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Jesse

maleUnited Monarchy

Meaning: “The LORD exists; gift

A Bethlehemite of the tribe of Judah, the father of King David, from whose family line the Messiah — the "root of Jesse" — would come.

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Biography

Jesse of Bethlehem is the father of King David and a grandson of Ruth and Boaz (Ruth 4:17, 22). Though an ordinary man, he stands at a crucial point in the line of promise.

Father of a king

When Samuel came to Bethlehem to anoint a new king, Jesse presented seven sons, but God chose the eighth — young David, out keeping the sheep (1 Samuel 16:10–13). Jesse's family thus became the royal house of Judah.

The root of Jesse

Isaiah prophesied that "there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse" (Isaiah 11:1) and that "a root of Jesse… shall stand for an ensign of the people" (Isaiah 11:10) — a messianic title applied to Christ (Romans 15:12; Revelation 22:16). Jesse's name endures as shorthand for the dynasty from which the Savior came.

Life Timeline

1040 BC

Fathers David, his youngest son

1 Samuel 16:1
1025 BC

Presents his sons to Samuel; David is anointed

1 Samuel 16:11

On the Bible timeline

Jesse belongs to the Conquest & the Judges era (c. 1400 – 1050 BC).

  1. c. 1375 – 1050 BCThe Age of the Judges

Family Tree

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Themes & lessons from Jesse

Biblical themes that run through the passages where Jesse appears.

Jesse16×Obed5×Armies4×First Born, the4×Genealogy4×Arrow3×Genealogies3×Human Nature of Christ, the3×Judah, the Tribe Of3×Rehoboam3×Abinadab2×Sheep2×Shepherds2×Doubting1×Inheritance1×Oil1×Prudence1×Ruth1×

People they appear with

David22×
Saul12×
Obed4×
Samuel4×
Abinadab3×
Shammah3×
Eliab2×
Jonathan2×
Naomi1×
Doeg1×
Ahimelech1×
Nabal1×
Boaz1×
Rehoboam1×
Ruth1×
Solomon1×

Places in their story

Nob1×

Scripture Appearances

44 verses in 12 books
Ruth2 verses

Ruth 4:17

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.

Ruth 4:22

And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

1 Samuel24 verses

1 Samuel 16:1

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.

1 Samuel 16:3

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.

1 Samuel 16:5

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.

1 Samuel 16:8

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

1 Samuel 16:9

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

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. down: Heb. round

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. matters: or, speech

1 Samuel 16:19

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

1 Samuel 16:20

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.

1 Samuel 16:22

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

1 Samuel 17:12

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.

1 Samuel 17:13

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.

1 Samuel 17:17

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;

1 Samuel 17:20

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

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.

1 Samuel 20:27

And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David's place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?

1 Samuel 20:30

Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness? Thou: or, Thou perverse rebel: Heb. Son of perverse rebellion

1 Samuel 20:31

For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die. shall: Heb. is the son of death

1 Samuel 22:7

Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;

1 Samuel 22:8

That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that sheweth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? sheweth: Heb. uncovereth mine ear

1 Samuel 22:9

Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

1 Samuel 22:13

And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

1 Samuel 25:10

And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.

2 Samuel2 verses

2 Samuel 20:1

And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.

2 Samuel 23:1

Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,

1 Kings1 verse

1 Kings 12:16

So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.

1 Chronicles5 verses

1 Chronicles 2:12

And Boaz begat Obed, and Obed begat Jesse,

1 Chronicles 2:13

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

1 Chronicles 10:14

And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse. Jesse: Heb. Isai

1 Chronicles 12:18

Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band. came: Heb. clothed

1 Chronicles 29:26

Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.

2 Chronicles2 verses

2 Chronicles 10:16

And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents.

2 Chronicles 11:18

And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse;

Psalms1 verse

Psalms 72:20

The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

Isaiah2 verses

Isaiah 11:1

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

Isaiah 11:10

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

Matthew2 verses

Matthew 1:5

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

Matthew 1:6

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

Luke1 verse

Luke 3:32

Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson,

Acts1 verse

Acts 13:22

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.

Romans1 verse

Romans 15:12

And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

Frequently asked about Jesse

Who was Jesse in the Bible?

A Bethlehemite of the tribe of Judah, the father of King David, from whose family line the Messiah — the "root of Jesse" — would come.

What does the name Jesse mean?

The name Jesse means “The LORD exists; gift”.

What did Jesse do in the Bible?

Jesse served as farmer, shepherd-owner, of the tribe of Judah.

Who were Jesse's children?

Jesse's children include David, Eliab, Abinadab, Shammah.

Where does Jesse appear in the Bible?

Jesse is mentioned 44 times across 12 books: Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Psalms, Isaiah, Matthew, Luke, Acts, Romans.

What can we learn from Jesse?

The story of Jesse touches on themes of jesse, obed, armies, first born, the — explore each to study the lessons drawn from Jesse's life.

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