David was not simply the youngest of these four brothers but of all eight brothers (see 16.11). Some may have to say that “David was the youngest of all Jesse’s sons.”

Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, as well as most other versions, continue in verse 15 the sentence begun in the middle of this verse. But it is possible, and in some cases more natural, to restructure these two verses so that the material about David comes after the statement about Jesse’s three oldest sons. This verse would then read “Jesse’s three oldest sons stayed with Saul. But David, who was the youngest son….” Contemporary English Version does something similar to this and actually begins a new paragraph in the middle of this verse, since the subject shifts to David.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .