from following the nursing ewes he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "ewes great with young" is a beautiful understatement; it actually refers to "ewes giving suck," the most vulnerable part of the flock. This highlights that David's shepherding wasn't just about managing sheep, but about tenderly caring for those needing the most protection, mirroring his future role as a gentle shepherd for God's own inheritance.
from following the nursing ewes he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse marks the culmination of a psalm reflecting on Israel's history, highlighting God's faithfulness and their repeated unfaithfulness. After recounting God's judgments and His choosing of Judah and Zion, the psalm pivots to the selection of David, contrasting his humble beginnings as a shepherd with his divinely appointed role as king. This transition emphasizes God's sovereign choice and preparation of a leader to shepherd His people.
What does David's job of caring for nursing ewes tell us about God's heart for His people?
The verse highlights David's former role as a shepherd, specifically caring for "ewes that are giving suck" or "ewes great with young." This isn't just any flock; these are the most vulnerable, requiring the utmost gentleness, diligence, and self-denial.
Why does God often choose those with humble beginnings for significant purposes?
This verse reveals a powerful pattern in God's work: He often calls individuals from seemingly ordinary, even humble, backgrounds to extraordinary service. David, the future king of Israel, was not plucked from a royal court but from the fields, tending sheep.
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What does it mean for a leader to 'shepherd' a people described as God's inheritance?
The ultimate purpose of David's calling was to 'shepherd Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.' This phrase carries immense theological weight.
Understand the original words
ra'ah · Hebrew Verb
The action of caring for, leading, protecting, and feeding a flock of animals, used metaphorically in Scripture to describe the role of God or human leaders (kings/prophets) in relation to His people.
Ya'aqov · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name given to the patriarch; it refers to the covenant people of God, often highlighting their human origin and historical struggles.
Yisra'el · Hebrew Proper Noun
The name given to Jacob by God; it refers to the nation as God's chosen people, emphasizing their spiritual identity and relationship with the Almighty.
nachalah · Hebrew Noun
That which is received as a possession, often referring to God's relationship with His people; it denotes something special, precious, and set apart for Him.
This verse highlights God's sovereign choice, calling David from humble beginnings as a shepherd to lead His people. It shows that God often uses ordinary experiences, like caring for vulnerable sheep, to prepare leaders for extraordinary service, mirroring Christ's own shepherding of His flock.
c. 1040 BC— this verse
David Anointed Shepherd
David is called from his life as a shepherd to anoint him as king, beginning his journey to lead God's people.
c. 1010 BC
David Becomes King of Israel
After years of hardship and pursuing Saul, David is finally established as the sole king over all Israel, uniting the tribes.
c. 1005 BC
Jerusalem Becomes Capital
David captures the Jebusite city of Jerusalem and establishes it as the political and religious capital of his kingdom, bringing the Ark of the Covenant there.
c. 970 BC
David's Reign Concludes
David's long and impactful reign ends, leaving behind a unified kingdom and a rich legacy of leadership and worship.
This passage shows David's humble beginnings as a shepherd, directly preceding his anointing as king, mirroring the psalm's transition from sheep-tending to leadership.
Isaiah 40:11This verse uses a very similar image of a shepherd tenderly caring for his flock, including the nursing ewes, highlighting the gentle and nurturing leadership God desires.
Ezekiel 34:11-16Here, God directly addresses the failure of Israel's leaders (shepherds) and promises to seek out and shepherd His own flock, emphasizing the divine standard for leadership that David embodied.
Matthew 4:18-22This account parallels David's calling by showing Jesus calling fishermen to become 'fishers of men,' illustrating the divine call from ordinary occupations to extraordinary spiritual leadership.
John 10:11Jesus declares Himself the 'good shepherd' who lays down His life for the sheep, connecting David's shepherding role to the ultimate shepherding work of Christ for His people.
clarkePsalms 78:71: "From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance."
From following the ewes - Instances of this kind are not unfrequent in the ancient Greek and Roman history. Croesus said that Gypes, who was the first of his race, was a slave, and rose to sovereignty, succeeding his predecessor, of whose sheep he had been the pastor.
poolePsalms 78:71: "From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance."
Following the ewes great with young; by which employment he was inured to that care, and diligence, and self-denial which is necessary in a king or governor; and instructed to rule his people with all gentleness and tenderness.
The phrase "ewes great with young" is a beautiful understatement; it actually refers to "ewes giving suck," the most vulnerable part of the flock. This highlights that David's shepherding wasn't just about managing sheep, but about tenderly caring for those needing the most protection, mirroring his future role as a gentle shepherd for God's own inheritance.
This verse marks the culmination of a psalm reflecting on Israel's history, highlighting God's faithfulness and their repeated unfaithfulness. After recounting God's judgments and His choosing of Judah and Zion, the psalm pivots to the selection of David, contrasting his humble beginnings as a shepherd with his divinely appointed role as king. This transition emphasizes God's sovereign choice and preparation of a leader to shepherd His people.
This verse marks the culmination of a psalm reflecting on Israel's history, highlighting God's faithfulness and their repeated unfaithfulness. After recounting God's judgments and His choosing of Judah and Zion, the psalm pivots to the selection of David, contrasting his humble beginnings as a shepherd with his divinely appointed role as king. This transition emphasizes God's sovereign choice and preparation of a leader to shepherd His people.
"from following the nursing ewes he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance." — The phrase "ewes great with young" is a beautiful understatement; it actually refers to "ewes giving suck," the most vulnerable part of the flock. This highlights that David's shepherding wasn't just…
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Last reviewed October 2026