Jesse

JESSE (HEB. ISHAJ; VULG. JESSE). - Third descendant of Boaz (v.) and father of David (v.), from Bethlehem. He had eight sons and at least two daughters. It was in his house that, after the rejection of Saul (v.), Samuel (v.) was sent to seek another king: and the youngest, David (v.), was the chosen one (I Sam. 16). When later David began his wandering life to escape Saul's wrath, I. was led by his son to the king of Moab (I.'s grandmother had been a Moabite: Ruth). Of his death we know nothing.

Although he was one of the "elders" of Bethlehem (I Sam. 16, 4-5) and of a family that was not obscure - his grandfather Boaz had been famous for warlike valor (Ruth 2, 1) - I. was at bottom "just anyone," and Saul will gladly vent his contempt for David by calling him "the son of I." (I Sam. 20, 27, 30 f.; 22, 7 f.; cf. 25, 10; II Sam. 20, 1; I Kings 12, 16). Yet this designation, after Isaiah will have used it in a splendid messianic prophecy ("a shoot shall spring from the stump of I., a branch shall blossom from his root"; Is. 11, 1, 10), will become famous; it is enshrined in the Christmas liturgy ("O radix Iesse...").