Jesse

Father of King David and grandfather of King Solomon. A resident of Bethlehem in the tribe of Judah.

Significance

Jesse is most famous as the father of David, whom the prophet Samuel anointed as king. The phrase “root of Jesse” became a messianic title, used notably in Isaiah 11:1, 10.

In Christianity

The “Jesse Tree” became an important motif in Christian art, depicting the ancestry of Jesus from Jesse through David. Matthew 1 and Luke 3 both trace Jesus’s lineage through Jesse.

Sons

According to 1 Samuel 16-17, Jesse had eight sons, with David being the youngest. The prophet Samuel came to Jesse’s house to anoint one of his sons as the future king, passing over the older brothers before selecting David.