1 Samuel 16 · Verse 20

1 Samuel 16:20

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, King James Version

1 Samuel 16:20 in other translations

BSBAnd Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and one young goat, and sent them to Saul with his son David.
WEBJesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a container of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by David his son to Saul.
ASVAnd Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.
YLTAnd Jesse taketh an ass, with bread, and a bottle of wine, and one kid of the goats, and sendeth by the hand of David his son unto Saul.
DARBYAnd Jesse took an ass with bread, and a flask of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul.
BBEAnd Jesse took five cakes of bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them to Saul by David.
WebsterAnd Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul.

What does 1 Samuel 16:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
20. Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them ... unto Saul--as a token of homage and respect.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 Took an ass laden with bread - He must send a present to Saul to introduce his son, and this was probably the best he had. Dr. Warburton pleads still farther on the propriety of his rectification of the chronology in this place. David had at this time vanquished the Philistine, was become a favourite with the people, had excited Saul's jealousy, and retired to shun its effects. In the interim Saul was seized with the disorder in question, and is recommended by his servants to try the effects of music. They were acquainted with David's skill on the harp, and likewise with Saul's bad disposition towards him; the point was delicate, it required to be managed with address, and therefore they recommend David in this artful manner: "As you must have one constantly in attendance, both in court and on your military expeditions; to be always at hand on occasion, the son of Jesse will become both stations well; he will strengthen your camp and adorn your court, for he is a tried soldier and of a graceful presence. You have nothing to fear from his ambition, for you saw with what prudence he went into voluntary banishment when his popularity had incurred your displeasure." Accordingly Saul is prevailed on, David is sent for, and succeeds with his music; this dissipates all former umbrage, and, as one who is ever to be in attendance, he is made Saul's armor-bearer. This sunshine still continued till his great successes awakened Saul's jealousy afresh, and then the lifted javelin was to strike off all obligations. Thus we see what light is thrown upon the whole history by the supposition of an anticipation in the latter part of this chapter; an anticipation the most natural, proper, and necessary, for the purpose of the historian. Thus reasons Bishop Warburton, and with very considerable plausibility, though the intelligent reader may still have his doubts.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 16:14-23

Saul is made a terror to himself. The Spirit of the Lord departed from him. If God and his grace do not rule us, sin and Satan will have possession of us. The devil, by the Divine permission, troubled and terrified Saul, by the corrupt humours of his body, and passions of his mind. He grew fretful, peevish, and discontented, and at times a madman. It is a pity that music, which may be serviceable to the good temper…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 16:14-23 →

1 Samuel 16:20 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.

וַיִּקַּ֨חvai.yi.Kachand he tookH3947
יִשַׁ֜יyi.ShaiJesseH3448
חֲמ֥וֹרcha.Mora donkeyH2543
לֶ֙חֶם֙le.chembreadH3899
וְנֹ֣אדve.Nodand a skin-bottle ofH4997
יַ֔יִןYa.yinwineH3196
וּגְדִ֥יu.ge.Diand a kid ofH1423
עִזִּ֖ים'i.ZimgoatsH5795
אֶחָ֑ד'e.ChadoneH259
וַיִּשְׁלַ֛חvai.yish.Lachand he sent [them]H7971
בְּיַד\־be.yad-by [the] hand ofH3027
דָּוִ֥דda.VidDavidH1732
בְּנ֖וֹbe.Noson hisH1121
אֶל\־'el-toH413
שָׁאֽוּל\׃sha.'UlSaulH7586

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

Cross references for 1 Samuel 16:20

  • 1 Samuel 10:27

    But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.

  • Proverbs 18:16

    A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.

  • 1 Samuel 17:18

    And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.

  • 1 Samuel 25:18

    Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.

  • Genesis 43:11

    And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:

  • 2 Samuel 16:1-2

    And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
an ass laden.{Chamor lechem,} literally, "an ass of bread," rendered by the LXX. [gomor arton,] a {gomor} of bread; meaning, probably, not an animal, but a vessel containing a certain measure of bread.
10:27; 17:18; 25:18; Ge 43:11; 2Sa 16:1,2; Pr 18:16

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

Context

  • 1 Samuel 16:19

    Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.

  • 1 Samuel 16:20

    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 16:21

    And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.

Read all of 1 Samuel 16

1 Samuel 16:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y tomó Isaí un asno cargado de pan, y una vasija de vino y un cabrito, y enviólo á Saúl por mano de David su hijo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Isaï prit un âne chargé de pain, et une outre de vin, et un chevreau, et les envoya à Saül par la main de David, son fils.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Isai nahm einen Esel mit Brot und einen Schlauch Wein und ein Ziegenböcklein, und er sandte es durch seinen Sohn David an Saul.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tulit itaque Isai asinum plenum panibus, et lagenam vini, et hædum de capris unum, et misit per manum David filii sui Sauli.