1 Samuel 16 · Verse 11

1 Samuel 16:11

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.
1 Samuel 16:11, King James Version

1 Samuel 16:11 in other translations

BSBAnd Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied, “but he is tending the sheep.” “Send for him,” Samuel replied. “For we will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”
WEBSamuel said to Jesse, “Are all your children here?” He said, “There remains yet the youngest. Behold, he is keeping the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.”
ASVAnd Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he is keeping the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him; for we will not sit down till he come hither.
YLTAnd Samuel saith unto Jesse, ‘Are the young men finished?' and he saith, ‘Yet hath been left the youngest; and lo, he delighteth himself among the flock;' and Samuel saith unto Jesse, ‘Send and take him, for we do not turn round till his coming in hither.'
DARBYAnd Samuel said to Jesse, Are these all the young men? And he said, There is yet the youngest remaining, and behold, he is feeding the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and fetch him; for we will not sit at table till he come hither.
BBEThen Samuel said to Jesse, Are all your children here? And he said, There is still the youngest, and he is looking after the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and make him come here: for we will not take our seats till he is here.
WebsterAnd Samuel said to Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and bring him: for we will not sit down till he hath come hither.

What does 1 Samuel 16:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
11. There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep--Jesse having evidently no idea of David's wisdom and bravery, spoke of him as the most unfit. God, in His providence, so ordered it, that the appointment of David might the more clearly appear to be a divine purpose, and not the design either of Samuel or Jesse. David having not been sanctified with the rest of his family, it is probable that he returned to his pastoral duties the moment the special business on which he had been summoned was done.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 16:6-13

It was strange that Samuel, who had been so disappointed in Saul, whose countenance and stature recommended him, should judge of another man by that rule. We can tell how men look, but God can tell what they are. He judges of men by the heart. We often form a mistaken judgment of characters; but the Lord values only the faith, fear, and love, which are planted in the heart, beyond human discernment. And God does not…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 16:6-13 →

1 Samuel 16:11 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
שְׁמוּאֵ֣לshe.mu.'ElSamuelH8050
אֶל\־'el-toH413
יִשַׁי֮yi.ShaiJesseH3448
הֲתַ֣מּוּha.Ta.mu¿ are they finishedH8552
הַנְּעָרִים֒ha.ne.'a.Rimthe young menH5288
וַיֹּ֗אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
ע֚וֹדodstillH5750
שָׁאַ֣רsha.'Arhe remainsH7604
הַקָּטָ֔ןha.ka.Tanthe young [one]H6996
וְהִנֵּ֥הve.hi.Nehand there!H2009
רֹעֶ֖הro.'Eh[he is] shepherdingH7462
בַּצֹּ֑אןba.Tzon<in> the flockH6629
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
שְׁמוּאֵ֤לshe.mu.'ElSamuelH8050
אֶל\־'el-toH413
יִשַׁי֙yi.ShaiJesseH3448
שִׁלְחָ֣הshil.Chahsend !H7971
וְקָחֶ֔נּוּve.ka.Che.nuand bring himH3947
כִּ֥יkiforH3588
לֹא\־lo'-notH3808
נָסֹ֖בna.Sowe will turn roundH5437
עַד\־'ad-untilH5704
בֹּא֥וֹbo.'Ocomes heH935
פֹֽה\׃FohhereH6311

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 16:11

  • Psalms 78:70-71

    He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

  • 2 Samuel 7:8

    Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:

  • 1 Samuel 17:28

    And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.

  • 1 Chronicles 17:7

    Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel:

  • 2 Samuel 13:3

    But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.

  • 1 Samuel 17:12-15

    Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Beth–lehem–judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul. And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul. But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Beth–lehem.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
There remaineth.
17:12-15,28; 2Sa 7:8; 1Ch 17:7; Ps 78:70,71
down. Heb. round.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 16:10

    Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these.

  • 1 Samuel 16:11

    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.

  • 1 Samuel 16:12

    And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

Read all of 1 Samuel 16

1 Samuel 16:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces dijo Samuel á Isaí: ¿Hanse acabado los mozos? Y él respondió: Aun queda el menor, que apacienta las ovejas. Y dijo Samuel á Isaí: Envía por él, porque no nos asentaremos á la mesa hasta que él venga aquí.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Samuel dit à Isaï: Sont-ce là tous les jeunes gens? Et il dit: Il reste encore le plus jeune, et voici, il paît le menu bétail. Et Samuel dit à Isaï: Envoie, et fais-le amener; car nous ne nous placerons point autour de la table, jusqu’à ce qu’il soit venu ici.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Samuel sprach zu Isai: Sind das die Jünglinge alle? Und er sprach: Noch ist der Jüngste übrig, und siehe, er weidet das Kleinvieh. Und Samuel sprach zu Isai: Sende hin und laß ihn holen; denn wir werden uns nicht zu Tische setzen, bis er hierhergekommen ist.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dixitque Samuel ad Isai: Numquid jam completi sunt filii? Qui respondit: Adhuc reliquus est parvulus, et pascit oves. Et ait Samuel ad Isai: Mitte, et adduc eum: nec enim discumbemus priusquam huc ille veniat.