1 Samuel 16:6

6 When they came, he looked on ¹Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him. ”

1 Samuel 16:6 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 16:6

And it came to pass, when they were come
Jesse and his sons, into the house where the entertainment was; and perhaps before they sat down, went into a private apartment by the direction of Samuel, where he acquainted Jesse with the business he came upon:

that he looked on Eliab;
who was Jesse's firstborn, ( 1 Chronicles 2:13 ) , called Elihu, ( 1 Chronicles 27:18 )

and said, surely the Lord's anointed is before him;
or this is the person it is his pleasure should be anointed king.

1 Samuel 16:6 In-Context

4 Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably? ”

5 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. ” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him. ”

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. ”

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one. ”

Cross References

• 1. 16:6 ch. 17:13