1 Samuel 16:9 (KJV)

Passage

Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

Nearby Context

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.

1 Samuel 16:8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

1 Samuel 16:9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

1 Samuel 16:10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.

1 Samuel 16:11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "jesse", "shammah", "pass", "said", "neither", "hath", "lord", and "chosen". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "jesse" and "shammah", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him..." into verse 10's "Again Jesse made seven of his sons...", so "jesse" and "shammah" belong inside that flow. In 1 Samuel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "jesse" and "shammah" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.