King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
¶ Now David [was] the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah, whose name [was] Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men [for] an old man in the days of Saul.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Now David was the son of that Efrati from Beit-Lechem in Y'hudah named Yishai. He had eight sons; and in the time of Sha'ul he was old - the years had taken their toll.
Berean Standard Bible:
Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah who had eight sons in the days of Saul. And Jesse was old and well along in years.
American Standard Version:
Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Beth-lehem-judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man was an old man in the days of Saul, stricken in years among men.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Now David{H1732} was the son{H1121} of that Ephrathite{H376}{H673} of Bethlehemjudah{H1035}{H3063}, whose name{H8034} was Jesse{H3448}; and he had eight{H8083} sons{H1121}: and the man{H376} went{H935} among men{H582} for an old man{H2204} in the days{H3117} of Saul{H7586}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Genesis 35:19
- And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which [is] Bethlehem.
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.
1 Samuel 16:18
- Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, [that is] cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD [is] with him.
1 Chronicles 2:13
- And Jesse begat his firstborn Eliab, and Abinadab the second, and Shimma the third,
1 Chronicles 2:16
- Whose sisters [were] Zeruiah, and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah; Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel, three.
1 Samuel 17:58
- And Saul said to him, Whose son [art] thou, [thou] young man? And David answered, I [am] the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for 1 Samuel 17:12
1 Samuel 17:12 provides a brief introduction to David, who would later become the king of Israel, within the larger narrative of the battle between young David and the Philistine giant, Goliath. The verse situates David historically and genealogically by identifying him as the son of Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse is noted to have eight sons, with David being the youngest. The mention of Jesse as an old man during the reign of Saul, the first king of Israel, places this event in the context of a generational transition.
The verse underscores several themes:
1. **Humility and Origins**: David is portrayed as coming from a humble background, a shepherd boy from a small town, which contrasts with his future role as a mighty king. This reflects the biblical motif of God choosing the unlikely and the young to accomplish great things.
2. **Family Dynamics**: The reference to Jesse's advanced age and his large family suggests a household accustomed to the responsibilities and challenges of rural life in ancient Israel. David's role as the youngest son sets the stage for his unexpected rise to prominence.
3. **Divine Choice**: The introduction of David as a son of Jesse is significant because it foreshadows the divine choice of David to be anointed as king, as later described in 1 Samuel 16, where Samuel anoints David in secret.
4. **Historical Context**: The verse situates the narrative during the reign of Saul, whose kingship was faltering due to his disobedience to God's commands. This sets the backdrop for David's emergence as a divinely favored alternative to Saul's leadership.
5. **Transition of Power**: The generational difference between Saul and Jesse, with Jesse being an old man, hints at the impending shift in Israel's leadership from the house of Saul to the house of David.
In summary, 1 Samuel 17:12 succinctly introduces David, emphasizing his modest origins and family connections, and sets the stage for the dramatic events that will elevate him from a shepherd boy to the king of Israel, all within the broader historical context of Saul's troubled reign.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H1732
There are 911 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: דָּוִד
Transliteration: Dâvid
Pronunciation: daw-veed'
Description: rarely (fully); דָּוִיד; from the same as דּוֹד; loving; David, the youngest son of Jesse; David. - Strong's Number: H1121
There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּן
Transliteration: bên
Pronunciation: bane
Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth. - Strong's Number: H376
There are 1507 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אִישׁ
Transliteration: ʼîysh
Pronunciation: eesh
Description: contracted for אֱנוֹשׁ (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation); also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phrase] steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare אִשָּׁה. - Strong's Number: H673
There are 88 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֶפְרָתִי
Transliteration: ʼEphrâthîy
Pronunciation: ef-rawth-ee'
Description: patrial from אֶפְרָת; an Ephrathite or an Ephraimite; Ephraimite, Ephrathite. - Strong's Number: H1035
There are 39 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּית לֶחֶם
Transliteration: Bêyth Lechem
Pronunciation: bayth leh'-khem
Description: from בַּיִת and לֶחֶם; house of bread; Beth-Lechem, a place in Palestine; Bethlehem. - Strong's Number: H3063
There are 754 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְהוּדָה
Transliteration: Yᵉhûwdâh
Pronunciation: yeh-hoo-daw'
Description: from יָדָה; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory; Judah. - Strong's Number: H8034
There are 771 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שֵׁם
Transliteration: shêm
Pronunciation: shame
Description: a primitive word (perhaps rather from through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare שָׁמַיִם); an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character; [phrase] base, (in-) fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report. - Strong's Number: H3448
There are 39 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יִשַׁי
Transliteration: Yishay
Pronunciation: yee-shah'-ee
Description: by Aramaic אִישַׁי; from the same as יֵשׁ; extant; Jishai, David's father; Jesse. - Strong's Number: H8083
There are 105 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שְׁמֹנֶה
Transliteration: shᵉmôneh
Pronunciation: shem-o-neh'
Description: or שְׁמוֹנֶה; feminine שְׁמֹנָה; or שְׁמוֹנָה; apparently from שָׁמֵן through the idea of plumpness; a cardinal number, eight (as if a surplus above the 'perfect' seven); also (as ordinal) eighth; eight(-een, -eenth), eighth. - Strong's Number: H935
There are 2307 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בּוֹא
Transliteration: bôwʼ
Pronunciation: bo
Description: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications); abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way. - Strong's Number: H582
There are 648 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֱנוֹשׁ
Transliteration: ʼĕnôwsh
Pronunciation: en-oshe'
Description: from אָנַשׁ; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the more dignified אָדָם); hence,; a man in general (singly or collectively); another, [idiom] (blood-) thirsty, certain, chap(-man); divers, fellow, [idiom] in the flower of their age, husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some ([idiom] of them), [phrase] stranger, those, [phrase] their trade. It is often unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in apposition with another word. Compare אִישׁ. - Strong's Number: H2204
There are 26 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: זָקֵן
Transliteration: zâqên
Pronunciation: zaw-kane'
Description: a primitive root; to be old; aged man, be (wax) old (man). - Strong's Number: H3117
There are 1931 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יוֹם
Transliteration: yôwm
Pronunciation: yome
Description: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger. - Strong's Number: H7586
There are 335 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁאוּל
Transliteration: Shâʼûwl
Pronunciation: shaw-ool'
Description: passive participle of שָׁאַל; asked; Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two Israelites; Saul, Shaul.