What is the meaning of 1 Samuel 16:6? When they arrived • Samuel has come to Bethlehem in obedience to God’s command (1 Samuel 16:1–4). • The simple phrase marks the precise moment God’s plan begins to unfold in Jesse’s household, showing that every step is under divine direction much like Abraham’s servant arriving at Rebekah’s well (Genesis 24:27). • Arrival after sacrifice preparations (1 Samuel 16:5) reminds us that God often pairs worship with revelation, as He did when He met Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:1–4). Samuel saw Eliab • Eliab, Jesse’s eldest, likely stood tall and regal; Samuel’s eyes are drawn to outward stature just as Israel once admired Saul’s height (1 Samuel 10:23–24). • First impressions can mislead even the most faithful servant, echoing how Jacob favored Joseph for his appearance and birth order (Genesis 37:3). • God permits Samuel’s initial reaction to expose the contrast between human sight and divine insight, preparing for the corrective word in the next verse (1 Samuel 16:7). “Surely here before the LORD is His anointed.” • Samuel speaks with confidence born of past experience anointing Saul (1 Samuel 9:16); yet past methods do not bind God’s future choices (Isaiah 55:8-9). • The phrase “before the LORD” recalls how David would later stand “before the LORD” in worship (2 Samuel 6:14), hinting that true anointing concerns heart posture more than appearance. • God overturns Samuel’s assumption to spotlight His sovereignty: “The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). • This moment teaches reliance on divine leading rather than human criteria, paralleling Proverbs 3:5 – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” summary 1 Samuel 16:6 captures Samuel’s arrival, his immediate impression of Eliab, and his confident yet mistaken conclusion that Eliab must be God’s chosen king. The verse exposes the limitation of judging by appearance and sets the stage for God’s declaration that He looks at the heart. Through it, we learn to await God’s assessment rather than our own, trusting that His choices—though sometimes surprising—perfectly fulfill His purposes. |
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