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Ruth 4:22 — Word Study

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WLCוְעֹבֵד֙ הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־ יִשָׁ֔י וְיִשַׁ֖י הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־ דָּוִֽד׃

BSAObedʻÔwbêd [serving, a servant of God] was the father ofyâlad [to beget, to bring forth] JesseYishay [I possess, a man of Judah] and JesseYishay [I possess] was the father ofyâlad [to beget] DavidDâvid [beloved, a king of Israel]

Word
Listen & take awayRuth 4
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 22 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (da.Vid) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Ruth 4:22quick helps
In a sentenceObed is identified as the grandfather of David, connecting the lineage from Ruth to the future king.
Who is speakingThe narrator, recounting the genealogy from Obed to David.
Where we areIn the genealogical record at the end of the Book of Ruth.
The hard wordיָלַד
Take awayThis verse highlights the importance of family lineage in Israel's history.
4 commentators on this verse Gill, Poole, AdamClarke, Cambridge & more — read them › clause subjectעוֹבֵד verbיָלַד The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Ruth 4:22

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Genealogy of Davidgenerated

19Hezron was the father of Ram, Ram was the father of Amminadab,
20Amminadab was the father of Nahshon, Nahshon was the father of Salmon,
21Salmon was the father of Boaz, Boaz was the father of Obed,
22Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David.

Ruth 4:22 concludes the genealogy that connects Ruth and Boaz to King David, emphasizing the significance of their lineage. This genealogy serves to highlight God's providence in establishing the royal line of Israel, which ultimately leads to significant biblical figures, including Jesus. The mention of Obed, Jesse, and David illustrates the importance of familial relationships in biblical narratives.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Samuel 16:1Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.”
2Isaiah 11:1Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.
31 Chronicles 2:15Ozem sixth, and David seventh.
4Matthew 1:6and Jesse the father of David the king. Next: David was the father of Solomon by Uriah’s wife,
5Luke 3:31the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word עוֹבֵד, ve.'o.Vedgenerated

The name עוֹבֵד (*o.ved*) means 'serving' and is associated with Obed, the son of Boaz and Ruth, who is noted as the grandfather of David. This name reflects his role and significance in the lineage leading to David, a central figure in Israel's history.

Obed's role in the genealogy is crucial as it connects the Moabite Ruth to the Israelite king David, showcasing God's plan through family lines. The use of the word 'serving' also indicates a humble and faithful character, aligning with the biblical theme of service to God.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse consists of two main clauses connected by the conjunction וְ (*and*), with each clause structured around a subject and verb: עֹבֵד (*Obed*) is the subject of the first clause, and יִשַׁי (*Jesse*) is the subject of the second. The verb הוֹלִיד (*he fathered*) governs both clauses, indicating a direct lineage.

The structure emphasizes the familial relationships, with the first clause stating that Obed fathered Jesse, and the second clause stating that Jesse fathered David. This clear lineage is typical in genealogical records.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates עוֹבֵד as ωβηδ and יָלַד as ἐγέννησεν. The choice of ἐγέννησεν reflects the act of giving birth, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning of fathering, thus maintaining the original intent of the genealogy.

This translation choice shows continuity in the understanding of lineage and parentage from the Hebrew to the Greek context.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Ruth 4:22 states that Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David. This verse is part of a genealogy that connects Ruth and Boaz to King David, highlighting the importance of family lineage in Israel's history.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Who was Obed?

Obed was the son of Boaz and Ruth, and the grandfather of King David.

What does the name Jesse mean?

The name Jesse means 'I possess' and he was the father of David.

Why is the genealogy important?

The genealogy is important as it traces the lineage from Ruth and Boaz to David, emphasizing God's providence in Israel's history.

What role does David play in the Bible?

David is a central figure in the Bible, known as the second king of Israel and an ancestor of Jesus.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How does understanding the genealogy from Obed to David help us see God's plan in history?
  2. What can we learn from the character of Obed as a servant in God's plan?
  3. In what ways does the lineage of David impact the story of Jesus?
  4. How can we appreciate the importance of family in our own lives, similar to the biblical emphasis on lineage?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Ruth 4:22 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Obed begat Jesse,.... The Bethlehemite, the father of David: and Jesse begat David; the Targum adds, the king of Israel; and so the Syriac and Arabic versions add, the king; from whence it is by

Read John Gill on Ruth 4 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

How can this be a true genealogy, seeing by this means four persons take up three hundred and eighty years, which were between Salmon and David, and consequently every one of them must beget a son when he was very old? Answ. 1. It is not certain that each of these was the immediate parent of him whom he is said to beget; for sometimes grandfathers are said in Scripture to beget their grandchildren, to wit, by the intervention of their immediate sons; whereof instances have been given. And sometimes in genealogies whole generations are omitted, as may appear by , compared with and by , which might be done here for divers reasons now unknown. 2. There are many examples even in profane…

Read Matthew Poole on Ruth 4 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 22. And Obed begat Jesse] "Who," says the Targum, "also is called Nachash, נחש because neither iniquity nor corruption was found in him, that he should be delivered into the hands of the angel of death, that he might take away his soul from him. And he lived many days until the counsel was remembered before the Lord, that the serpent gave to Eve the wife of Adam, that she should eat of the tree; by eating of the fruit of which they became wise, to distinguish between good and evil: and by that counsel all the inhabitants of the earth became guilty of death; and by this iniquity Jesse the Just died." Here is no mean or indistinct reference to the doctrine of original sin: and it shows…

Read AdamClarke on Ruth 4 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

22. and Jesse begat David] The present genealogy was therefore designed to supply what 1 Sam. omitted, and to trace David’s descent from Perez. Note on the genealogy in Rth 4:18-22. The following points are to be noticed: (1) The genealogy consists of ten members, of which the first five, from Perez to Nahshon, cover the period from the entry of the Hebrew tribes into Egypt (Perez, Genesis 46:12) to the time of Moses (Nahshon, Numbers 1:7); while the last five belong to the period of the settlement in Canaan. It is obvious that the generations are not sufficient to cover this extent of time; the grandfather of Boaz cannot have been a contemporary of Moses. The genealogy, therefore, does not…

Read Cambridge on Ruth 4 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

and Obed became the father of Jesse, and Jesse became the father of David.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

and Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

RVARevised Version, American1894

and Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And Obed begate Ishai, and Ishai begate Dauid.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

and Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And 'Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Obed became the father of Jesse, and Jesse became the father of David.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Obed begot Isai, Isai begot David.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Obed was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And Obed became the father of Jesse, and Jesse became the father of David.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וְandclausesubjectעֹבֵד֙Obedverbהוֹלִ֣ידhe.fatherednoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)יִשָׁ֔יJesseוְandclausesubjectיִשַׁ֖יJesseverbהוֹלִ֥ידhe.fatherednoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)דָּוִֽדDavid

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the essential names and actions in this verse, with the Septuagint preserving six of the eight words from the Hebrew text. The differences in word order do not alter the meaning, maintaining the focus on the lineage from Obed to David.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וְעֹבֵד֙ הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־ יִשָׁ֔י וְיִשַׁ֖י הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־ דָּוִֽד׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְעֹבֵד֙ωβηδהוֹלִ֣ידἐγέννησενיִשָׁ֔יιεσσαιוְיִשַׁ֖יιεσσαιהוֹלִ֥ידἐγέννησενדָּוִֽד׃δαυιδ

6 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Ruth 4:22עוֹבֵדand Obedand Obedעוֹבֵדיָלַדhe fatheredhe fatheredיָלַדאֵתthe object the object markאֵתיִשַׁיJesseJesseיִשַׁייִשַׁיand Jesseand Jesseיִשַׁייָלַדhe fatheredhe fatheredיָלַדאֵתthe object the object markאֵתדָּוִדDavidDavidדָּוִדאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתיֵשׁtherethereיֵשׁעָבַדto serveto serveעָבַדדּוֹדbelovedbelovedדּוֹדשֶׁ֫לַחShelahShelahשֶׁ֫לַחהָרָהto conceivto conceiveהָרָהמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁבֵּיתבֵּיתנַחֲלָהinheritancinheritanceנַחֲלָהבֹּ֫עַזBoazBoazבֹּ֫עַזמִזְמוֹרmelodymelodyמִזְמוֹרנָצַחto conductto conductנָצַח
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Ruth 4:22

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and Obed he fathered the object marker Jesse and Jesse he fathered the object marker David
וְעֹבֵד֙ve.'o.Ved and Obed H5744 Conjunction · noun proper masculine
10× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Obed means serving and refers to several Israelites, including the grandfather of King David, who was the son of Boaz and Ruth. He is mentioned in the book of 2 Chronicles and 1 Samuel. Obed played a significant role in the family line of Jesus.
Amplified meaning
serving, a servant of God
Tyndale gloss
Obed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עוֹבֵד (*o.ved*) means 'serving' and is primarily associated with the name Obed, who is noted as the son of Boaz and Ruth, and the grandfather of David. The entries indicate multiple individuals named Obed in the Old Testament, including warriors and gatekeepers, primarily from the tribe of Judah. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding this word.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עוֹבֵד, עֹבֵד n.pr.m. (worshipper)

son of Boaz and Ruth

names in Judah

a mighty man of David

a doorkeeper

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5744 עוֹבֵד, עֹבֵד (worshipper). son of Boaz and Ruth

. names in Judah

. a mighty man of David

. a doorkeeper

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5744 `Owbed o-bade'

active participle of 5647; serving; Obed, the name of five

Israelites:--Obed.

see HEBREW for 05647

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עוֹבֵד (o.ved) — Obed.

A man of the tribe of Judah living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Rut.4.17;

son of: Boaz (H1162) and Ruth (H7327);

father of: Jesse (H3448)

Also named: Ōbēd (Ὠβήδ "Obed" G5601)

§ Obed = "serving"

1) son of Boaz by Ruth and the grandfather of David

2) a Judaite, a descendant of Jarha, the Egyptian slave of Sheshan, in the line of Jerahmeel

3) a Judaite, father of Azariah, one of the captains of hundreds who joined with Jehoiada in the revolution by which Athaliah fell

4) one of David's mighty warriors

5) son of Shemaiah and a gatekeeper of the temple

עוֹבֵד (o.ved) — Obed.

A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.2.37;

son of: Ephlal (H0654);

father of: Jehu (H3058I)

§ Obed = "serving"

1) son of Boaz by Ruth and the grandfather of David

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculine
HC/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(1) Son of Boaz and Ru and grandfather of David (Ru 4:17,21,22; 1Ch 2:12; Mt 1:5; Lu 3:32).

(2) Son of Ephlal and descendant of Sheshan, the Jerahmeelite, through his daughter who was married to Jarha, an Egyptian servant of her father's (1Ch 2:37,38).

(3) One of David's mighty men (1Ch 11:47).

(4) A Korahite doorkeeper, son of Shemaiah, and grandson of Obed-edom (1Ch 26:7).

(5) Father of Azariah, one of the centurions who took part with Jehoiada in deposing Queen Athaliah and crowning Joash (

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(serving). Son of Boaz and Ruth the Moabitess and father of Jesse. (Ruth 4:17) (B.C. 1360.) The circumstances of his birth which make up all that we know about him are given with much beauty in the book of Ruth. The name of Obed occurs only (Ruth 4:17) and in the four genealogies, (Ruth 4:21,22; 1 Chronicles 2:12; Matthew 1:5; Luke 3:32) A descendant of Jarha, the Egyptian slave of Sheshan, in the line of Jerahmeel. (1 Chronicles 2:37,38) (B.C. after 1014.) One of David’s mighty men. (

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and Obed he fathered the object marker Jesse and Jesse he fathered the object marker David
הוֹלִ֣ידho.Lid he fathered H3205 Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person masculine singular
496× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to give birth or beget a child, like when Eve gave birth to Cain in Genesis 4:1. It can also mean to help someone give birth, like a midwife. This word is used in many KJV translations, including Genesis and Isaiah.
Amplified meaning
to beget, to bring forth
Tyndale gloss
to beget
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יָלַד (*yalad*) means to bear, bring forth, or beget, and it encompasses various forms of childbirth and lineage declaration. It can refer to both the act of giving birth and the role of a midwife. The entries also note its use in contexts of distress and wicked behavior, as well as in reference to birthdays.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָלַד 497 vb. bear, bring forth, beget

Qal

bear, bring forth

less often beget

of both parents

Niph. be born

Pi. cause (or help) to bring forth, viz., assist or tend as midwife

Pu. be born

Hiph.

beget (a father a child)

bear

Hoph. day of one's being born = birthday

Hithp. declared their pedigree

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3205 יָלַד bear, bring forth, beget .. bear, bring forth

. less often beget

. of both parents

. be born

. cause (or help) to bring forth, viz., assist or tend as midwife

. be born

. . beget (a father a child)

. bear

. day of one's being born = birthday

. declared their pedigree

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3205 yalad yaw-lad'

a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget;

medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show

lineage:--bear, beget, birth((-day)), born, (make to) bring

forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be

delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch,

labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be

the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָלַד (ya.lad) — to beget.

1) to bear, bringforth, beget, gender, travail

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to bear, bring forth

1a1a) of child birth

1a1b) of distress (simile)

1a1c) of wicked (behaviour)

1a2) to beget

1b) (Niphal) to be born

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to cause or help to bring forth

1c2) to assist or tend as a midwife

1c3) midwife (participle)

1d) (Pual) to be born

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to beget (a child)

1e2) to bear (fig. -of wicked bringing forth iniquity)

1f) (Hophal) day of birth, birthday (infinitive)

1g) (Hithpael) to declare one's birth (pedigree)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Perf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person masculine singular
HVhp3ms
and Obed he fathered the object marker Jesse and Jesse he fathered the object marker David
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and Obed he fathered the object marker Jesse and Jesse he fathered the object marker David
יִשָׁ֔יyi.Shai Jesse H3448 Noun proper masculine
42× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Jesse was the father of King David and a member of the tribe of Judah, and his name means 'I possess', showing his importance in the family and community.
Amplified meaning
I possess, a man of Judah
Tyndale gloss
Jesse
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יִשַׁי (Yishay) refers to Jesse, the father of David, and is associated with the tribe of Judah. The name appears in the context of the United Monarchy, first mentioned in Ruth 4:17. Jesse is noted as the son of Obed and has several sons, including David and Eliab. The name may also mean 'I possess'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יִשַׁי 41 n.pr.m. father of David

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3448 יִשַׁי father of David

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3448 Yishay yee-shah'-ee

by Aramaic Iyshay {ee-shah'-ee}; from the same as 3426;

extant; Jishai, David's father:--Jesse.

see HEBREW for 03426

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יִשַׁי (yi.shay) — Jesse.

A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at Rut.4.17;

son of: Obed (H5744);

father of: David (H1732), Eliab (H0446I), Abinadab (H0041I), Shimeah (H8093), Nethanel (H5417H), Raddai (H7288), Ozem (H0684), Zeruiah (H6870), Abigail (H0026H)(?) and Elihu (H0453J)

Also named: Iessai (Ἰεσσαί "Jesse" G2421)

§ Jesse = "I possess"

son of Boaz and the father of king David

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

jes'-e (yishay, meaning doubtful; according to Gesenius it = "wealthy"; Olshausen, Gram., sections 277 f, conjectures yesh yah, "Yahweh exists"; Wellhausen (1Sa 14:49) explains it as 'abhishay (see ABISHAI); Iessai; Ru 4:17,22; 1Sa 16; 17; 20; 22; 25:10; 2Sa 20:1; 23:1; 1Ki 12:16; 1Ch 10:14; 12:18; Ps 72:20; Isa 11:1,10 ( = Ro 15:12)); Mt 1:5,6; Ac…

Jesse

Firm, or a gift, a son of Obed, the son of Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 4:17, 22; Matt. 1:5, 6; Luke 3:32). He was the father of eight sons, the youngest of whom was David (1 Sam. 17:12). The phrase “stem of Jesse” is used for the family of David (Isa. 11:1), and “root of Jesse” for the Messiah (Isa. 11:10; Rev. 5:5). Jesse was a man apparently of wealth and position at Bethlehem (1 Sam. 17:17, 18, 20; Ps.…

(wealthy), the father of David, was the son of Obed, who again was the fruit of the union of Boaz and the Moabitess Ruth. His great-grandmother was Rahab the Canaanite, of Jericho. (Matthew 1:5) Jesse’s genealogy is twice given in full in the Old Testament, viz., (Ruth 4:18-22) and 1Chr 2:5-12 He is commonly designated as "Jesse the Bethlehemite," (1 Samuel 16:1,18; 17:58) but his full title is "the Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah." ch. (1 Samuel 17:12) He is an "old man" when we first meet with him, (1 Samuel 17:12) with eight sons, ch. (

and Obed he fathered the object marker Jesse and Jesse he fathered the object marker David
וְיִשַׁ֖יve.yi.Shai and Jesse H3448 Conjunction · noun proper masculine
42× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Jesse was the father of King David and a member of the tribe of Judah, and his name means 'I possess', showing his importance in the family and community.
Amplified meaning
I possess
Tyndale gloss
Jesse
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יִשַׁי (Yishay) refers to Jesse, the father of David, and is associated with the tribe of Judah. The name appears in the context of the United Monarchy, first mentioned in Ruth 4:17. Jesse is noted as the son of Obed and has several sons, including David and Eliab. The name may also mean 'I possess'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יִשַׁי 41 n.pr.m. father of David

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3448 יִשַׁי father of David

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3448 Yishay yee-shah'-ee

by Aramaic Iyshay {ee-shah'-ee}; from the same as 3426;

extant; Jishai, David's father:--Jesse.

see HEBREW for 03426

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יִשַׁי (yi.shay) — Jesse.

A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at Rut.4.17;

son of: Obed (H5744);

father of: David (H1732), Eliab (H0446I), Abinadab (H0041I), Shimeah (H8093), Nethanel (H5417H), Raddai (H7288), Ozem (H0684), Zeruiah (H6870), Abigail (H0026H)(?) and Elihu (H0453J)

Also named: Iessai (Ἰεσσαί "Jesse" G2421)

§ Jesse = "I possess"

son of Boaz and the father of king David

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculine
HC/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

jes'-e (yishay, meaning doubtful; according to Gesenius it = "wealthy"; Olshausen, Gram., sections 277 f, conjectures yesh yah, "Yahweh exists"; Wellhausen (1Sa 14:49) explains it as 'abhishay (see ABISHAI); Iessai; Ru 4:17,22; 1Sa 16; 17; 20; 22; 25:10; 2Sa 20:1; 23:1; 1Ki 12:16; 1Ch 10:14; 12:18; Ps 72:20; Isa 11:1,10 ( = Ro 15:12)); Mt 1:5,6; Ac…

Jesse

Firm, or a gift, a son of Obed, the son of Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 4:17, 22; Matt. 1:5, 6; Luke 3:32). He was the father of eight sons, the youngest of whom was David (1 Sam. 17:12). The phrase “stem of Jesse” is used for the family of David (Isa. 11:1), and “root of Jesse” for the Messiah (Isa. 11:10; Rev. 5:5). Jesse was a man apparently of wealth and position at Bethlehem (1 Sam. 17:17, 18, 20; Ps.…

(wealthy), the father of David, was the son of Obed, who again was the fruit of the union of Boaz and the Moabitess Ruth. His great-grandmother was Rahab the Canaanite, of Jericho. (Matthew 1:5) Jesse’s genealogy is twice given in full in the Old Testament, viz., (Ruth 4:18-22) and 1Chr 2:5-12 He is commonly designated as "Jesse the Bethlehemite," (1 Samuel 16:1,18; 17:58) but his full title is "the Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah." ch. (1 Samuel 17:12) He is an "old man" when we first meet with him, (1 Samuel 17:12) with eight sons, ch. (

and Obed he fathered the object marker Jesse and Jesse he fathered the object marker David
הוֹלִ֥ידho.Lid he fathered H3205 Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person masculine singular
496× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to give birth or beget a child, like when Eve gave birth to Cain in Genesis 4:1. It can also mean to help someone give birth, like a midwife. This word is used in many KJV translations, including Genesis and Isaiah.
Amplified meaning
to beget
Tyndale gloss
to beget
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יָלַד (*yalad*) means to bear, bring forth, or beget, and it encompasses various forms of childbirth and lineage declaration. It can refer to both the act of giving birth and the role of a midwife. The entries also note its use in contexts of distress and wicked behavior, as well as in reference to birthdays.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָלַד 497 vb. bear, bring forth, beget

Qal

bear, bring forth

less often beget

of both parents

Niph. be born

Pi. cause (or help) to bring forth, viz., assist or tend as midwife

Pu. be born

Hiph.

beget (a father a child)

bear

Hoph. day of one's being born = birthday

Hithp. declared their pedigree

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3205 יָלַד bear, bring forth, beget .. bear, bring forth

. less often beget

. of both parents

. be born

. cause (or help) to bring forth, viz., assist or tend as midwife

. be born

. . beget (a father a child)

. bear

. day of one's being born = birthday

. declared their pedigree

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3205 yalad yaw-lad'

a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget;

medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show

lineage:--bear, beget, birth((-day)), born, (make to) bring

forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be

delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch,

labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be

the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָלַד (ya.lad) — to beget.

1) to bear, bringforth, beget, gender, travail

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to bear, bring forth

1a1a) of child birth

1a1b) of distress (simile)

1a1c) of wicked (behaviour)

1a2) to beget

1b) (Niphal) to be born

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to cause or help to bring forth

1c2) to assist or tend as a midwife

1c3) midwife (participle)

1d) (Pual) to be born

1e) (Hiphil)

1e1) to beget (a child)

1e2) to bear (fig. -of wicked bringing forth iniquity)

1f) (Hophal) day of birth, birthday (infinitive)

1g) (Hithpael) to declare one's birth (pedigree)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Perf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person masculine singular
HVhp3ms
and Obed he fathered the object marker Jesse and Jesse he fathered the object marker David
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and Obed he fathered the object marker Jesse and Jesse he fathered the object marker David
דָּוִֽד׃da.Vid David H1732 Noun proper masculine
1,075× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
David was the youngest son of Jesse and a king of Judah, first mentioned in Ruth 4:17, and an ancestor of Jesus.
Amplified meaning
beloved, a king of Israel
Tyndale gloss
David
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

דָּוִד (David) refers to the second king of Israel, known as the youngest son of Jesse. The name means 'beloved' and is associated with a significant lineage, including many siblings and notable descendants like Solomon. The entries highlight his familial connections and historical context, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

דָּוִד, דָּוִיד 1066 n.pr.m. David

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1732 דָּוִד, דָּוִיד David

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1732 David daw-veed'

rarely (fully); Daviyd {daw-veed'}; from the same as 1730;

loving; David, the youngest son of Jesse:--David.

see HEBREW for 01730

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

דָּוִד (da.vid) — David.

A king of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at Rut.4.17;

son of: Jesse (H3448) and Nahash (H5176I);

brother of: Eliab (H0446I), Abinadab (H0041I), Shimeah (H8093), Zeruiah (H6870), Abigail (H0026H)(?), Nethanel (H5417H), Raddai (H7288), Ozem (H0684) and Elihu (H0453J); married to Michal (H4324), Abigail (H0026), Ahinoam (H0293H), Maacah (H4601I), Haggith (H2294), Abital (H0037), Eglah (H5698) and Bathsheba (H1339);

father of: Amnon (H0550), Chileab (H3609), Absalom (H0053), Adonijah (H0138), Shephatiah (H8203), Ithream (H3507), Shammua (H8051H), Shobab (H7727), Nathan (H5416), Solomon (H8010), Ibhar (H2984), Elishua (H0474), Nepheg (H5298H), Japhia (H3309I), Elishama (H0476H), Eliada (H0450), Eliphelet (H0467), Tamar (H8559H), Elpelet (H0467I), Nogah (H5052) and Jerimoth (H3406N)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

da'-vid (dawidh, or dawidh, "beloved"; Daueid, also in New Testament, Dauid, Dabid; see Thayer's Lexicon):

I. NAME AND GENEALOGY

II. EARLY YEARS

1. Shepherd

2. Slinger

3. Harpist

4. Poet

5. Psalmist

6. Tribesman

III. IN THE SERVICE OF SAUL

1. David First Meets Saul

2. His First Exploit

3. Envy of Saul and Flight of David

4. Jonathan and David

IV. DAVID IN EXILE

1. David as Outlaw

2. David Joins the Philistines

V. DAVID AS KING

1. Civil War

2. Conquests Abroad

3. Political Situation

4. The Ark

VI. DOMESTIC LIFE

1. His Wives and Children

2. Domestic Troubles

VII. HIS OFFICIALS

1. Prophets

2. Priests

3. Military Officers

4. Other Officials

5. Mutual Rivalry

VIII. PERSONAL CHARACTER OF DAVID

1. Chronicles

2. Psalms

3. Complex Character

4. Physical Courage

5. Moral Courage

6. Prudence

7. Strategy

8. Nobility

9. David in Relation to His Family

10. David in Relation to His Friends

11. His Success

12. His Foreign Friends

13. Nemesis

Easton's Bible Dictionary

David

Beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother’s name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25. As to his personal appearance, we only know that he was red-haired, with beautiful eyes and a fair face (1 Sam. 16:12; 17:42).

His early occupation was that of tending his father’s sheep on the uplands of Judah. From what we know of his after history, doubtless he frequently beguiled his time, when thus engaged, with his shepherd’s flute, while he drank in the many lessons taught him by the varied scenes spread around him. His first recorded exploits were his encounters with the wild beasts of the field. He mentions that with his own unaided hand he slew a lion and also a…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(well-beloved), the son of Jesse. His life may be divided into three portions: His youth before his introduction to the court of Saul; His relations with Saul; His reign. The early life of David contains in many important respects the antecedents of his future career. It appears that David was the youngest son, probably the youngest child, of a family of ten, and was born in Bethlehem B.C. 1085. The first time that David appears in history at once admits us to the whole family circle. The annual sacrificial feast is being held when Samuel appears, sent by God to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as they pass before him, (1 Samuel 16:6-10) Samuel sends for the youngest, David, who was "keeping the sheep," and anoints him. (1 Samuel 16:11-13) As David stood before Samuel we are enabled to…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Beloved, the youngest son of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah, born in Bethlehem B. C. 1085; one of the most remarkable men in either sacred of secular history. His life is fully recorded in 1Sa 16:1 1Ki 2:46. He was "the Lord’s anointed," chosen by God to be king of Israel instead of Saul, and consecrated to that office by the venerable prophet Samuel long before he actually came to the throne, 1Sa 16:1-13, for which God prepared him by the gift of his Spirit, and a long course of vicissitudes and dangers. In his early pastoral life he distinguished himself by his boldness, fidelity, and faith in God; and while yet a youth was summoned to court, as one expert in music, valiant, prudent in behavior, and comely in person. He…

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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