1 Samuel 16 · Verse 6

1 Samuel 16:6

And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.
1 Samuel 16:6, King James Version

1 Samuel 16:6 in other translations

BSBWhen they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, “Surely here before the LORD is His anointed.”
WEBWhen they had come, he looked at Eliab, and said, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him.”
ASVAnd it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely Jehovah’s anointed is before him.
YLTAnd it cometh to pass, in their coming in, that he seeth Eliab, and saith, ‘Surely, before Jehovah is His anointed.'
DARBYAnd it came to pass when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely Jehovah's anointed is before him.
BBENow when they came, looking at Eliab, he said, Clearly the man of the Lord's selection is before him.
WebsterAnd it came to pass when they had come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him.

What does 1 Samuel 16:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Samuel 16:6-10
6-10. Samuel said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him--Here Samuel, in consequence of taking his impressions from the external appearance, falls into the same error as formerly (1Sa 10:24). 1Sa 16:11-14. He Anoints David.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 16:6-13
It was strange that Samuel, who had been so disappointed in Saul, whose countenance and stature recommended him, should judge of another man by that rule. We can tell how men look, but God can tell what they are. He judges of men by the heart. We often form a mistaken judgment of characters; but the Lord values only the faith, fear, and love, which are planted in the heart, beyond human discernment. And God does not favour our children according to our fond partiality, but often most honours and blesses those who have been least regarded. David at length was pitched upon. He was the youngest of the sons of Jesse; his name signifies Beloved; he was a type of God's beloved Son. It should seem, David was least set by of all the sons of Jesse. But the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. His anointing was not an empty ceremony, a Divine power went with that instituted sign; he found himself advanced in wisdom and courage, with all the qualifications of a prince, though not advanced in his outward circumstances. This would satisfy him that his election was of God. The best evidence of our being predestinated to the kingdom of glory, is, our being sealed with the Spirit of promise, and experience of a work of grace in our hearts.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

1 Samuel 16:6 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיְהִ֣יvay.Hiand it wasH1961
בְּבוֹאָ֔םbe.vo.'Amwhen came theyH935
וַיַּ֖רְאvai.Yar'and he sawH7200
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
אֱלִיאָ֑ב'e.li.'AvEliabH446
וַיֹּ֕אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
אַ֛ךְ'akhsurelyH389
נֶ֥גֶדNe.ged[is] beforeH5048
יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahwehH3068
מְשִׁיחֽוֹ\׃me.shi.Choanointed hisH4899

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 16:6

  • 1 Samuel 17:13

    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,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eliab.
17:13,22; 1Ch 2:13; 27:18
Elihu. Surely.
Jud 8:18; 1Ki 12:26

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 16:5

    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.

  • 1 Samuel 16:6

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

  • 1 Samuel 16:7

    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.

Read all of 1 Samuel 16

1 Samuel 16:6 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y aconteció que como ellos vinieron, él vió á Eliab, y dijo: De cierto delante de Jehová está su ungido.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il arriva que, comme ils entraient, il vit Éliab, et il dit: Certainement l’oint de l’ Éternel est devant lui.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und es geschah, als sie kamen, da sah er Eliab und sprach: Gewiß, vor Jehova ist sein Gesalbter!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Cumque ingressi essent, vidit Eliab, et ait: Num coram Domino est christus ejus?