He chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds;
Parallel translations
- WEB He also chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds;
- KJV He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
- NKJV He also chose David His servant, And took him from the sheepfolds;
- NASB He also chose His servant David And took him from the sheepfolds;
- NLT He chose his servant David, calling him from the sheep pens.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God chose David His servant, taking him from tending sheep. He raised a shepherd-boy to be king.
Overview
God 'chose David his servant,' calling him 'from the sheepfolds' to lead Israel. The humble origin highlights God's grace in elevating the lowly for His purposes. David's shepherd-to-king path foreshadows the Son of David, Jesus, the Good Shepherd who is also the King of kings.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 1 Sam 16:11–12And 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.”
- Acts 13:22After removing Saul, He raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart; he will carry out My will in its entirety.’
- 2 Sam 7:8Now then, you are to tell My servant David that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be the ruler over My people Israel.
- 2 Sam 6:21But David said to Michal, “I was dancing before the LORD, who chose me over your father and all his house when He appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel. I will celebrate before the LORD,
- Amos 7:14–15“I was not a prophet,” Amos replied, “nor was I the son of a prophet; rather, I was a herdsman and a tender of sycamore-fig trees.
- 1 Sam 17:15–54but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.
- 1 Kgs 19:19–20So Elijah departed and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve teams of oxen, and he was with the twelfth team. Elijah passed by him and threw his cloak around him.
- Ps 89:19–20You once spoke in a vision; to Your godly ones You said, “I have bestowed help on a warrior; I have exalted one chosen from the people.
- Exod 3:1Meanwhile, Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
- 2 Sam 3:18Now take action, because the LORD has said to David, ‘Through My servant David I will save My people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and of all their enemies.’”
- Exod 3:10Therefore, go! I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt.”
- Matt 4:18–22As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 78:70 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.