)Eliab and (J)said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!”
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, (K)“Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have [c]refused him. (L)For[d] the Lord does not see as man sees; for man (M)looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the (N)heart.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 16:1 Lit. seen
- 1 Samuel 16:5 Consecrate
- 1 Samuel 16:7 rejected
- 1 Samuel 16:7 LXX For God does not see as man sees; Tg. It is not by the appearance of a man; Vg. Nor do I judge according to the looks of a man
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.