1 Samuel 16:19 kjv
Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.
1 Samuel 16:19 nkjv
Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, "Send me your son David, who is with the sheep."
1 Samuel 16:19 niv
Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, "Send me your son David, who is with the sheep."
1 Samuel 16:19 esv
Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, "Send me David your son, who is with the sheep."
1 Samuel 16:19 nlt
So Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, "Send me your son David, the shepherd."
1 Samuel 16 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 16:1 | The Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul...I have rejected him." | God's rejection of Saul. |
| 1 Sam 16:12 | He was ruddy and handsome... And the Lord said, "Arise, anoint him; for this is he." | David's anointing and physical description. |
| 1 Sam 16:13 | The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. | David's divine empowerment. |
| 1 Sam 16:14 | Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him. | Saul's spiritual decline. |
| 1 Sam 16:17-18 | Saul said to his servants, "Provide for me a man...and one of the young men answered..." | Saul's need and David's recommendation. |
| Psa 78:70-71 | He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds...to shepherd Jacob his people. | God calls David from shepherd to king. |
| Psa 78:72 | With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with skillful hand. | David's leadership and skill. |
| 1 Sam 17:34-36 | But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when a lion or a bear came..." | David's bravery proven while shepherding. |
| 1 Sam 17:37 | The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion...will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine. | David's faith and the Lord's help. |
| Acts 7:45-46 | ...the tent, which David found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. | David's favor with God. |
| Acts 13:22 | And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified... 'A man after my own heart'. | God's choice of David to replace Saul. |
| 2 Sam 7:8-9 | Now therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture...to be prince over my people Israel. | God affirms David's call from shepherding. |
| Psa 89:20 | I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him. | Divine selection and anointing of David. |
| Psa 23:1-4 | The Lord is my shepherd...he restores my soul...even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. | Shepherd imagery related to divine care. |
| Mt 2:1-6 | After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea...for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. | Bethlehem's future significance; Messiah from David's line. |
| Mic 5:2 | But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel. | Bethlehem's humble origin, source of rulers. |
| Pr 22:29 | Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings. | David's skill leading to standing before Saul. |
| Ps 37:23 | The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way. | God directs one's path, including David's. |
| Jn 1:46 | Can anything good come out of Nazareth? | Skepticism about humble origins, contrasts God's choice. |
| Phil 2:7-8 | He emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant...even death on a cross. | Christ's humility, contrasting kingly positions. |
| Rom 8:28 | And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. | God's overarching purpose in Saul's need and David's call. |
1 Samuel 16 verses
1 Samuel 16 19 Meaning
1 Samuel 16:19 records King Saul's official request for David, signaling a divine orchestration of events that brings the newly anointed shepherd boy into the royal court. Saul, suffering from a distressing spirit, is informed by his servants of David's skill as a harpist, his valor, prudence, pleasant appearance, and the Lord's presence with him, prompting this summons. This verse marks the literal calling of David from the sheepfold into the sphere of kingship.
1 Samuel 16 19 Context
1 Samuel 16 sets the stage for David's rise. Chapters 13-15 detail Saul's failures as king, culminating in God's definitive rejection of him (1 Sam 15:23, 26). Chapter 16 begins with God instructing Samuel to anoint a new king from the house of Jesse in Bethlehem. Samuel secretly anoints David, the youngest and overlooked son (1 Sam 16:1-13), signifying God's choice based on heart, not outward appearance. Immediately following David's anointing, the Spirit of the Lord departs from Saul, replaced by a "distressing spirit from the Lord" (1 Sam 16:14), causing him mental and spiritual torment. His servants suggest music therapy, leading to a discussion of David's talents (1 Sam 16:17-18). Verse 19 is Saul's direct command for David to be brought to him, unknowingly summoning the very man God chose to succeed him.
1 Samuel 16 19 Word analysis
- Therefore (וַיִּשְׁלַח wa-yishlach - lit. "And he sent"): This conjunction links the previous verses, indicating a direct consequence of the servants' counsel regarding David and Saul's agreement. It highlights the swiftness of Saul's action due to his pressing need.
- Saul (שָׁאוּל Sha'ul): The reigning king, though spiritually and mentally deteriorating. His name means "asked for" or "borrowed," ironically signifying a human desire for a king that eventually leads to his rejection by God. He acts as king here, yet is controlled by his distress.
- sent (שָׁלַח shalach): A verb denoting a dispatch or sending, emphasizing a formal, authoritative command. It indicates a kingly summons that Jesse, as a subject, must obey.
- messengers (מַלְאָכִים mal'akhim): Refers to royal envoys or representatives, implying a formal and binding request. The Hebrew word can also mean "angels," underscoring the authority carried by those sent by a sovereign power, even here.
- to Jesse (אֶל-יִשַׁי el-Yishay): David's father. The focus on Jesse implies the household's responsibility to fulfill the king's request, typical of patriarchal society. Jesse is known as "the Bethlehemite" for geographic clarity.
- the Bethlehemite (בֵּית הַלַּחְמִי beith hal-lachmi): Designates Jesse's residence in Bethlehem, Judah. This detail connects David to the prophecy of the Messiah's birthplace (Mic 5:2), giving humble Bethlehem great future significance.
- and said (וַיֹּאמֶר wa-yo'mer): Indicates a formal pronouncement or instruction accompanying the sending of the messengers.
- Send (שְׁלַח shlach): An imperative form of the verb "to send," a direct command to Jesse. This shows Saul's immediate and desperate need.
- me (לִי li): The king's direct personal interest in David for his own relief.
- David (דָּוִיד David): The specific individual named. His name means "beloved." Unbeknownst to Saul, David is God's beloved chosen one to replace him.
- your son (בִּנְךָ bin'kha): Specifies the family relationship, clearly identifying the desired individual within Jesse's household.
- who is with the sheep (הוּא אֶת-הַצֹּאן hu et-hatz-tzo'n): Highlights David's humble occupation as a shepherd. This contrasts starkly with the king's palace and underlines God's consistent choice of those from humble beginnings, preparing them in obscurity for great purposes. The shepherd motif is deeply significant, often paralleling spiritual leadership (Psa 23, Jn 10). This position also gave David solitude for reflection and practical skills for protection.
1 Samuel 16 19 Bonus section
The seemingly coincidental arrival of David at Saul's court illustrates divine providence, where God uses natural circumstances and human decisions (Saul's illness, the servant's knowledge) to accomplish His spiritual purposes. It foreshadows a consistent theme in the Bible: God raises unlikely heroes from obscurity to fulfill His plans, often for humble beginnings, such as Moses (shepherd), Gideon (least in his clan), and even Christ Himself, born in Bethlehem. The mention of David being "with the sheep" is critical for the "shepherd" archetype, a model for a future king who would "shepherd" God's people (2 Sam 5:2) and a prefigurement of the "Good Shepherd" (Jn 10).
1 Samuel 16 19 Commentary
1 Samuel 16:19 is a pivotal moment, subtly infused with divine irony and strategic providence. Saul, the rejected king, unknowingly summons his God-anointed successor. His command for David reflects not political strategy, but personal desperation, as he seeks relief from a distressing spirit sent by God (1 Sam 16:14). The passage showcases God's intricate orchestration: Saul's need directly opens the door for David's entry into the court. David's description by one of Saul's servants (1 Sam 16:18) paints a picture of a multi-talented individual—skilled in music, a brave warrior, prudent in speech, handsome, and crucially, accompanied by "the Lord's presence." This composite portrait assures Saul of David's suitability while implicitly highlighting divine favor upon David, which Saul has lost. David's calling "from the sheep" emphasizes God's consistent method of raising leaders from humble, overlooked places, a theme consistent throughout biblical narrative. This transition of leadership is orchestrated not by human political maneuvering, but by the sovereign will of God, using Saul's very weakness as a pathway for David's ascent. The seemingly simple request sets in motion the dramatic narrative of David's rise to kingship.