Reading for April 8th

Read 1 Samuel 30.7-31.  In verses 7-8: The ephod was used by priests to divine the answers to yes/no questions such as those in v. 8. In verse 12: Fig cake was a clump of figs. In verse 14: The Cherethites were mercenaries from the island of Crete who closely associated with the Philistines. In verses 23-25: This is an etiology for a custom in the writer's day. David's decree of a statue and an ordinance for Israel shows his kingly decisiveness and authority. In verses 26-31: The cities listed here were all in southern Judah. David's gifts to the elders of these cities would cause them to look favorably upon him when the time came to choose a king over Judah. Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 7th

 Read 1 Samuel 30.1-6. In 30.1-31: David defeats the Amalekites. In verse 1: On the third day: Ziklag is over 50 miles from Aphek. The journey took three days. The writer emphasizes David's distance from the battle where Saul is killed. The Amalekites raid on Ziklag may have been in retaliation for David's raids against the Amalekites (27.8). This story stands in tension with ch. 15 where the Amalekites were supposedly destroyed. In verse 2: The women and all: The men were all with David. Both small and great is a figure of speech referring to two extremes and everything in the middle. Here, the terms describe poverty or wealth and obscurity or social prominence. In verse 6: Stoning as a type of execution implies that David had been accused of failing as a leader to provide adequate protection. Strengthened himself may mean summoning courage as well as gathering support within the army. David is here depicted as an ideal ruler. Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 6th

 Read 1 Samuel 29.1-11.In 29.1-11: The Philistines reject David. In verse 2: The lords of the Philistines are the rulers of the five main Philistine cities. In verse 3: The commanders of the Philistine army who will actually be in battle object to the presence of David and his men, when they refer to as Hebrews,  possibly a term for mercenaries. In verse 6: It is surprising that Achish, the Philistine, swears here by the Lord, that is, Yahweh, the God of Israel. In verse 8: David's wish to fight against the enemies of my lord the is ambiguous. David's "lord" is Saul, but Achish takes it as a reference to himself. In verse 10: The place that I appointed for you is Ziklag. Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 5th

 Read 1 Samuel 28.8-25. In verse 8; Saul disguised himself because he was breaking his own law (v.3)  by visiting the woman. In verses 11-12a: These verses are an illusion identifying Samuel as the ghost. originally, the woman recognized Saul because of his oath in v. 10 not to punish her. In verse 13: The ground can also mean "the underworld." Divine being can refer to a god or to a ghost or spirit. In verse 14: The robe was Samuel's characteristic garment and the a parent means by which Saul recognized him. In verses 17-18: These verses refer to the story in ch. 15. In verse 19: Tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me: they will be dead. In verse 24: A fatted calf in the house: Livestock were typically kept on the ground floor of Israelite houses with sleeping quarters above them on the second floor. Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 4th

 Read 1 Samuel 1 Samuel 28.3-7. In 28.3-25: Saul consults a ghost. In verse 3: Mediums and wizards are often used in conjunction and refer to devices used to communicate with the dead. Such practices are condemned by the law in Duet 18.10. In verse 4: Shunem and Gilboa locate the site of the battle near the Jezreel Valley,  far north of the Negeb where the previous stories were set. In verse 6: Three means of divining were dreams, or incubation, in which one expected the answer to an inquiry to be given at night, in a dream, often when one slept at a holy place; Urim, or lots, which have been used earlier in 1 Samuel; and prophets, like the man of God in 9.1-10.16. In verse 7:a woman who is a medium literally means "a woman of (who deals with) spirits," using the word translated "medium" in v. 3. Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 3rd

 Read 1 Samuel 27.1-28.2. In 27.1-28.2; David with the Philistines. In verses 3-4:David is driven by Saul's pursuits to flee to the Philistines. Achish is the same character as in 21.10. But the two passages are in tension, since David would not have gone to Achish after pretending to be mad in 21.10-15. In verse 6: It was common for kings to give grants of land to faithful servants. In this case Achish also benefited because Ziklag, guarded the southern frontier of Philistine territory. In verse 8; The mention of the Amalekites stands in tension with ch. 15 where they are all killed. In verse 10: The Negeb is the southern wilderness area of Palestine. Kenites should be read as "Kenizzites." They and the Jerahmelites were clans of within Judah. David was attacking other peoples and fooling Achish by telling him that he had attacks parts of Judah. In verse 12: Achish felt confident of David's loyalty because he thought David had alienated himself from his own people. In 28.2: Then you shall know what your servant can do has a double meaning. Achish thinks David is saying that he will show his potential against Israel. David is actually saying that in the heat of battle Achish will find out David remains loyal to Israel. Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 2nd

 Read 1 Samuel 26.13-25. In verse 13: David went over to the other side so that if Saul purses him he can lead the army away from his unsuspecting men. In verse 16: You deserve to die hints at Abner's assassination (2 Sam 3). In verse 19: David curses any persons who have caused Saul to pursue him because this has driven him from the land of Israel, which is the Lord's heritage. The other gods are the gods of of countries outside of Israel where David sys he has been driven. In verse 20: A partridge is literally "the caller" or "calling bird." The comparison is apt since David is calling to Saul from a mountain. In verse 25: Saul's blessing subtly indicates that David will be king. Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 1st

Read 1 Samuel 26.1-12. In 26.1-25: A second opportunity to kill Saul. This story is very similar to the one in ch 24, and the two may be variants of a single original. In verse 6: Joab was David's nephew (1 Chr 2.16) and would become the commander of his army. In verse 8: David can kill Saul with the same spear Saul once used against David. In verse 12: The Lord is again protecting David. Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for March 31st

 Read 1 Samuel 25.33-43. In verse 23: Unlike Nabal, Abigail is very respectful toward David, treating him as a king. In verses 24-31: Abigail's speech is a model of eloquence and tact. She refers to herself as David's servant (v. 24) and begs him to ignore the ill-natured fellow, Nabal. Verse 24: seems to anticipate the conclusion of the story, according to which Nabal died, but not by David's hand. Abigail diplomatically refers to the supplies she brings to David as a present for his men (v. 27). Her reference to the Lord's giving David a sure house means she knows he will be king. The mention of anyone who should rise up to pursue David and to seek (his) life (v. 29) alludes to Saul. This bundle of the living is the list of  those who live. Abigail's wish that God sling out David 's enemies is reminiscent of David's victory in ch. 17 and anticipates Nabal's death in v. 37. Abigail closes her speech by gently suggesting that shedding innocent blood would be an obstacle to  his kingship (vv. 30-31). When the Lord has dealt well with my Lord could refer to David's becoming king or, in a ironic way, to Nabil's death. Remember your servant is a marriage proposal. In verses 34-35: David perceives that it is the Lord, through Abigail, who has prevented him from committing a great offense. In verse 37: Nabal's heart became like a stone may refer to a comma. In verse 43: Saul's wife was also named Ahinoam (14.50). Comments or Questions.

Reading for March 30th

 Read 1 Samuel 25.1-22. In 25.1-43: Nabal and Abigail. The placement of this story between the two accounts of David's chances to kill Saul (chs. 24 and 26) is significant. While David avoids shedding Saul's blood, he is almost guilty of killing many innocent people in Nabal's household. In verses 2-3: Nabal is like Saul in many ways. He is "rich as a kin" and and was probably an important figure, perhaps the chieftain, among the Celebites, one of the leading clans of Judah. The name Nabal means "fool" or "brute." It was probably not the man's real name but represents his character. His wife, Abigail, on the other hand, is his complete opposite. The only other Abigail in the Bible is David's sister (1 Chr 2.16). In verses 4-8: Shearing sheep was a festival time in Israel. David's requests a gift, hoping Nabal, in the spirit of the festival, will be generous. The gift David expects is more or less obligatory as payment for not harming or "protecting" Nabal's shepherds. The ten young men who David sends should give Nabal an idea of the size of the gift David is expecting, namely, as much as ten  men can carry. In verses 10-11: Nabal's reply is insulting/ His questions, Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? are a way of saying that David is insignificant and do not mean that Nabal does not know who David is. Nabal calls David, in effect, a runaway slave and a vagabond. In verses 14-17: Nabal's own servants recognize that he is ill-natured and untrustworthy. In this emergency they go to Abigail. In verse 18; Five measures: The Hebrew word is "se'ah." Five se'ahs was about a  bushel. cakes of figs were clumps rather that bakery products. In verse 22: David vows to annihilate every male in Nabal's house hold. This sets the stage for the arrival of Abigail, who is a female, is the only person who can prevent a tragedy. Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 29th

 Read 1 Samuel 24.8-22. In verse 11: My father's respectful address from the younger David to the older Saul, it may also imply David's right to inherit Saul's kingdom. In verse 14: A dead dog? A single flea? These terms of self-disparagement, may be read in two ways. David could be saying he is insignificant or that Saul is mistaken if he thinks David will succeed him. In verses 21-22: David's oath not to wipe out Saul's descendants anticipates his treatment of Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth, in 2 Sam 9. Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for March 28th

 Read 1 Samuel 24.1-7. In 24.1-22: David spares Saul.  In verse 3: To relieve himself (literally, "to cover his feet") is a euphemism for deification. The portrait of Saul at this point is particularly degrading. In verse 4a: The prophecy to which David's men refer here is not recorded. In verses 4b-5: These verses probably originally were located after v. 7a. David's cutting off Saul's hem may be as symbolic emasculation or a symbol of his taking Saul's kingdom. This may be why David's conscience bothered him. In verse 6: To attack Saul, the Lord's anointed, was to attack the Lord. In verse 7a: David scolds his men for their suggestion in v. 4a that he kill Saul. Comments or Questions.

Reading for March 27th

 Read 1 Samuel 23.15-29. In verse 17: The recognition that David will be king and Jonathan the second in command is extraordinary. in the mouth of Jonathan himself, the crown prince. In verses 19-29 Saul is frustrated that David stays on jump ahead of him, which he is able to do because of the ephod (v. 22). This time (v. 26) David is trapped on one side of a hill which Saul's forces is circling from both directions. The last-minute notice about the Philistines (v. 27) show Yahweh's protection of David. Either meaning for the etiology in v. 28 ('rock of escape" or "rock of 'division") is appropriate in the context of this story. (Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 26th

 Read 1 Samuel 23.1-14. In 23.1-29: Narrow escapes. In verses 1-6: The episode illustrates the importance of Abiathar's ability to divine through the ephod as explained in v. 6. Keilah was an independent city within Philistine territory, Both times when David inquired his questions required an answer of yes or no, which could be determined through casting lots. Abiathar's ephod (v. 6) was just such an instrument. In verses 7-14: Although David was hoping to cultivate the loyalty of the people of Keilah, they were willing to betray him to Saul. The ephod forewarned him and allowed him to escape Saul. Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 25th

 Read 1 Samuel 22.11-23. In verse 13: Saul accuses Abimelech of treason. In verses 14-15: Abimelech's eloquent defense makes the point that David is Saul's most loyal servant and son-in-law and that he (Abimelech) was unaware of any change in their relationship. In verses 16-17: These reminders only infuriates Saul more, and he orders the death of the priests. In verse 18: Only Doeg, who is an Edomite, dares attack the Lord's priests. In verse 19: Saul devotes Nob to destruction. Ironically, this is what he failed to do against the Amalekites in ch. 15. In verses 20-23: The one escapee is Abiathar in fulfillment of the oracle against the house of Eli in 2.27-36. He will prove a useful asset to David. Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 24th

 Read 1 Samuel 22.6-10. In verse 7: The son of Jesse is a disparaging reference to David. it was common for the king to reward his loyal servants. David may have been making promises of rewards to his followers. But Saul is saying that because they are not from Judah, David's tribe, the Benjaminites can expect no such rewards if David becomes king. In verse 10: Chapter 21 does not mention that Abimelech inquired of the Lord for [David], but this plays an important role in the confrontation to follow. Comments or Questions.

Reading for March 23rd

 Read 1 Samuel 22.1-5. In 22.1-5: David gains a following. In verses 1-5: The account of David's travels related here delays the continuation of the story of the priests of Nob, but it also shows David building an  army. Adullam was in Judah and served as David's headquarters. The cave may be an error for stronghold; the two words are similar in Hebrew. This suggests that the otherwise unknown stronghold in v. 4 is also Adullam. In verse 2: David's army consists of those who are unhappy with Saul. Many of these people may have fled earlier to the wilderness of Judah to escape Saul's reach. In verses 3-4: The connection of David's family with Moab is attested by Ruth 4.17-22. In verse 5: The image of a king sitting in council under a sacred tree was a common one in the ancient Near East. Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 22nd

 Read 1 Samuel 21.1-15. In 21.1-15: David visits Nob. In verse 1: Abimelech was the brother of Ahijah, Saul's chaplain, and the great-grandson of Eli. He came trembling to meet David perhaps because David was alone, and Abimelech suspected something was wrong. In verses 4-5: Sexual abstinence, as expressed in the phrase have kept themselves from women, was practiced by soldiers preparing for war and by worshippers. David affirms that he and his men are on a holy mission and so have been abstinent. Although vessels can refer to tools, weapons, or other implements, here is is a euphemism for the sexual organs. In verse 7: The fact that Doeg was detained before the Lord probably means that he had a vow to fulfill. Shepherds maybe a mistake for "runners"; the words are very similar in Hebrew. Kings were often escorted by runners. In verse 9: David had placed the sword of Goliath in his own tent according to 17.54. The ephod mentioned here seems to be an idol (Judg 8.27) rather than a priestly garment. In verse 10: Achish, like Goliath, is a genuine Philistine name. In verse 11: It is is not a simple anachronism, the Philistines recognize David already as king if the land. In verses 13-15; To be mad was seen in the ancient world as being divinely "touched." Hence, the Philistines, fearing divine wrath, leave David alone. The story also jabs fun at the Philistines who cannot tell madness from sanity and who, by their own admission, have plenty of madmen. Comments or Questions.

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Reading for March 21st

 Read 1 Samuel 20.18-42: In verse 30: Nakedness is a euphemism for the genitals. Saul's remarks is course and insulting. He accuses Jonathan of treason and says that he is a shame to his mother's genitals. In verse 31: Saul perceives that David will be king if he is not killed. In verse 33: Saul tries to kill Jonathan with his spear just as he tried to kill David. In verses 41-42a: This is an addition emphasizing the affection and loyalty between David and Jonathan. If the two had been able to meet openly like this, the sign in the previous verses would have be unnecessary. Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 20th

 Read 1 Samuel 20.1-17. In 20.1-42: The covenant of David and Jonathan. In verse 2; Jonathan is unaware that Saul has tried to kill David and still believes that his father would not act without first consulting him. In verse 5: The new moon in ancient Israel was a day of sacrificing and feasting. In verse 8: Jonathan asks David to deal kindly or "loyally" with him. The term implies faithfulness to a treaty, and Jonathan goes onto mention the covenant between them. In verse 13: The Lord do so to Jonathan, and more also: Jonathan swears that he will warn David. Jonathan's wish that the Lord be with David as he was with Saul suggests that David will be king. In verses 14-15: Faithful love also means "loyalty." My house means Jonathan's descendants. David's oath of loyalty to Jonathan's house anticipates the account of his treatment of Jonathan's son in 2 Sam 9.16: The enemies of David include Saul. In verse 17: Love again expresses political loyalty. Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 19th

 Read 1 Samuel 19.1-24. In 19.1-24: More attempts on David's life. In verse 5: Killing innocent person was a serious crime that could taint an entire nation and bring the wrath of God. In verses 11-17: This was originally the continuation of the story of David's marriage in 18.20-29 and took place on the couple's wedding night. In verse 12:The house was evidently built into the city wall, so that David went through the window and escaped the city. In verse 13: An idol: The Hebrew word "teraphim," refers to household gods like those that Rachel took from her father (Gen 31.33-35).The one used by Michal must have been close to life-size. In verse 17: Michal lies to protect herself. A threat from David could not explain her ruse with the bed after his departure. In verse 18: Ramah, Samuel's hometown, was about two miles north of Gibeah, while David's home, Bethlehem and Judah, lay to the south. David would hardly have fled north. The story is included here for literary and theological reasons. Naioth may be not a proper name but a word meaning "camps" or "huts" where the prophets lived near their leader Samuel. In verses 23-24: The saying is Saul also among the prophets? has a different explanation here from the one offered in 10.10-12. The perspective on Saul is this later case is negative. The depiction of his lying naked is degrading. The fact that the Lord's spirit comes upon him to prevents him from arresting David clearly shows that God is on David's side against Saul. Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 18th

 Read 1 Samuel 18.20-30. In verse 20: Michal was Saul's younger daughter. In verse 21: This plan of Saul is slightly more direct than his hope that David promotion over the army would lead to his death. In verses 23-25: The marriage present or "bride price" was set by the bride's father and paid to him by the groom. In verse 26: David was well please to be the king's son-in-law, despite his claim to lack of ambition. In verse 28: Michal loved him: Even Saul's own daughter was loyal to David, as she would shortly demonstrate. Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 17th

 Read 1 Samuel 18.6-19. In verse 9; Saul eyed David means that Saul kept a wary eye on him. In verses 10-11: These verses are also supplemental. In the initial story, Saul's attempt to kill David with his spear (19.8-10) provides the climax to a series of subtle moves against David. He raved is the same word translated "prophesy" elsewhere.it refers to ecstatic (irrational) behavior. In verses 13-14; Saul promotes David because he is afraid to have David near him. He also hopes that David will be killed in battle. Marched out and came in is an idiom for "went to war." In verse 16: All Israel and Judah loved David again expresses political loyalty, thus giving Saul all the more reason to fear. In verses 17-19:these verses are supplemental as they are not included in the original Greek or Septuagint version (LXX), if these verses are related to 17.25, Saul has changed the conditions of his promise. David's response in v. 18 shows his humility and lack of ambition to be king. The son-in-law to the king was an important political position, since he was potentially an heir to the throne. In the end (v. 19), Saul goes back on his promise despite David's heroic deeds. Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 16th

 Read 1 Samuel 18.1-5. In 18.1-30: Saul's jealousy of David. In verses 1-5: These verses interrupt the initial narrative, which continues in v. 6, with the return home after David's victory. They continue the supplemental material from ch. 17. In verses 2-3:Jonathan's love for David implies political loyalty in addition his personal affection. In verse 4: Jonathan's act is highly symbolic. By giving his royal robe and armor to David, Jonathan, in effect, hands over the succession to the throne. In verse 5: This verse is also supplemental. In the initial narrative David is promoted for quite a different reason (vv. 12-13). Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 15th

 Read 1 Samuel 17.48--58. In verse 49: It is not by chance that David's stone strikes the Philistine in a spot where he is vulnerable. David's speech shows that this is understood as God's doing. In verse 50; This supplemental verse is a summary of the action. It causes some tension with v. 51, which says that David killed the Philistine with his own sword after felling him with the sling and then beheaded him. In verse 54: This verse contains an anachronism, since Jerusalem was not conquered until David became king of Israel (2 Sam 5). His tent: Goliath's sword later surfaces among the priests at Nob (21.1) suggesting that this phrase should be read as "the tent (shrine) of Yahweh." In verse 55: Whose son is this young man? is idiomatic. Saul is not asking who is David's father is. Again, this question indicates the story originally independent nature, since according to 16.14-23 Saul and David already had a close relationship. Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 14th

 Read 1 Samuel 17.41-47. An element of ancient warfare involved taunting the opponent and boasting of one's own superiority. The Philistine is distracted by David's staff (v.43) and over looks his real weapon, the sling. David's reply (vv. 45-47) is religious in nature and promises retribution for the Philistine's defiance of the Lord. David does not need the Philistine's arms because the Lord fights for him. Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for March 13th

 Read 1 Samuel 17.28-40. In verses 33-37: While David has experience fighting wild animals as a shepherd, he is still not the warrior described in 16.18. This tension results from the addition to the originally independent story in ch 17. In verses 38-39: David's inability to move in Saul's armor emphasizes his lack of experience as a soldier. But it also shows Saul's failure to understand David's advantage lay in his mobility.. In verse 40: His staff was a shepherd's staff, little more than a stick. The sling was not a shepherd's toy but a deadly weapon of war wielded by entire divisions of armies. It consisted of two cords attached to a pouch from which a stone was hurled, potentially with great accuracy (Judg 20.16). Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 12th

 Read 1 Samuel 17.12-27. In verse 12: The Ephrathites ere a subgroup within the Calebite clan which was part of Judah. In verses 14-15: Here, David is a shepherd boy running errands for his father rather than a warrior already in the army as in 16.14-23. In verse 16: In this supplementary version of the story, the Philistine had been challenging the Israelites for forty six days, while in the initial version David fights him, the first time he comes out. In verse 17: An ephah was about half a  bushel. In verse 18: Some token refers to a personal effect that would indicate the the brothers had received the gift from their father and that they were well. In verse 26: David's courage comes from his recognition that the Lord will help him because the Philistine has reproached the Living God. Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 11th

 Read 1 Samuel 15.1-11. In 17.1-58: David defeats the Philistine champion. An initial version of this story in vv. 1-11, 32-49, 51-54 has been extensively a supplemented in the Hebrew text by vv. 12-31, 50, 55-58, 18.1-5. The supplementary material does not occur in the old Greek translation (known as the Septuagint and abbreviated as LXX). Its addition has caused a series of tensions within the story relating to David's presence in Saul's army, the way in which the Philistine died, and Saul's acquaintance with David. In verse 4: Goliath is a genuine Philistine name. But is occurs only here and in v. 23, which is supplemental. Otherwise David's opponent is simply called "the Philistine." The name has come into the story under the influence of 2 Sam 21.19, which says that a man named Elhanan killed Goliath. Six cubits and a span was about nine and one-half feet. The Greek reading, "four cubits and a span," about six and one-half feet, is more realistic and probably original. In verses 5-7: The armor described here is not genuinely Philistine but reflects items from different arise at different times. It is designed to paint a very imposing picture of the Philistine. Five thousand shekels was almost 126 pounds. In verse 6: The javelin was more likely a curved sword or scimitar. In verse 7: The spear's description is borrowed from 2 Sam 21.39. The comparison of the shaft with a weaver's beam is obscure. it may refer to size or to a leather thong attached to some spears to facilitate hurling. Six thousand shekels of iron was more than 15 pounds. Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 10th

 Read 1 Samuel 16.14-25. In 16.14-25: David comes to Saul's court. In verse 14: The contrast between David and Saul continues. The spirit of the Lord came upon David (v. 13) but left Saul. In its place Saul is tormented by an evil spirit from the Lord. This may be an ancient way of describing mental illness. The theological point is that the Lord has abandoned Saul. In verse 16: The lyre was a hand-held stringed instrument. Musicians were used in the ancient world to ward off evil spirits. In verse 18: A man of valor is a "noble-man." In 9.1 the same expression is translated "a man of wealth." prudent in speech" or "skilled of speech" implies both eloquence and cleverness. The Lord is with him expresses a central theme of the David story, which has its beginnings in this text. In verse 19: David's role as a sphered again hints at his future as king. In verse 21: The word "love" expressed not only affection but also loyalty. Because Saul loved [David] greatly he established a relationship with him and made a commitment to him, appointed him as his armor-bearer, which indicates David's skill as a warrior. Comments or Questions..

Reading for March 9th

 Read 1 Samuel 16.1-13. In 16.1-13: David's anointing. In verses 14-15: The elders of the city were nobles who functioned as a council of civic leaders. Jesse seems to be among the elders of Bethlehem. In verses 6-7: Like Saul, Eliab is tall and handsome. Samuel is impressed but is warned that the Lord regards the inner qualities or heart as more important than outer appearance. The writer is building a contrast between Saul and David. In verses 8-9: David's brothers are rejected one by one. Samuel is probably using some device like the  Urim and Thummim to determine whether each of the sons is the one one chosen by the Lord. In verse 10; This verse agrees with 17.12 in crediting Jesse with eight sons, but 1 Chr 2.13-15 mentions only seven with David as the youngest. Since the number seven had special meaning as a symbol for completeness or largeness, the seventh son may have been seen as specially blessed. Perhaps David was originally the seventh son and the tradition became altered over time. Or perhaps he is described as the eight son as a way of highlighting his humble origins. In verse 11: The word translated the youngest may mean "the smallest" and again contrasts David with Saul. David is also keeping the sheep. The image of a shepherd was a common metaphor for kings (2 Sam 5.2). In verse 12: Ruddy means "reddish" or hair and complexion (Gen 25.25). Comments or Questions..