Shammah (David's brother)
Jesse's third son
Shammah was the third son of Jesse from Bethlehem and one of King David's older brothers. He was among the sons that the prophet Samuel inspected when he came to anoint a new king over Israel, but God chose the youngest brother, David, instead.
Family
Key events
Passed Over by Samuel
When the prophet Samuel came to Bethlehem to anoint a new king, Jesse let Shammah pass before Samuel along with his other sons, but the Lord had not chosen him.
9Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, "The LORD has not chosen this one either."
וַיַּעֲבֵ֥ר יִשַׁ֖י שַׁמָּ֑ה וַיֹּ֕אמֶר גַּם־בָּזֶ֖ה לֹא־בָחַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃
10Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, "The LORD has not chosen these."
וַיַּעֲבֵ֥ר יִשַׁ֛י שִׁבְעַ֥ת בָּנָ֖יו לִפְנֵ֣י שְׁמוּאֵ֑ל וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶל־יִשַׁ֔י לֹא־בָחַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה בָּאֵֽלֶּה׃
11So he asked Jesse, "Are these all the young men you have?" "There is still the youngest," Jesse answered. "He is out tending the sheep." Samuel said, "Send for him. We will not sit down until he comes here."
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֣ל אֶל־יִשַׁי֮ הֲתַ֣מּוּ הַנְּעָרִים֒ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר ע֚וֹד שָׁאַ֣ר הַקָּטָ֔ן וְהִנֵּ֥ה רֹעֶ֖ה בַּצֹּ֑אן וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֤ל אֶל־יִשַׁי֙ שִׁלְחָ֣ה וְקָחֶ֔נּוּ כִּ֥י לֹא־נָסֹ֖ב עַד־בֹּא֥וֹ פֹֽה׃
At the Front Against the Philistines
Shammah and his two older brothers served in Saul's army during the war against the Philistines in the Valley of Elah, when Goliath challenged Israel.
13Jesse's three oldest sons had gone with Saul to the war. The names of the three who went to battle were Eliab the firstborn, Abinadab the second, and Shammah the third.
וַיֵּ֨לְכ֜וּ שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת בְּנֵֽי־יִשַׁי֙ הַגְּדֹלִ֔ים הָלְכ֥וּ אַחֲרֵי־שָׁא֖וּל לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וְשֵׁ֣ם ׀ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת בָּנָ֗יו אֲשֶׁ֤ר הָלְכוּ֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה אֱלִיאָ֣ב הַבְּכ֗וֹר וּמִשְׁנֵ֙הוּ֙ אֲבִ֣ינָדָ֔ב וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁ֖י שַׁמָּֽה׃
14David was the youngest. The three oldest had followed Saul,
וְדָוִ֖ד ה֣וּא הַקָּטָ֑ן וּשְׁלֹשָׁה֙ הַגְּדֹלִ֔ים הָלְכ֖וּ אַחֲרֵ֥י שָׁאֽוּל׃ ס
Received Supplies from David
Jesse sent young David with food and supplies to Shammah and his brothers at the front, which led to David's encounter with Goliath.
17Jesse said to his son David, "Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread to your brothers, and hurry to their camp.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יִשַׁ֜י לְדָוִ֣ד בְּנ֗וֹ קַח־נָ֤א לְאַחֶ֙יךָ֙ אֵיפַ֤ת הַקָּלִיא֙ הַזֶּ֔ה וַעֲשָׂרָ֥ה לֶ֖חֶם הַזֶּ֑ה וְהָרֵ֥ץ הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה לְאַחֶֽיךָ׃
18Take these ten cuts of cheese to the commander of their thousand. See how your brothers are and bring back some token from them.
וְ֠אֵת עֲשֶׂ֜רֶת חֲרִצֵ֤י הֶֽחָלָב֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה תָּבִ֖יא לְשַׂר־הָאָ֑לֶף וְאֶת־אַחֶ֙יךָ֙ תִּפְקֹ֣ד לְשָׁל֔וֹם וְאֶת־עֲרֻבָּתָ֖ם תִּקָּֽח׃
22David left his supplies with the keeper of the baggage, ran to the battle line, and greeted his brothers.
וַיִּטֹּשׁ֩ דָּוִ֨ד אֶת־הַכֵּלִ֜ים מֵעָלָ֗יו עַל־יַד֙ שׁוֹמֵ֣ר הַכֵּלִ֔ים וַיָּ֖רָץ הַמַּעֲרָכָ֑ה וַיָּבֹ֕א וַיִּשְׁאַ֥ל לְאֶחָ֖יו לְשָׁלֽוֹם׃