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Contemporary English Version

1 Samuel 17:12

David's father Jesse was an old man, who belonged to the Ephrath clan and lived in Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons:

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Armies;   Bethlehem;   Championship;   David;   Jesse;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible Stories for Children;   Children;   Home;   Pleasant Sunday Afternoons;   Religion;   Stories for Children;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Bethlehem;   Ephrath;   Goliath;   Jesse;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Bethlehem;   Palestine;   Philistia, philistines;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Bethlehem;   David, City of;   Ephrathite;   Jesse;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - David;   Jesse;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Bethlehem-Ephratah;   Ephratah;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Bethlehem;   David;   Elimelech;   Giant;   Jesse;   Samuel, Books of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Bethlehem ;   Ephrathite ;   Goliath ;   Jesse ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Goliath;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Bethlehem;   David;   Goliath;   Jesse;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Beth'lehem;   Jes'se;   Mah'lon;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Eight;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Bethlehem;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bethlehem;   David;   Ephrath;   Goliath;   Jesse;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Caleb;   Elkanah;   Jesse;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Now David was the son of the Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah named Jesse. Jesse had eight sons and during Saul’s reign was already an old man.
Hebrew Names Version
Now David was the son of that Efratite of Beit-Lechem-Yehudah, whose name was Yishai; and he had eight sons: and the man was an old man in the days of Sha'ul, stricken [in years] among men.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
Now David was the son of an Ephrathite. This man was from Bethlehem of Judah, and his name was Jesse. He had eight sons; in the days of Saul this man was old, yet he still walked among the men.
English Standard Version
Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years.
New Century Version
Now David was the son of Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons. In Saul's time Jesse was an old man.
New English Translation
Now David was the son of this Ephrathite named Jesse from Bethlehem in Judah. He had eight sons, and in Saul's days he was old and well advanced in years.
Amplified Bible
Now David was the son of the Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. Jesse was old in the days of Saul, advanced in years among men.
New American Standard Bible
Now David was the son of the Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, the man whose name was Jesse, and he had eight sons. And Jesse was old in the days of Saul, advanced in years among men.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Nowe this Dauid was the sonne of an Ephrathite of Beth-lehem Iudah, named Ishai, which had eight sonnes: and this man was taken for an olde man in the daies of Saul.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now David was the son of the Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, whose name was Jesse, and he had eight sons. And Jesse was old in the days of Saul, advanced in years among men.
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.
Darby Translation
Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem-Judah whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons; and the man was old in the days of Saul, advanced [in years] among men.
Easy-to-Read Version
David was the son of Jesse. Jesse was from the Ephrathah family in Bethlehem, Judah. Jesse had eight sons. In Saul's time Jesse was an old man.
George Lamsa Translation
Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Beth-lehem of Judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons; and the man was old and advanced in years in the days of Saul.
Good News Translation
David was the son of Jesse, who was an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and at the time Saul was king, he was already a very old man.
Literal Translation
And David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem-Judah named Jesse. And to him were eight sons. And the man was old among men in the days of Saul.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But Dauid was the sonne of a man of Ephrata of Bethleem Iuda, whose name was Isai, which had eight sonnes, and was an olde man in Sauls tyme, and was well strycken in age amonge men.
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.
Bible in Basic English
Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Beth-lehem-judah named Jesse, who had eight sons; and he was an old man in Saul's day, and far on in years.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Dauid was the sonne of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem Iuda, named Isai, which had eyght sonnes, & this man was taken for an olde man in the dayes of Saul.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Beth-lehem in 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.
King James Version (1611)
Now Dauid was the sonne of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Iudah, whose name was Iesse, and hee had eight sonnes: and the man went among men for an old man in the dayes of Saul.
English Revised 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.
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 advanced in years.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Dauid was `the sone of a man of Effrata, of whom it is `biforseid, of Bethleem of Juda, to `which man the name was Isay, which hadde eiyte sones; and `the man was eld in the daies of Saul, and of greet age among men.
Young's Literal Translation
And David [is] son of this Ephrathite of Beth-Lehem-Judah, whose name [is] Jesse, and he hath eight sons, and the man in the days of Saul hath become aged among men;
Update Bible Version
Now David was the son of a man, an Ephrathite of Beth-lehem-judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man, in the days of Saul, was old and notable among men.
Webster's Bible Translation
Now David [was] the son of that Ephrathite of Beth-lehem-judah, whose name [was] Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men [for] an old man in the days of Saul.
World English Bible
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.
New King James Version
Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse, and who had eight sons. And the man was old, advanced in years, in the days of Saul.
New Living Translation
Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. Jesse was an old man at that time, and he had eight sons.
New Life Bible
Now David was the son of Jesse, an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and was old in the days of Saul. He had lived many years.
New Revised Standard
Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Now, David, was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem-judah, whose, name, was Jesse, and, who, had eight sons, - and, the man, in the days of Saul was old, advanced in years.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Now David was the son of that Ephrathite, of Bethlehem Juda, before mentioned, whose name was Isai, who had eight sons, and was an old man in the days of Saul, and of great age among men.
Revised Standard Version
Now David was the son of an Eph'rathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years.
THE MESSAGE
Enter David. He was the son of Jesse the Ephrathite from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse, the father of eight sons, was himself too old to join Saul's army. Jesse's three oldest sons had followed Saul to war. The names of the three sons who had joined up with Saul were Eliab, the firstborn; next, Abinadab; and third, Shammah. David was the youngest son. While his three oldest brothers went to war with Saul, David went back and forth from attending to Saul to tending his father's sheep in Bethlehem.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now David was the son of the Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, whose name was Jesse, and he had eight sons. And Jesse was old in the days of Saul, advanced in years among men.

Contextual Overview

12 David's father Jesse was an old man, who belonged to the Ephrath clan and lived in Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons: 13the oldest was Eliab, the next was Abinadab, and Shammah was the third. The three of them had gone off to fight in Saul's army. David was Jesse's youngest son. 15 He took care of his father's sheep, and he went back and forth between Bethlehem and Saul's camp. 16 Goliath came out and gave his challenge every morning and every evening for forty days. 17 One day, Jesse told David, "Hurry and take this sack of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread to your brothers at the army camp. 18 And here are ten large chunks of cheese to take to their commanding officer. Find out how your brothers are doing and bring back something that shows that they're all right. 19 They're with Saul's army, fighting the Philistines in Elah Valley." 20 David obeyed his father. He got up early the next morning and left someone else in charge of the sheep; then he loaded the supplies and started off. He reached the army camp just as the soldiers were taking their places and shouting the battle cry. 21 The army of Israel and the Philistine army stood there facing each other. 22 David left his things with the man in charge of supplies and ran up to the battle line to ask his brothers if they were well.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

David: 1 Samuel 17:58, 1 Samuel 16:1, 1 Samuel 16:18, Ruth 4:22, Matthew 1:6, Luke 3:31, Luke 3:32

Ephrathite: Genesis 35:19, Psalms 132:6, Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1, Matthew 2:6

eight sons: 1 Samuel 16:10, 1 Samuel 16:11, 1 Chronicles 2:13-16

Reciprocal: Genesis 48:7 - Rachel 1 Samuel 1:1 - Ephrathite 1 Samuel 17:31 - sent for him 1 Kings 11:26 - an Ephrathite 1 Chronicles 2:15 - David 2 Chronicles 11:6 - Bethlehem Luke 2:4 - unto

Cross-References

Genesis 17:22
God finished speaking to Abraham and then left.
Genesis 17:23
On that same day Abraham obeyed God by circumcising Ishmael. Abraham was also circumcised, and so were all other men and boys in his household, including his servants and slaves. He was ninety-nine years old at the time, and his son Ishmael was thirteen.
Genesis 21:4
and when the boy was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, just as the Lord had commanded.
Leviticus 12:3
Her son must be circumcised on the eighth day,
Luke 1:59
Eight days later they did for the child what the Law of Moses commands. They were going to name him Zechariah, after his father.
Luke 2:21
Eight days later Jesus' parents did for him what the Law of Moses commands. And they named him Jesus, just as the angel had told Mary when he promised she would have a baby.
Acts 7:8
God said to Abraham, "Every son in each family must be circumcised to show that you have kept your agreement with me." So when Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him. Later, Isaac circumcised his son Jacob, and Jacob circumcised his twelve sons.
Romans 2:28
Just because you live like a Jew and are circumcised doesn't make you a real Jew.
Philippians 3:5
I was circumcised when I was eight days old, and I am from the nation of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin. I am a true Hebrew. As a Pharisee, I strictly obeyed the Law of Moses.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah, whose name was Jesse,.... Before made mention of, 1 Chronicles 16:1

and he had eight sons; seven only are mentioned, 1 Chronicles 2:13 one of them being, as is thought by some, a grandson, perhaps Jonadab the son of Shammah; or was a son by another woman, or died without children, as Jarchi, and therefore not mentioned:

and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul; the phrase, "among men", either signifies that he was ranked among old men, infirm and unfit for war, and so excused, and his sons went in his room, so Kimchi; or he was reckoned among men of the first rank, men of esteem, credit, and reputation, so Jarchi and R. Isaiah, with which agrees the Targum; or whenever he went abroad, he was attended by many men, had a large retinue, which sense Abarbinel mentions, and is that of Ben Gersom, and agrees with the Talmud t; but the Syriac and Arabic versions read "stricken in years", which seems most agreeable.

t T. Bab. Beracot: fol. 58. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This and the following verses down to the end of 1 Samuel 17:31 are omitted in the Vatican copy of the Septuagint, as are 1 Samuel 17:55-58. The object of the omission was doubtless to avoid the apparent inconsistency with regard to Saul’s acquaintance with David (see 1 Samuel 16:21 note).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 17:12. The 1 Samuel 17:12-31, are wanting in the Septuagint; as also the 1 Samuel 17:41 verse; and from the 1 Samuel 17:54-58; with the first five verses of 1 Samuel 18:1-5, and the 1 Samuel 18:9, 1 Samuel 18:10, 1 Samuel 18:11, 1 Samuel 18:17, 1 Samuel 18:18, and 1 Samuel 18:19 of the same.

All these parts are found in the Codex Alexandrinus; but it appears that the MS. from which the Codex Alexandrinus was copied, had them not. See observations at the end of this chapter (1 Samuel 17:58). Dr. Kennicott has rendered it very probable that these portions are not a genuine part of the text.

Notwithstanding what Bishop Warburton and others have done to clear the chronology of the present printed Hebrew, it is impossible to make a clear consistent sense of the history, unless these verses are omitted. Let any one read the eleventh verse in connection with the thirty-second, leave out the forty-first, and connect the fifty-fourth with the sixth of 1 Samuel 18:0, and he will be perfectly convinced that there is nothing wanting to make the sense complete; to say nothing of the other omissions noted above. If the above be taken in as genuine, the ingenuity of man has hitherto failed to free the whole from apparent contradiction and absurdity. I must confess that where every one else has failed, I have no hope of succeeding: I must, therefore, leave all farther attempts to justify the chronology; and refer to those who have written for and against the genuineness of this part of the common Hebrew text. At the end of the chapter I shall introduce some extracts from Kennicott and Pilkington: and leave the whole with the unprejudiced and discerning reader.


 
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