1 Samuel 17:14 kjv
And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul.
1 Samuel 17:14 nkjv
David was the youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul.
1 Samuel 17:14 niv
David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul,
1 Samuel 17:14 esv
David was the youngest. The three eldest followed Saul,
1 Samuel 17:14 nlt
David was the youngest son. David's three oldest brothers stayed with Saul's army,
1 Samuel 17 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 16:7 | But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance... for the Lord sees not as man sees: for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” | God's choice is based on the heart, not outward appearance. |
| Gen 25:23 | The Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb… one people shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.” | Divine reversal: older serves younger (Jacob/Esau). |
| Gen 48:14-20 | And Israel stretched out his right hand… placing it on the head of Ephraim… For Manasseh was the firstborn. But his father refused… “His younger brother shall be greater than he…” | God elevates the younger over the firstborn, signifying His sovereignty. |
| Judg 6:15 | He said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.” | God chooses the seemingly weakest/least likely (Gideon). |
| 1 Sam 2:7-8 | The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap… | God's sovereign power to humble the strong and elevate the humble. |
| Psa 78:70-71 | He chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds… He brought him to shepherd Jacob his people… | God chose David, the shepherd, to lead His people, demonstrating unconventional selection. |
| Isa 55:8-9 | “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” | God's plans transcend human logic and expectations. |
| Zec 4:6 | “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord of hosts. | Human strength and capability are secondary to God's Spirit. |
| Matt 11:25 | At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father… that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;” | God reveals truth to the humble, not the intellectually proud. |
| Matt 18:4 | Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. | Humility, not stature or age, is valued in God's kingdom. |
| Mark 10:31 | But many who are first will be last, and the last first. | Reversal of human status and divine recognition. |
| 1 Cor 1:26-29 | For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards… God chose what is foolish in the world… what is weak in the world… what is low and despised in the world… so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. | God deliberately chooses the lowly and unlikely to confound the proud. |
| 2 Cor 4:7 | But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. | God uses humble vessels to display His immense power. |
| 2 Cor 12:9-10 | But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. | God's power is manifest through human weakness. |
| Php 4:13 | I can do all things through him who strengthens me. | Strength for God's tasks comes from Christ, not self. |
| Jas 4:6 | But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” | Humility attracts God's grace and favor. |
| Job 8:7 | Though your beginning was small, your latter end will be very great. | From small beginnings, God can bring great outcomes. |
| Rom 9:11-13 | (though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad, in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of his call) she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” | God's sovereign election is independent of human merit or birth order. |
| Prov 16:18 | Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. | Contrast: Humility (David) vs. Saul's pride, or human pride. |
| Luke 14:11 | For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. | Principle of humility leading to exaltation, observed in David's life. |
| 1 Pet 5:6 | Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you. | Humility under God's hand leads to timely exaltation. |
| Gen 37:2ff | These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old… | Joseph, another younger son, was divinely chosen and exalted over his older brothers. |
| Exo 3:11 | But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” | Moses' initial sense of inadequacy, chosen by God for a mighty task. |
| Psa 113:7-8 | He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. | God exalts those of low status to positions of honor. |
1 Samuel 17 verses
1 Samuel 17 14 Meaning
This verse briefly yet significantly highlights David's status within his family, contrasting him with his older brothers who were already engaged in military service under King Saul. David's position as the youngest or 'least' underscores his unexpected, divinely ordained role, setting the stage for God's unconventional choice and the overturning of human expectations concerning strength, age, and suitability for leadership. It subtly prepares the reader for David's subsequent triumph, emphasizing that God's ways are not man's ways.
1 Samuel 17 14 Context
1 Samuel Chapter 17 opens with the Philistine army gathered for battle against Israel, setting the stage for a dramatic confrontation. The two armies are arrayed on opposing hills with a valley between them. A prominent figure, Goliath, a Philistine champion, steps forward daily to defy Israel and challenge them to send a champion to fight him, thereby deciding the war. For forty days, no Israelite dares to face him, instilling great fear in King Saul and the Israelite army. This verse (17:14) occurs as part of the introduction of David's family and his connection to the unfolding narrative. His three older brothers are presented as part of Saul's military force, serving the king. David, by contrast, is not with the army, underscoring his seemingly insignificant position at home, looking after his father's sheep, thus creating a poignant contrast with the fearsome Goliath and the seemingly helpless Israelite army. This detail about David's youth and absence from the army emphasizes the human unlikeliness of his subsequent victory, powerfully highlighting the divine element in his forthcoming actions.
1 Samuel 17 14 Word analysis
- David: (Hebrew: דָּוִד, Dawid), meaning "beloved" or "darling." This name, rich with meaning, anticipates his future status as the beloved king of Israel, chosen by God. His name also hints at his favor with God.
- was the youngest: (Hebrew: הַקָּטָן, ha-qatan).
- ha-: the definite article, "the".
- qatan: This Hebrew adjective means "small," "little," "insignificant," "young," or "least." In this context, it emphasizes David's junior status within his family, both in terms of age and societal standing relative to his warrior brothers. It marks him as the one who would normally be overlooked for military service or leadership. This term subtly prepares the reader for the contrast between human selection (often based on impressive stature or age) and God's divine choice (based on the heart and hidden preparation). This is a direct polemic against the idea that greatness is solely determined by physical might or seniority, prevalent in ancient cultures.
- the three oldest: (Hebrew: וְהַשְּׁלֹשָׁה הַגְּדֹלִים, wĕha-shĕloshah ha-gĕdolim - more literally "and the three great/grown ones"). While some translations use "oldest," the Hebrew points to their being fully grown, significant, and adult, ready for military duty, highlighting their stature in contrast to David. This group explicitly denotes David's elder siblings who have come of age and are participating in the conventional way, serving their king in battle. Their presence with the army reinforces David's exceptional absence.
- followed Saul: This signifies their active military service and loyalty to King Saul, joining his forces in the field. It indicates their status as able-bodied warriors and underlines their adherence to the cultural and national duty of military participation. This emphasizes that while his "capable" brothers are aligned with the prevailing human power structure (Saul), David remains in the background, guided by a different, divine plan.
1 Samuel 17 14 Bonus section
The statement about David being the "youngest" is foundational to understanding God's preference for unconventional means and seemingly weak vessels to display His strength. It underscores that David's future ascendancy was not due to birthright superiority (like an eldest son might claim), military experience, or physical might, but solely because of God's sovereign choice and preparation. David's time as the "youngest," seemingly unnoticed, was precisely the period of his unique spiritual formation and development of practical skills (shepherding, music, trust in God against wild animals) that would prove indispensable for his divinely appointed destiny. This contrasts sharply with the entire Israelite army, led by King Saul (chosen for his physical appearance), who relied on human might yet remained paralyzed by fear before Goliath, exposing the limits of reliance on conventional power.
1 Samuel 17 14 Commentary
1 Samuel 17:14 serves as a crucial parenthetical statement that defines David's humble position before his confrontation with Goliath. By stating he "was the youngest," it highlights his conventional insignificance within the social and military hierarchy of the time. In ancient societies, age conferred status and authority, and military service was the domain of mature, strong men. David, as the youngest, would naturally be seen as unsuitable for battle, explaining why he was still tending sheep. Conversely, his "three oldest" brothers were active participants in Saul's army, representing the norm. This stark contrast immediately positions David as the unlikely hero, a motif deeply ingrained in biblical narratives where God often chooses the overlooked, the least, or the weak to accomplish His greatest purposes. This detail not only explains David's initial absence from the battlefield but also powerfully underscores the principle that God's selection operates contrary to human logic and external appearances, a truth consistently affirmed throughout scripture, particularly echoing 1 Sam 16:7 where God assesses the heart, not outward stature. This verse, therefore, implicitly emphasizes that David’s victory would be clearly seen as a work of divine intervention, not human prowess or conventional qualifications.