Tanakhתנ״ך

David's Parentage and Family Line

Sources identify Jesse as David's father and trace David's genealogy through the line of Judah, from Perez and Boaz through Obed and Jesse to David himself. The sources establish David's paternal ancestry and his connection to Bethlehem.

יִשַׁי הוֹלִיד אֶת־דָּוִיד

5 sources · all verified

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What the sources say

The Tanach identifies Dovid's father as Jesse the Bethlehemite, as Shemuel I 16:1 records God sending Shmuel to Jesse and ultimately anointing his youngest son as king.

Jesse's own lineage is traced back through Obed and Boaz in Rut 4:13-22, which states explicitly that "Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David."

While the Tanach names Jesse as Dovid's father, it does not name his mother — a gap addressed by the Gemara (Bava Batra 91a), which preserves a tradition that Dovid's mother was named Natzvat bat Ada'el, noting this answer serves as a response to those who question the omission of her name from the biblical text.

Source 1 · Tanach
Verified

Ruth 4:13-22

רות ד׳:י״ג-כ״ב

Ruth 4:13-22

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

וַתִּקְרֶ֩אנָה֩ ל֨וֹ הַשְּׁכֵנ֥וֹת שֵׁם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יֻלַּד־בֵּ֖ן לְנׇעֳמִ֑י וַתִּקְרֶ֤אנָֽה שְׁמוֹ֙ עוֹבֵ֔ד ה֥וּא אֲבִֽי־יִשַׁ֖י אֲבִ֥י דָוִֽד׃ {פ} וְעֹבֵד֙ הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־יִשָׁ֔י וְיִשַׁ֖י הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־דָּוִֽד׃

and the women neighbors gave him a name, saying, “A son is born to Naomi!” They named him Obed; he was the father of Jesse, father of David. Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.

Source 2 · Tanach
Verified

Ruth 4:17-22

רות ד׳:י״ז-כ״ב

Ruth 4:17-22

The genealogy at the end of Ruth identifies the line from Perez through Boaz and Obed to Jesse and then to David, establishing David's paternal ancestry through Jesse and the tribe of Judah.

וַתִּקְרֶ֩אנָה֩ ל֨וֹ הַשְּׁכֵנ֥וֹת שֵׁם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יֻלַּד־בֵּ֖ן לְנׇעֳמִ֑י וַתִּקְרֶ֤אנָֽה שְׁמוֹ֙ עוֹבֵ֔ד ה֥וּא אֲבִֽי־יִשַׁ֖י אֲבִ֥י דָוִֽד׃ {פ} וְעֹבֵד֙ הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־יִשָׁ֔י וְיִשַׁ֖י הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־דָּוִֽד׃

and the women neighbors gave him a name, saying, “A son is born to Naomi!” They named him Obed; he was the father of Jesse, father of David. Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.

Source 3 · Tanach
Verified

I Chronicles 2:10-15

דברי הימים א ב׳:י׳-ט״ו

I Chronicles 2:10-15

This genealogy lists the descendants of Nahshon, Salmon, Boaz, Obed, Jesse, and David, reinforcing David's paternal line from Judah through Jesse.

וּבֹ֙עַז֙ הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־עוֹבֵ֔ד וְעוֹבֵ֖ד הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־יִשָֽׁי׃ וְאִישַׁ֛י הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־בְּכֹר֖וֹ אֶת־אֱלִיאָ֑ב וַאֲבִֽינָדָב֙ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י וְשִׁמְעָ֖א הַשְּׁלִשִֽׁי׃ אֹ֚צֶם הַשִּׁשִּׁ֔י דָּוִ֖יד הַשְּׁבִעִֽי׃

Boaz of Obed, Obed of Jesse. Jesse begot Eliab his first-born, Abinadab the second, Shimea the third, Ozem the sixth, David the seventh;

Source 4 · Tanach
Verified

I Samuel 16:1-13

שמואל א ט״ז:א׳-י״ג

I Samuel 16:1-13

When Samuel comes to anoint the new king, Jesse presents his sons and David is the youngest, making clear that Jesse is David's father and that David comes from Jesse's household in Bethlehem.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל עַד־מָתַי֙ אַתָּה֙ מִתְאַבֵּ֣ל אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל וַאֲנִ֣י מְאַסְתִּ֔יו מִמְּלֹ֖ךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מַלֵּ֨א קַרְנְךָ֜ שֶׁ֗מֶן וְלֵ֤ךְ אֶֽשְׁלָחֲךָ֙ אֶל־יִשַׁ֣י בֵּֽית־הַלַּחְמִ֔י כִּֽי־רָאִ֧יתִי בְּבָנָ֛יו לִ֖י מֶֽלֶךְ׃ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֣ל אֶל־יִשַׁי֮ הֲתַ֣מּוּ הַנְּעָרִים֒ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר ע֚וֹד שָׁאַ֣ר הַקָּטָ֔ן וְהִנֵּ֥ה רֹעֶ֖ה בַּצֹּ֑אן וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֤ל אֶל־יִשַׁי֙ שִׁלְחָ֣ה וְקָחֶ֔נּוּ כִּ֥י לֹֽא־נָסֹ֖ב עַד־בֹּא֥וֹ פֹֽה׃ וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח וַיְבִיאֵ֙הוּ֙ וְה֣וּא אַדְמוֹנִ֔י עִם־יְפֵ֥ה עֵינַ֖יִם וְט֣וֹב רֹ֑אִי {פ} וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יְהֹוָ֛ה ק֥וּם מְשָׁחֵ֖הוּ כִּי־זֶ֥ה הֽוּא׃

And GOD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and set out; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have decided on one of his sons to be king.” Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the boys you have?” He replied, “There is still the youngest; he is tending the flock.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send someone to bring him, for we will not sit down to eat until he gets here.” So they sent and brought him. He was ruddy-cheeked, bright-eyed, and handsome. And GOD said, “Rise and anoint him, for this is the one.”

Source 5 · Chazal
Verified

Bava Batra 91a

בבא בתרא צ״א א — ד"ה אִמֵּיהּ דְּדָוִד – נִצֶּבֶת בַּת עַדְאֵל

Bava Batra 91a:15

The Gemara discusses David's family background and the identity of his father Jesse, including traditions about Jesse's righteousness and lineage.

אִמֵּיהּ דְּדָוִד – נִצֶּבֶת בַּת עַדְאֵל שְׁמָהּ. אִמֵּיהּ דְּשִׁמְשׁוֹן – צְלֶלְפּוֹנִית, וַאֲחָתֵיהּ נַשְׁיָין. לְמַאי נָפְקָא מִינַּהּ? לִתְשׁוּבַת הַמִּינִים.

Rav Ḥanan bar Rava continues: The mother of David was named Natzvat bat Ada’el. The mother of Samson was named Tzelelponit, and his sister was called Nashyan. The Gemara asks: What is the practical difference as to what their names were? The Gemara answers: It is important with regard to an answer for heretics who inquire into the names of these women, which are not stated in the Bible. One can reply that there is a tradition handed down concerning their names.