1 Samuel 16:8 (ASV)

Passage

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath Jehovah chosen this.

Nearby Context

1 Samuel 16:6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely Jehovah`s anointed is before him.

1 Samuel 16:7 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.

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

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

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

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 7's "But Jehovah said unto Samuel Look not..." into verse 9's "Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by...", so "called" and "jesse" 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 "called" and "jesse" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.