When we read about King David’s life in the Bible (1 Samuel 16, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 1 Chronicles), we tend to think about such stories as his defeat of the giant Goliath (1 Samuel 17) and the bringing in of the Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 6). 

But David started out in a very humble estate as the youngest son in charge of the sheep. His brothers did not like him, and it seemed like he spent a lot of time alone, just him and God and the sheep. 

Let me submit to you a theory: I believe David had a different mother than his brothers, that Jesse had committed adultery, and David was the result. Here are a few points to consider:

1. David Called Out His Parents in the Psalms

In Psalm 51, the heart-felt poem written after David’s infamous sin with Bathsheba, he writes:

“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (Psalm 51:5 ESV)

In another Psalm, David laments about his parents.

“For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me in.” (Psalm 27:10 ESV)

David says he was conceived in iniquity and sin by his birth mom, and that both his parents abandoned him. Why would he say that about his parents if there weren’t some questionable beginnings to his life?

2. David Was Conveniently Left Out

Imagine this scenario. The previous leader of the country, who everyone knows and respects, and who heard the audible voice of God as a child, is coming to your town for a grand celebration and sacrifice to the Most High God. You are the teenage son of a respected leader in the town, and you get very excited. You’ve always wanted to meet this leader and prophet Samuel because you have spiritual questions that no one else can answer, or even cares to answer.

Then you hear even more exciting news. Prophet Samuel is coming to your house! As the exhilaration builds, your dad says to you, “Hey, this meeting is too important. You need to go out and watch the sheep.” By the look on your dad’s face, you know there’s no use in arguing or protesting. Your head hangs down low, and you sullenly walk out, being comforted by the bleating of your only friends, the sheep.

From a distance, you see the caravan show up with the great Prophet Samuel. How you wish you could be there! You offer your complaints to God Most High, as is your custom, and you feel His Spirit comfort you, and impress upon your mind, “Just watch and pray.”

After watching in the distance for what feels like hours, you notice a man approaching you, walking quickly and waving his hands towards you. He says to you, out of breath with an air of excitement and astonishment, “David! David! Come quickly! Samuel wants to see you! He looked at your brothers and shook his head and then asked if your father had any other sons. Your father said you were all that’s left. Samuel would not let him nor your brothers sit down until I came and got you. Come quickly!”

As you hurry towards the house, you are bewildered and excited and can’t wait to see what all the commotion is about. Deep down in your heart, the Holy Spirit says to you, “I have chosen a man after my own heart. And that man is you.” Could it be? Surely not? 

“And he [Jesse] sent and brought him [David] in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the LORD said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.” (1 Samuel 16:12-13 ESV)

Why would Jesse conveniently leave David out when the most important person in Israel besides King Saul shows up? I think it was because David was Jesse’s illegitimate son.

3. David Mentioned as “Ruddy” 

In one of the verses quoted above, 1 Samuel 16:12, David is described as ruddy, with beautiful eyes and handsome. The Bible doesn’t describe any of David’s brothers as being ruddy. David’s oldest brother, Eliab, is said to have a high stature, but it does not mention his hair color.

Is it possible that David was genetically different than his brothers because he had a different mother? It seems plausible.

Another interesting tidbit is the second oldest son’s name Abinadab means “my father is noble.” I wonder if Jesse looked at his second son and was reminded of his failing, thinking, “I’m not the noble one…”

4. David’s Mom is Never Named

David’s mother is rarely mentioned in Scripture. And her name is not recorded. We have David’s great-grandmother, Ruth the Moabite, mentioned in the lineage of Jesus as well as David’s wife Bathsheba, but no mention of David’s mother.

Besides the two verses in Psalms quoted above in point #1, the only other mention of David’s mom I could find was in these two verses.

“And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab. And he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother stay with you, till I know what God will do for me.” And he left them with the king of Moab, and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.” (1 Samuel 22:3-4 ESV)

5. Jesse Was Likely Very Handsome Too

Jesse’s eldest sons impressed Samuel from the outward appearance. That’s why the Lord told him, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

Jesse’s three eldest sons joined King Saul in his war against the Philistines, as recorded in 1 Samuel 17:13. It is reasonable to assume they were well-trained and muscular. 

David is also described as handsome, with beautiful eyes and ruddy. 

So, logically, if Jesse has very handsome sons, he was likely good-looking too. Is it possible Jesse caught the eye of another Israeli woman, and eventually David was the result?

6. The Stump of Jesse

“There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.” (Isaiah 11:1 ESV)

The Prophet Isaiah references Jesse as a stump. This is peculiar, because typically people of great significance are referenced as healthy trees (Psalm 1:3, Isaiah 61:3, Matthew 7:15-20, Revelation 11:3-4).

In Daniel chapter 4, Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar had an interesting dream about a large tree, so large that it was described this way: “its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth.” (Daniel 4:20b).

In the Prophet Daniel’s God-given interpretation of this spiritual dream, he says that the tree represents King Nebuchadnezzar. The King is the tree. But then the tree is cut down! 

But, the Watcher is told to “leave the stump of its roots in the earth.” (Daniel 4:23)

After King Nebuchadnezzar’s prideful declaration of his own accomplishments (Daniel 4:30), his kingdom was taken from him for a time, and he was greatly humbled. This was the time referenced in the dream of him being a stump. (I also encourage you to read the full story in Daniel 4.)

In a similar way, Jesse is described as a stump. Why was he not referenced as a healthy tree? Was it perhaps because of Jesse’s prideful sin that caused him to become a stump? And was David the result of this sin?

A Man After God’s Own Heart

Regardless of Jesse’s life and other sons, David chose to follow the Lord with a whole heart.

We see David being contrasted with King Saul in these two verses, and then we have an amazing description of what God thinks of David.

“But now your [Saul’s] kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.” (1 Samuel 13:14 ESV)

“And when he had removed him [Saul], he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.'” (Acts 13:22 ESV)

The Lord went searching for a man who had a heart like His own heart. He found in David the kind of heart He had been seeking. 

The Lord is interested in your heart and my heart. He wants people that follow Him with whole hearts, like King David did. And even after all the wrongdoing and sin and struggles and problems of David’s life (ie – adultery, murder, deception, polygamy, coveting, etc.), the Lord still called David “a man after My heart, who will do all my will.”

God Forgives Sin, Transgression, and Iniquity

It doesn’t matter where you come from or what you have done. God forgives you. He proved His forgiveness by sending Jesus to die for you, taking all of your sin, transgression, and iniquity upon Himself, and giving you righteousness in return.

Have you committed adultery, or has adultery been committed against you? The Lord forgives, and the Lord redeems. He has forgiven you, so you must forgive too. Even if that forgiveness is directed towards your past self – this is still very important. Have you made mistakes in the past? Forgive yourself. Ask the Lord to help you clean up the mess. He will. He is seeking your heart, your whole heart. God wants your entire life submitted to Him. 

One Last Story

“Early in the morning he [Jesus] came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. 

Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 

Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”” (John 8:2-11 ESV)

Focus on that last phrase, “Go, and from now on sin no more.” In declaring this command to the woman, Jesus released her from a life of sin. He healed her of self-condemnation as well as released her from the condemnation of others. He gave her the power to conquer sin. This is grace. 

And no matter what you’ve done, even adultery or other sexual sins, God’s grace gives you the power to be released from that life. He frees you to live a Godly life filled with righteousness and peace. This is true freedom. 

If God can do this for Jesse, for King David, or for the woman in John 8, He can do this for you. You can have true freedom to conquer whatever sin has or had you entrapped. Jesus is still the answer, and His Holy Spirit still gives you the power to live as “more than a conqueror” (Romans 8:37). Seek Him and ask. Knock on His door. He will answer.