Before David was a king or a warrior, he was the youngest son in a Bethlehem family, out with the sheep.
From the PsalmsThe LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.— Psalm 23:1 (KJV)
He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:— Psalm 78:70 (KJV)
And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep.— 1 Samuel 16:11 (KJV)
Faithful in the Field
David was the son of Jesse of Bethlehem-judah, the youngest of eight sons (1 Samuel 17:12–14). Even after he served Saul, he "went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem" (1 Samuel 17:15). When a lion and a bear took a lamb, he went after them (read the lion and the bear).
From the Sheepfolds to the Throne
Psalm 78:70–71 says God "chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds" to feed Israel His people. And David wrote, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want" (Psalm 23:1).
Next: David anointed by Samuel.
41 bold coloring pages of King David's warriors, straight from 2 Samuel 23 and 1 Chronicles 11. Ages 5–99+. Paperback, $9.99. See inside the book.
Get the Coloring BookQuestions About David's Mighty Men
Was David a shepherd?
Yes. He kept his father Jesse's sheep at Bethlehem (1 Samuel 16:11; 17:15).
How many brothers did David have?
1 Samuel 17:12 says Jesse had eight sons, and David was the youngest; 1 Chronicles 2:13–15 lists David as the seventh, naming six brothers.
King David Bible Stories
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Meet the Mighty Men
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