How we cite our quotes:
Quote #4
And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you. And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day. Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. {bribe: Heb. ransom} {to blind...: or, that I should hide mine eyes at him} And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand. And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness. (1 Samuel 12:1-5, KJV)
Samuel said to all Israel, "I have listened to you in all that you have said to me, and have set a king over you. See, it is the king who leads you now; I am old and gray, but my sons are with you. I have led you from my youth until this day. Here I am; testify against me before the LORD and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you." They said, "You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from the hand of anyone." He said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." And they said, "He is witness." (1 Samuel 12:1-5, NRSV)
Proverbs 20:29 says that "the beauty of old men is the grey head." Modern culture is very youth oriented, so we probably think very differently about the aging process. We're always wanting things that are newer, younger, better, and faster. But old age—and the looks that go with—was respected in the ancient world. After all, younger and faster doesn't always mean wiser.
Quote #5
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: called Elihu} 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. {outward...: Heb. eyes}. (1 Samuel 16:6-7, KJV)
When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed is now before the LORD." But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:6-7, NRSV)
The Lord rejects Saul as king and decides to choose a new king. He sends Samuel to anoint one of the sons of Jesse to be king. When the oldest son appears before him, Samuel believes that he has found the right person, but God lets Samuel know that he is wrong. Samuel is about to fall for the same thing he fell for with Saul—good looks equal kingly qualities. God kindly informs him that it's a person's heart that matters. Clearly, Samuel has never heard of the Tin Man.
Quote #6
And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. {of a...: Heb. fair of eyes}. (1 Samuel 16:12, KJV)
He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The LORD said, "Rise and anoint him; for this is the one." (1 Samuel 16:12, NRSV)
Even though God tells Samuel that he shouldn't anoint someone based on looks, the Bible stills tells us that David was good-looking. This is probably because no matter what humans say about beauty on the inside, we still like our leaders to be easy on the eyes.