⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, Do not take note of his face or how tall he is, because I will not have him: for the Lord's view is not man's; man takes note of the outer form, but the Lord sees the heart.

²⁴ Let not your decisions be based on what you see, but on righteousness.

¹⁰ I the Lord am the searcher of the heart, the tester of the thoughts, so that I may give to every man the reward of his ways, in keeping with the fruit of his doings.

¹⁵ And he said, You take care to seem right in the eyes of men, but God sees your hearts: and those things which are important in the opinion of men, are evil in the eyes of God.

⁹ And you, Solomon my son, get knowledge of the God of your father, and be his servant with a true heart and with a strong desire, for the Lord is the searcher of all hearts, and has knowledge of all the designs of men's thoughts; if you make search for him, he will be near you; but if you are turned away from him, he will give you up for ever.

⁸ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, or your ways my ways, says the Lord.

⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

³⁹ Give ear in heaven your living-place, acting in mercy; and give to every man whose secret heart is open to you, the reward of all his ways; for you, and you only, have knowledge of the hearts of all the children of men:

² All a man's ways are clean to himself; but the Lord puts men's spirits into his scales.

¹⁰ He has no delight in the strength of a horse; he takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.

¹¹ The Lord takes pleasure in his worshippers, and in those whose hope is in his mercy.

⁴ But let them be those of the unseen man of the heart, the ever-shining ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great price in the eyes of God.

³⁰ Fair looks are a deceit, and a beautiful form is of no value; but a woman who has the fear of the Lord is to be praised.

⁴ To whom you come, as to a living stone, not honoured by men, but of great and special value to God;

¹² But, O Lord of armies, testing the upright and seeing the thoughts and the heart, let me see your punishment come on them; for I have put my cause before you.

²³ So they went quickly and made him come out; and when he took his place among the people, he was taller by a head than any of the people.

²⁴ And Samuel said to all the people, Do you see the man of the Lord's selection, how there is no other like him among all the people? And all the people with loud cries said, Long life to the king!

⁹ For the eyes of the Lord go this way and that, through all the earth, letting it be seen that he is the strong support of those whose hearts are true to him. In this you have done foolishly, for from now you will have wars.

¹¹ Before the Lord are the underworld and destruction: how much more, then, the hearts of the children of men!

² You have knowledge when I am seated and when I get up, you see my thoughts from far away.

⁹ O let the evil of the evil-doer come to an end, but give strength to the upright: for men's minds and hearts are tested by the God of righteousness.

²⁴ And they made prayers and said, Lord, having knowledge of the hearts of all men, make clear which of these two has been marked out by you,

² He had a son named Saul, a specially good-looking young man; there was no one better-looking among the children of Israel: he was taller by a head than any other of the people.

⁴ Have you eyes of flesh, or do you see as man sees?

²⁵ Now in all Israel there was no one so greatly to be praised for his beautiful form as Absalom: from his feet to the crown of his head he was completely beautiful.

¹³ And there is nothing made which is not completely clear to him; there is nothing covered, but all things are open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

¹⁰ For his letters, they say, have weight and are strong; but in body he is feeble, and his way of talking has little force.

⁷ Give attention to the things which are before you. If any man seems to himself to be Christ's, let him keep in mind that we are as much Christ's as he is.

²³ And I will put her children to death; and all the churches will see that I am he who makes search into the secret thoughts and hearts of men: and I will give to every one of you the reward of your works.

²⁰ But, O Lord of armies, judging in righteousness, testing the thoughts and the heart, let me see your punishment come on them: for I have put my cause before you.