11 translations · Hebrew
1 Samuel 16:7
But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7 in 11 translations
- WEB World English Bible
- But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”
- KJV King James Version
- 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.
- BSB Berean Standard Bible
- But 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.”
- ASV American Standard Version
- But Jehovah said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for Jehovah seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looketh on the heart.
- LSV Literal Standard Version
- And YHWH says to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance, and at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him; for [it is] not as man sees—for man looks at the eyes, and YHWH looks at the heart.”
- FBV Free Bible Version
- But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don't look at his outward appearance or how tall he is, because I have rejected him, for the Lord does not look as human beings do. Human beings only see with their eyes what's on the outside, but the Lord looks at the way people think deep inside.”
- YLT Young’s Literal Translation
- And Jehovah saith unto Samuel, 'Look not unto his appearance, and unto the height of his stature, for I have rejected him; for [it is] not as man seeth — for man looketh at the eyes, and Jehovah looketh at the heart.'
- DBY Darby Translation
- But Jehovah said to Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him; for it is not as man seeth; for man looketh upon the outward appearance, but Jehovah looketh upon the heart.
- WBT Webster’s Bible
- But the LORD said to Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the hight 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.
- WEBC World English Bible (Catholic)
- But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
- DRA Douay-Rheims 1899
- And the Lord said to Samuel: Look not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature: because I have rejected him, nor do I judge according to the look of man: for man seeth those things that appear, but the Lord beholdeth the heart.
The Hebrew words
Each word of the Hebrew text in order, with its transliteration, the Berean Standard Bible’s English for it, and its Strong’s number and short definition.
| Word | Transliteration | English (BSB) | Strong’s |
|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר | way·yō·mer | said | H559 אָמַר to say |
| יְהוָ֜ה | Yah·weh | But the LORD | H3068 יְהֹוָה LORD |
| אֶל־ | ’el- | to | H413 אֶל to(wards) |
| שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל | šə·mū·’êl | Samuel | H8050 שְׁמוּאֵל Samuel |
| אַל־ | ’al- | Do not | H408 אַל not |
| תַּבֵּ֧ט | tab·bêṭ | consider | H5027 נָבַט to look |
| אֶל־ | ’el- | — | H413 אֶל to(wards) |
| מַרְאֵ֛הוּ | mar·’ê·hū | his appearance | H4758 מַרְאֶה appearance |
| וְאֶל־ | wə·’el- | — | H413 אֶל to(wards) |
| גְּבֹ֥הַּ | gə·ḇō·ah | or height | H1364 גָּבֹהַּ high |
| קוֹמָת֖וֹ | qō·w·mā·ṯōw | — | H6967 קוֹמָה height |
| כִּ֣י | kî | for | H3588 כִּי for |
| מְאַסְתִּ֑יהוּ | mə·’as·tî·hū | I have rejected him | H3988 מָאַס to reject |
| כִּ֣י׀ | kî | — | H3588 כִּי for |
| לֹ֗א | lō | [the LORD does] not [see] | H3808 לֹא not |
| אֲשֶׁ֤ר | ’ă·šer | as | H834 אֲשֶׁר which |
| יִרְאֶה֙ | yir·’eh | does | H7200 רָאָה to see: see |
| הָאָדָ֔ם | hā·’ā·ḏām | man | H120 אָדָם man |
| כִּ֤י | kî | For | H3588 כִּי for |
| הָֽאָדָם֙ | hā·’ā·ḏām | man | H120 אָדָם man |
| יִרְאֶ֣ה | yir·’eh | sees | H7200 רָאָה to see: see |
| לַעֵינַ֔יִם | la·‘ê·na·yim | the outward appearance | H5869 עַ֫יִן eye |
| וַיהוָ֖ה | Yah·weh | but the LORD | H3068 יְהֹוָה LORD |
| יִרְאֶ֥ה | yir·’eh | sees | H7200 רָאָה to see: see |
| לַלֵּבָֽב׃ | lal·lê·ḇāḇ | the heart | H3824 לֵבָב heart |
Related verses
- John 7:24
Don’t judge according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”
- Jeremiah 17:10
“I, Yahweh, search the mind. I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.”
- Luke 16:15
He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
- Isaiah 55:8–9
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,” says Yahweh. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
- 1 Peter 3:4
but in the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God very precious.
- Proverbs 16:2
All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but Yahweh weighs the motives.
- Proverbs 31:30
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears Yahweh, she shall be praised.
- Psalm 147:10–11
He doesn’t delight in the strength of the horse. He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. Yahweh takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness.
- 1 Chronicles 28:9
You, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for Yahweh searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
- 1 Kings 8:39
then hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you know (for you, even you only, know the hearts of all the children of men);
Cross references from OpenBible.info, CC BY 4.0, most-voted first; text from the World English Bible.
In context
5 He said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
6 When they had come, he looked at Eliab, and said, “Surely Yahweh’s anointed is before him.”
7 But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one, either.”
9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one, either.”
Read all of 1 Samuel 16 in the World English Bible.
Edition and source notes
Each translation is shown as its source prints it, in its own verse numbering; where an edition numbers this verse differently, its own reference is given. The World English Bible, King James Version and Berean Standard Bible link to their chapter pages. Edition notes.
Literal Standard Version (2020) © Covenant Press and the Covenant Christian Coalition, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0. Imported from the checksum-pinned eBible.org USFX source; the extracted verse text is an adaptation shared under the same license. Free Bible Version (2018) © Dr. Jonathan Gallagher, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0. Imported from the checksum-pinned eBible.org USFX source; the extracted verse text is an adaptation shared under the same license.
The original words and their English come from the Berean Standard Bible translation tables (public domain); lemmas and short definitions from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0), with Greek definitions based on Abbott-Smith.
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