1 Samuel 16:19

19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, Send thou to me David thy son, that is keeping thy beasts. (And so Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, Send thou to me thy son David, who is keeping watch over thy sheep.)

1 Samuel 16:19 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 16:19

Wherefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse
For David; not choosing to take him without his leave, though Samuel suggests that kings would do so, ( 1 Samuel 8:11 )

and said, send me David, thy son, which is with the sheep;
he had learnt his name, and what was his employment; and which last he mentions not by way of contempt, it not being reckoned mean and despicable even in the sons of great personages, in those times and countries, to attend flocks and herds: so with the Arabs, as Philo ^F14 testifies, young men and maids of the most illustrious families fed cattle; and with the ancient Romans, the senator ^F15 fed his own sheep. Paris, son of Priamus, king of Troy, is said ^F16 to feed his father's oxen and sheep; and Saul himself had done the same; but to describe him particularly.

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 De Vita Mosis, l. 1. p. 610.
F15 "Pascebatque suas" Ovid. Fast. l. 1.
F16 Coluthi Raptus Helenae, v. 71, 101.

1 Samuel 16:19 In-Context

17 And Saul said to his servants, Purvey ye to me some man singing well (Find ye some man for me who can play well), and bring ye him to me.

18 And one of his servants answered and said, Lo! I saw a son of Jesse of Bethlehem, cunning to sing (who knoweth how to play), and (a) most strong man, and a man able to (do) battle, and prudent in words, and a fair man; and the Lord is with him.

19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, Send thou to me David thy son, that is keeping thy beasts. (And so Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, Send thou to me thy son David, who is keeping watch over thy sheep.)

20 And so Jesse took an ass charged with loaves, and a gallon of wine, and a goat kid; and he sent those by the hand of David his son to Saul. (And so Jesse took a donkey loaded with loaves, and a gallon of wine, and a goat kid; and he sent them to Saul with his son David.)

21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him; and Saul loved him greatly (and Saul greatly loved him), and he was made his squire.