King David’s father is clearly identified in the Bible, but his mother is not named in the biblical text. Later Jewish tradition supplies a name for his mother, but this is not considered scriptural.

Quick Scoop

King David’s parents, according to the Bible and later tradition, are usually described this way.

  • Father (biblical): Jesse of Bethlehem, from the tribe of Judah; David is repeatedly called “the son of Jesse” in the books of Samuel and Chronicles.
  • Mother (biblical status): The Bible never gives David’s mother’s name, only mentioning that David cared for his “father and mother” and sought them protection in Moab.
  • Mother (later Jewish tradition): Rabbinic and later Jewish sources identify David’s mother as Nitzevet , daughter of a man named Adael, but this name does not appear in the canonical biblical text and is treated as post-biblical tradition.
  • Extended family hint: Some interpretations of passages in 2 Samuel suggest debates about whether David’s sisters might have had a different father, which has led to speculative reconstructions of his mother’s background, but these are not universally accepted.

Brief background

Jesse himself is described as the son of Obed and the grandson of Boaz and Ruth, making David the great‑grandson of Ruth the Moabite, a detail that becomes important in both Jewish and Christian theological discussions. This Moabite connection also fits interestingly with the narrative in which David places his parents under the protection of the king of Moab, although the text does not spell out the family dynamics in detail.

Simple answer

  • David’s father : Jesse of Bethlehem (this is explicit in the Bible).
  • David’s mother : Not named in the Bible; later Jewish tradition calls her Nitzevet daughter of Adael, but that name is traditional, not scriptural.

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