What Does the Bible Say About Jesse?

“And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.”

“And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.”

“And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD. with thee: Heb. in thine hand”

“And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.”

“And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably? coming: Heb. meeting”

“And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.”

“And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him. Eliab: called Elihu”

“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. outward: Heb. eyes”

“Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.”

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

“Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.”

“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. down: Heb. round”

“And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. of a: Heb. fair of eyes”

“Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.”

“Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.”

“And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid , and sent them by David his son unto Saul.”

“And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer .”

“And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.”

“And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.”

“And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.”

“And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul.”

“But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.”

“And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.”

“And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren;”

“And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge. cheeses: Heb. cheeses of milk of: Heb. of a thousand”

“Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.”

“And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle. trench: or, place of the carriage fight: or, battle array, or, place of fight”

“For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.”

“And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren. his carriage: Heb. the vessels from upon him saluted: Heb. asked his brethren of peace”

“And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion , the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.”

“And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. from: Heb. from his face”

“And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.”

“And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

“And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.”

“And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.”

“And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.”

“And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold.”

“And Jesse begat his firstborn Eliab, and Abinadab the second, and Shimma the third, Shimma: or, Shammah”

“Nethaneel the fourth, Raddai the fifth,”

“Ozem the sixth, David the seventh:”

“Whose sisters were Zeruiah, and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah; Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel, three.”

“And Abigail bare Amasa: and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmeelite.”

“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:”

“And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. glorious: Heb. glory”

“And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;”

“And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;”

“Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David,”

“And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.”