And Samuel said unto Jesse, are here all thy
children?
&c.] For neither of these being the person God would have
anointed king, and yet it was one of Jesse's sons that was to be
anointed, he concluded he must have more, at least one more, and
therefore puts this question to him:
and he said, there remaineth yet the youngest;
or, "the little one" {c}; not of a little diminutive stature, for
he was a mighty man, a man of strength, courage, and valour, (
1 Samuel
16:18 ) or of a puerile age, for the Jews say F4 he was
now twenty nine years of age; but that is not likely, he hardly
exceeded more than twenty, or was so much; thereabout he might
be; but he is so called because he was the youngest son, as we
render it:
and, behold, he keepeth the sheep:
and from following them, he was taken and anointed king; see (
Psalms
78:70 Psalms 78:71
) . Some of the greatest of men have been taken from rustic
employment, as Moses, Gideon, Saul, and others:
and Samuel said unto Jesse, send and fetch him;
out of the field by a messenger:
for we will not sit down till he come hither;
that is, at table, to eat of that part of the peace offerings
which belonged to the offerer Samuel, and which he had invited
Jesse and his sons to partake of.