1 Kingdoms (1 Samuel) 16:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Upon learning of the king, Jesse presents his eldest son, believing he possesses the ability to attain such honor. The message of rulership, power, and splendor resonates.

The prophet Samuel, honored in the Psalms alongside Moses (Psalm 98:6), was tasked with anointing the king. Upon encountering Eliab, the firstborn son of Jesse, Samuel questioned, ‘Is this the one whom the Lord has chosen?’ (6). The Lord responded to Samuel, saying, Do not focus on his appearance or stature, for I have humbled him. Human judgment differs from divine insight; while man evaluates by outward appearances, God examines the heart (7). It is noted that Samuel, after considering each of Jesse’s sons, remained unaware of the true anointed one until he laid eyes on David. Such instances remind us that holy individuals, pleasing to God, can only grasp what has been disclosed to them through divine revelation and remain unaware of what remains hidden.

Why was the prophet unaware of God's anointed one? (1 Kings 16:6) Because it was not the divine but the human perspective at play. It is inherent to God's nature to possess complete knowledge; the prophet only needs to comprehend what is revealed by God. Additionally, the Prophet's lack of understanding highlighted the divine selection process. Had the Prophet consulted directly with David, there might have been a suspicion of bias. However, as he approached the first, then the second, and the third, all the way to the seventh, it became clear that the One who rejected the first and chose the last was indeed God. If, even after this divine choosing, the brothers harbored animosity upon seeing David in the ranks, how much more hostility might they have exhibited if the selection had occurred differently?

Even the enchanting Narcissus, as depicted in Greek mythology, found no joy in merely observing his own reflection. If Moses instructs people not to create any artificial representations of God, how can these women act sensibly by gazing at their own reflection in a mirror and distorting their features? Moreover, when the prophet Samuel was tasked with anointing one of Jesse’s sons as king and first encountered the oldest, strikingly handsome son, he was elated and ready to anoint him with oil. Yet the Lord cautioned him, saying, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him.