Why Samuel Passed Over Eliab and Anointed Young David

"And it came to pass, when they came, that he saw Eliab, etc. And the LORD said unto Samuel: Look not on his appearance, etc." (1 Samuel 16:6-7). Why? Because he was strict-tempered. "And Samuel said unto Jesse: Are all the lads here, etc." (ibid. ibid. 11). Rabbi Levi said: This verse was spoken with the Holy Spirit. "Are they all here (ha-tammu)" — on account of "Thy iniquity is accomplished (tam), O daughter of Zion" (Lamentations 4:22). "The lads (ha-ne'arim)" — "and a little child (na'ar) shall lead them" (Isaiah 11:6). "And he said yet (od)" — on account of "yet (od) shall old men and old women sit in the broad places of Jerusalem" (Zechariah 8:4). "The rest (she'ar)" — on account of "the remnant (she'ar) of Jacob" (Isaiah 10:21). "The youngest (ha-katan)" — on account of "the least (ha-katan) shall become a thousand" (Isaiah 60:22). "And behold (ve-hineh)" — on account of "Behold (hineh) upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings" (Nahum 2:1). "Tending (ro'eh)" — "Shepherd (re'eh) Thy people with Thy rod" (Micah 7:14). "The flock (ba-tzon)" — "And ye are My flock (tzon), the flock (tzon) of My pasture" (Ezekiel 34:31). "And Samuel said unto Jesse: Send and fetch him, etc." (ibid.). Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said: Because in this world the two great ones of the world, Jesse and Samuel, did not sit together until David sat between them; but in the time to come there is no partition whatsoever of the righteous over which David does not stand.