1 Samuel 16 20

1 Samuel 16:20 kjv

And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.

1 Samuel 16:20 nkjv

And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by his son David to Saul.

1 Samuel 16:20 niv

So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.

1 Samuel 16:20 esv

And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul.

1 Samuel 16:20 nlt

Jesse responded by sending David to Saul, along with a young goat, a donkey loaded with bread, and a wineskin full of wine.

1 Samuel 16 verses

1 Samuel 16 20 Meaning

1 Samuel 16:20 details Jesse's obedient response to King Saul's summons. He dispatched his son David, not empty-handed, but with practical provisions suitable for travel and presentation to a king. The gifts—bread, wine, and a young goat—signify Jesse's respect for the monarch, his hospitality, and his provision for his son's journey and service. This act, while appearing to be a simple domestic transaction, was divinely orchestrated to bring David into King Saul's court, laying the foundation for David's future ascendancy as king.

1 Samuel 16 20 Context

First Samuel chapter 16 marks a pivotal transition in Israel's leadership, orchestrated by God. After King Saul's repeated disobedience led to his rejection (1 Sam 15:23), God commanded Samuel to anoint a new king from the house of Jesse in Bethlehem (1 Sam 16:1-5). David, the youngest and overlooked son, was chosen and secretly anointed by Samuel (1 Sam 16:11-13), signifying God's new covenant with him. Simultaneously, the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, replaced by a tormenting evil spirit (1 Sam 16:14). To alleviate his distress, Saul's servants recommended finding someone skilled in playing the lyre (1 Sam 16:15-16). David was then brought to Saul's attention through an attendant who spoke highly of his varied skills and character, notably "the LORD is with him" (1 Sam 16:18). Verse 19 records Saul's direct message to Jesse, requesting David. Verse 20, therefore, describes Jesse's immediate and respectful compliance, sending David along with significant provisions as gifts, an ancient custom for approaching a royal figure. This seemingly simple act sets the stage for David's initial entrance into royal service and the subsequent unfolding of God's redemptive plan through him.

1 Samuel 16 20 Word analysis

• So Jesse
  • Word: יִשַׁי (Yishai).
  • Significance: Jesse, a Bethlehemite from the tribe of Judah, is the father of David. His obedience to the king's command here contrasts with Saul's previous disobedience to God's command. His prominence as David's father begins to increase due to his son's rising favor.
• took a donkey loaded
  • Words: וַיִּקַּח יִשַׁי חֲמוֹר (vayyiqqah yishai hamor - Jesse took a donkey); עֹמֵס (omesh - loaded/burdened).
  • Significance: This indicates preparedness and intent for a significant journey and presentation. Donkeys were common beasts of burden for travel and conveying goods in the ancient Near East. "Loaded" suggests that the provisions were substantial, not minimal, reflecting generosity and respect. It highlights Jesse's initiative in preparing a full response.
• with bread
  • Word: לֶחֶם (lechem).
  • Significance: Bread was a staple food, representing basic sustenance. Presenting bread signifies provision for the journey and a humble yet essential gift to a king. It reflects a customary form of respectful tribute.
• a skin of wine
  • Words: וְנֵבֶל יַיִן (venvel yayin - and a wineskin).
  • Significance: Wine symbolized blessing, joy, and often accompanied meals. A wineskin (usually made from animal skin) implies a considerable quantity. Offering wine alongside bread demonstrated more comprehensive provision and hospitality. It suggests a more complete and generous offering.
• and a young goat
  • Words: וּגְדִי עִזִּים (ugdi izzim - and a kid of the goats).
  • Significance: A young goat was a valuable domestic animal, often slaughtered for special meals, sacrifices, or to entertain important guests. Including it elevated the gift beyond basic provisions, indicating a level of honor and a willingness to provide hospitality that befits royalty. It shows Jesse's sincere respect.
• and sent them to Saul
  • Words: וַיִּשְׁלַח אֶל שָׁאוּל (vayyishlakh el Shaul - and he sent to Saul).
  • Significance: This emphasizes the fulfillment of Saul's request. Jesse is fulfilling his civic duty as a subject to the king. The act of sending a representative with gifts underscores a relationship of subservience and tribute from a subject to his ruler, an expected norm in that cultural context.
• by his son David.
  • Words: בְּיַד דָּוִד בְּנוֹ (b'yad David b'no - by the hand of David his son).
  • Significance: The crucial element. David is not just a messenger; he is the specific individual summoned, and Jesse's careful preparation extends to ensuring David's dignified arrival. This phrase highlights David's central role and God's sovereign hand in bringing him before the king, fulfilling the divine plan already set in motion by David's anointing. This seemingly simple instruction marks the beginning of David's public career.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and a young goat": This collection of items signifies an ancient near-eastern custom of bringing gifts when appearing before a dignitary or a king. It represents respect, provision, and honor. The choice of specific gifts—staple food (bread), refreshment (wine), and an animal for slaughter (goat)—indicates practicality, thoughtfulness, and an appropriate level of deference without being excessively opulent, reflecting the status of both giver and recipient. It also subtly prepares for David's potential stay.
• "and sent them to Saul by his son David.": This phrase emphasizes divine orchestration. While Saul intended to alleviate his distress, and Jesse intended to comply with a royal summons, God was using these human actions to bring His chosen one into the royal court. The specificity of "by his son David" highlights that the person, not just the gifts, was the object of the summons, establishing a direct connection that God desired between David and the king. David, as the recipient of gifts from his father, presents a subtle reversal of roles common in the ancient Near East, where those coming to court typically brought their own provisions; here, David is provisioned for the king.

1 Samuel 16 20 Bonus section

The seemingly simple act of sending gifts along with David aligns with the customary hospitality and tribute expected in the ancient Near East when an ordinary person approached royalty. The type of gifts chosen — bread, wine, and a young goat — were staple elements that could support a journey and provide for a significant meal, often signifying the giving family's means and generosity. This act underscores Jesse's deep respect for Saul's authority, even as unbeknownst to him, his son David had already been chosen by God to replace Saul.

From a thematic perspective, the provisions carried by David prefigure different aspects of service and provision in God's kingdom. Bread and wine resonate with future communion, and even sacrificial elements represented by the young goat point towards atonement and covenant. While this specific instance is simply an act of courtesy, these elements hold significant biblical echoes regarding God's ultimate provision through Christ. It's an example of how a mundane action in a human timeline serves a higher divine purpose, a common theme throughout biblical narrative where human obedience, whether conscious or unconscious of God's full plan, becomes a vehicle for its accomplishment.

1 Samuel 16 20 Commentary

1 Samuel 16:20 is a deceptively simple verse, yet it functions as a crucial pivot in the biblical narrative. On the surface, it portrays a mundane act of a father, Jesse, responding obediently to a royal summons for his son David, accompanied by customary provisions of respect for the king. Jesse's readiness to dispatch valuable items like a loaded donkey with bread, a wineskin, and a young goat speaks to the expected decorum and practical considerations of approaching a monarch in ancient Israel. These were not lavish luxuries, but wholesome, substantial gifts indicating both a reverent submission and a caring provision for his son's temporary relocation.

However, beneath this ordinary veneer, divine purpose pulsates. This seemingly random call for a harpist by a tormented King Saul is, in fact, God's deliberate means of bringing His newly anointed king, David, into the very palace from which Saul’s line was soon to depart. The specific mentioning of David, "by his son David," highlights that the person summoned, not merely his musical skill or the provisions, was the focus of God's unfolding plan. This instance perfectly illustrates Proverbs 18:16: "A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before great men." Though David's initial 'gift' was his skill in playing, Jesse's actual material gifts served to solidify his dignified entry and secure his favor with Saul. This brief verse thus silently showcases God's intricate orchestration, bringing the "shepherd boy" into direct proximity with the existing ruler, setting the stage for one of the Bible's greatest sagas of succession and the eventual establishment of the Davidic covenant.