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1 Samuel 17:12
ESV Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years.
NIV Now David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Saul’s time he was very old.
NASB Now David was the son of the Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, the man whose name was Jesse, and he had eight sons. And Jesse was old in the days of Saul, advanced in years among men.
CSB Now David was the son of the Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah named Jesse. Jesse had eight sons and during Saul’s reign was already an old man.
NLT Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. Jesse was an old man at that time, and he had eight sons.
KJV Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul.
NKJV Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse, and who had eight sons. And the man was old, advanced in years, in the days of Saul.

What does 1 Samuel 17:12 mean?

The Philistines have come against Israel for war (1 Samuel 17:1–3). They have sent their imposing champion to challenge the Israelites to a representative combat. Goliath of Gath (1 Samuel 17:4–9) would fight an Israelite to the death. The people of the deceased would become the servants of the people of the survivor (1 Samuel 17:4–10). The Israelite army responds in terror (1 Samuel 17:11).

Here, Scripture re-introduces David and his father, Jesse. Perhaps this is so the account of this battle could be repeated as a standalone narrative. Within the broader account, Samuel had secretly anointed David as the next king over Israel (1 Samuel 16:1–13), and then David had become Saul's musician and armor-bearer (1 Samuel 16:14–23). It is also possible that the account of the last chapter included the fight with Goliath, saving those details for this section.

This time, David's father Jesse is introduced as an Ephrathite. The people of the region of Ephrathah in Judea may have been part of the larger tribe of Caleb's descendants. Jesse and his eight sons lived in Bethlehem, a small village made famous as the birthplace of King David and, later, of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesse is said to be old and advanced in years by the time Saul was king. The point of describing Jesse's age may be to explain why David's father did not go to the battle with the Philistines along with some of his sons (1 Samuel 17:13).
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