1 Chronicles 2 · a question people ask
Was David Jesse's seventh son or his eighth?
This chapter names seven sons of Jesse, from "his firstborn Eliab" (2:13) to "David the seventh" (2:15). 1 Samuel counts eight. "Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel" (1 Samuel 16:10), and then said, "There remains yet the youngest" (1 Samuel 16:11); the next chapter says Jesse "had eight sons" (1 Samuel 17:12). Both books put David last: "David the seventh" (2:15), and "David was the youngest" (1 Samuel 17:14). Both name Eliab first and Abinadab second (2:13; 1 Samuel 17:13). The third is "Shimea" here (2:13) and "Shammah" in 1 Samuel (1 Samuel 16:9, 17:13). Neither book explains the difference in the count, and it is left here as the two books give it.
The verses
“and Jesse became the father of his firstborn Eliab, Abinadab the second, Shimea the third, Nethanel the fourth, Raddai the fifth, Ozem the sixth, and David the seventh;”
“Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, “The LORD has not chosen this one, either.” Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.” Samuel 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.””
“Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons. The man was an elderly old man in the days of Saul. The three oldest sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the battle; and the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. David was the youngest; and the three oldest followed Saul.”