1 Samuel 16:11 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Samuel learns there is one more son, the youngest, who is tending sheep, and he insists they wait until the boy is brought in.
What Does 1 Samuel 16:11 Mean?
Samuel presses Jesse: are these all your children? There is one more -- the youngest, out keeping the sheep, so overlooked he was not even called to the sacrifice. Samuel refuses to sit down to the meal until the boy comes; the whole gathering waits on the one nobody summoned.
God's chosen is found in the field, doing humble and faithful work while his brothers stand in the place of honor. The LORD delights to lift up the lowly and the unnoticed, and here the youngest shepherd will become Israel's king. Long after, another Shepherd would be born in this same Bethlehem, also overlooked by the great, also the LORD's true Anointed.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Samuel 16:11
What does 1 Samuel 16:11 mean?
Samuel learns there is one more son, the youngest, who is tending sheep, and he insists they wait until the boy is brought in.