1 Samuel 16:6
New International Version
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.”

New Living Translation
When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the LORD’s anointed!”

English Standard Version
When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him.”

Berean Standard Bible
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, “Surely here before the LORD is His anointed.”

King James Bible
And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him.

New King James Version
So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before Him!”

New American Standard Bible
When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’S anointed is standing before Him.”

NASB 1995
When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’S anointed is before Him.”

NASB 1977
Then it came about when they entered, that he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before Him.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened, when they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the anointed of Yahweh is before Him.”

Amplified Bible
So it happened, when they had come, he looked at Eliab [the eldest son] and thought, “Surely the LORD’S anointed is before Him.”

Christian Standard Bible
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, “Certainly the LORD’s anointed one is here before him.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, “Certainly the LORD’s anointed one is here before Him.”

American Standard Version
And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely Jehovah's anointed is before him.

Contemporary English Version
When Jesse and his sons arrived, Samuel noticed Jesse's oldest son, Eliab. "He has to be the one the LORD has chosen," Samuel said to himself.

English Revised Version
And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When they came, he saw Eliab and thought, "Certainly, here in the LORD's presence is his anointed king."

Good News Translation
When they arrived, Samuel saw Jesse's son Eliab and said to himself, "This man standing here in the LORD's presence is surely the one he has chosen."

International Standard Version
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab, and said, "Surely he's the LORD's anointed."

Majority Standard Bible
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, “Surely here before the LORD is His anointed.”

NET Bible
When they arrived, Samuel noticed Eliab and said to himself, "Surely, here before the LORD stands his chosen king!"

New Heart English Bible
It happened, when they had come, that he looked at Eliab, and said, "Surely the LORD's anointed is before him."

Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass when they had come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him.

World English Bible
When they had come, he looked at Eliab, and said, “Surely Yahweh’s anointed is before him.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And it comes to pass, in their coming in, that he sees Eliab and says, “Surely His anointed [is] here before YHWH.”

Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass, in their coming in, that he seeth Eliab, and saith, 'Surely, before Jehovah is His anointed.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And it will be in their coming, and he will see Eliab, and he said, Surely, before Jehovah his Messiah.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when they were come in, he saw Eliab, and said: Is the Lord's anointed before him?

Catholic Public Domain Version
And when they had entered, he saw Eliab, and he said, “Could he be the Christ in the sight of the Lord?”

New American Bible
As they came, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the anointed is here before the LORD.”

New Revised Standard Version
When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is now before the LORD.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And when they were come, he looked to Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed is like him.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And when they came, he saw Eliab and said: “The Anointed of LORD JEHOVAH is like him!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And it came to pass, when they were come, that he beheld Eliab, and said: 'Surely the LORD'S anointed is before Him.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And it came to pass when they came in, that he saw Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Samuel Anoints David
5“In peace,” he replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, “Surely here before the LORD is His anointed.” 7But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”…

Cross References
1 Samuel 9:2
And he had a son named Saul, choice and handsome, without equal among the Israelites—a head taller than any of the people.

1 Samuel 10:23-24
So they ran and brought Saul, and when he stood among the people, he was a head taller than any of the others. / Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

1 Kings 1:5-6
At that time Adonijah, David’s son by Haggith, began to exalt himself, saying, “I will be king!” And he acquired chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run ahead of him. / (His father had never once reprimanded him by saying, “Why do you act this way?” Adonijah was also very handsome, born next after Absalom.)

1 Kings 1:11-13
Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king, and our lord David does not know it? / Now please, come and let me advise you. Save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. / Go at once to King David and say, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear to your maidservant, “Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’

1 Kings 1:17-18
“My lord,” she replied, “you yourself swore to your maidservant by the LORD your God: ‘Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne.’ / But now, behold, Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, do not know it.

1 Kings 1:24-25
“My lord the king,” said Nathan, “did you say, ‘Adonijah will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne’? / For today he has gone down and sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’

1 Kings 1:32-35
Then King David said, “Call in for me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king. / “Take my servants with you,” said the king. “Set my son Solomon on my own mule and take him down to Gihon. / There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. You are to blow the ram’s horn and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ ...

1 Kings 2:15
“You know that the kingship was mine,” he said. “All Israel expected that I should reign, but the kingship has turned to my brother, for it has come to him from the LORD.

1 Chronicles 28:4
Yet the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me out of all my father’s house to be king over Israel forever. For He chose Judah as leader, and from the house of Judah He chose my father’s household, and from my father’s sons He was pleased to make me king over all Israel.

Psalm 78:70-71
He chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds; / from tending the ewes He brought him to be shepherd of His people Jacob, of Israel His inheritance.

Isaiah 11:1-3
Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit. / The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD. / And He will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what His eyes see, and He will not decide by what His ears hear,

Jeremiah 23:5
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land.

Matthew 1:6
and Jesse the father of David the king. Next: David was the father of Solomon by Uriah’s wife,

Matthew 22:42-45
“What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He?” “David’s,” they answered. / Jesus said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord’? For he says: / ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.”’ ...

Mark 12:35-37
While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, He asked, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? / Speaking by the Holy Spirit, David himself declared: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.”’ / David himself calls Him ‘Lord.’ So how can He be David’s son?” And the large crowd listened to Him with delight.


Treasury of Scripture

And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD's anointed is before him.

Eliab

1 Samuel 17:13,22
And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah…

1 Chronicles 2:13
And Jesse begat his firstborn Eliab, and Abinadab the second, and Shimma the third,

1 Chronicles 27:18
Of Judah, Elihu, one of the brethren of David: of Issachar, Omri the son of Michael:

Elihu

Judges 8:18
Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.

1 Kings 12:26
And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:

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Anointed Arrived Beheld Clearly Eliab Eli'ab Entered Jehovah's LORD's Samuel Selection Stands Surely Thought
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Anointed Arrived Beheld Clearly Eliab Eli'ab Entered Jehovah's LORD's Samuel Selection Stands Surely Thought
1 Samuel 16
1. Samuel sent by God, under pretense of a sacrifice, comes to Bethlehem
6. His human judgment is reproved
11. He anoints David
15. Saul sends for David to quiet his evil spirit














When they arrived
This phrase sets the scene for a significant moment in biblical history. The arrival refers to the moment when Jesse's sons were presented before Samuel. In the Hebrew context, the word for "arrived" (בּוֹא, bo) often implies a purposeful coming or entering, suggesting that this was a divinely orchestrated event. Historically, this moment is pivotal as it marks the beginning of David's journey to kingship, a key figure in the lineage of Christ.

Samuel saw Eliab
The act of seeing here is more than just physical sight; it implies perception and judgment. The Hebrew word for "saw" (רָאָה, ra'ah) can also mean to consider or to look upon with intention. Samuel, a prophet of God, was using his human judgment to assess Eliab. Eliab, being the eldest son, naturally seemed the most likely candidate for kingship, reflecting the cultural norms of primogeniture where the firstborn is often given precedence.

and said, 'Surely here before the LORD is His anointed.'
Samuel's declaration is significant. The word "surely" (אָכֵן, aken) indicates confidence and certainty, yet it also sets the stage for a divine lesson in God's criteria for leadership. The phrase "before the LORD" (לִפְנֵי יְהוָה, lifnei Yahweh) emphasizes the presence and authority of God in this decision-making process. The term "His anointed" (מְשִׁיחוֹ, meshicho) is crucial, as it is the Hebrew root for "Messiah," meaning "anointed one." This reflects the sacred act of anointing, which was a physical symbol of God's choice and empowerment for leadership. Historically, anointing with oil was a common practice for consecrating someone to a holy office, signifying the Holy Spirit's presence and blessing.

(6) He looked on Eliab.--There was something in the tall and stately presence of the eldest born of Jesse which reminded the old man of the splendid youth of Saul. Eliab seemed to Samuel in all respects a fit successor to the great warrior whom the Lord rejected. But the Divine voice gave no reply back to the prophet's mute questioning; and the other sons of Jesse, an imposing band of gallant youths, passed in review before the old seer, and were severally introduced to him; but the Divine voice only warned the seer that these external advantages of mere human beauty and strength, were no mark of true greatness.

Verses 6-10. - When they were come. I.e. to the house of Jesse, apparently in the interval between the sacrifice and the feast. The latter we learn in ver. 11 did not take place until after David had been sent for. But many hours would elapse between the sacrifice and the feast, as the victim had to be skinned and prepared for roasting, and finally cooked. This interval was spent in Jesse's house; and when he saw there Eliab, the first born, and observed his tall stature and handsome face, qualities which Samuel had admired in Saul, he said, i.e. in himself, felt sure, that the goodly youth was Jehovah's anointed (see on 1 Samuel 2:10, 35; 10:1, etc.), but is warned that these external advantages do not necessarily imply real worth of heart; and as Jehovah looketh on the heart, his judgment depends, not on appearances, but on reality. As Eliab is thus rejected, Jesse makes his other sons pass before the prophet. Next Abinadab, who has the same name as a son of Saul (1 Samuel 31:2); then Shammah, so called again in ch. 17:13, but Shimeah in 2 Samuel 13:3, and Shimma in 1 Chronicles 2:13, where, however, the Hebrew is exactly the same as in 2 Samuel 13:3. After these four other sons follow, of whom one apparently died young, as only seven are recorded in 1 Chronicles 2:13-15, whereas these with David make eight. To all these seven the Divine voice within Samuel gave no response, and he said unto Jesse, Jehovah hath not chosen these.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When they arrived,
בְּבוֹאָ֔ם (bə·ḇō·w·’ām)
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

Samuel saw
וַיַּ֖רְא (way·yar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

Eliab
אֱלִיאָ֑ב (’ĕ·lî·’āḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 446: Eliab -- 'God is father', the name of several Israelites

and said,
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Surely
אַ֛ךְ (’aḵ)
Adverb
Strong's 389: A particle of affirmation, surely

here before
נֶ֥גֶד (ne·ḡeḏ)
Preposition
Strong's 5048: A front, part opposite, a counterpart, mate, over against, before

the LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

[is His] anointed.”
מְשִׁיחֽוֹ׃ (mə·šî·ḥōw)
Adjective - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4899: Anointed, a consecrated person, the Messiah


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OT History: 1 Samuel 16:6 It happened when they had come that (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 16:5
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