Jesse in Smiths Bible Dictionary

(wealthy), the father of David, was the son of Obed, who again was the fruit of the union of Boaz and the Moabitess Ruth. His great-grandmother was Rahab the Canaanite, of Jericho. Mt 1:5 Jesse's genealogy is twice given in full in the Old Testament, viz., Ru 4:18-22 and 1Chr 2:5-12 He is commonly designated as "Jesse the Bethlehemite," 1Sa 16:1,18; 17:58 but his full title is "the Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah." ch. 1Sa 17:12 He is an "old man" when we first meet with him, 1Sa 17:12 with eight sons, ch. 1Sa 16:10; 17:12 residing at Bethlehem. ch 1Sa 16:4,5 Jesse's wealth seems to have consisted of a flock of sheep and goats, which were under the care of David. ch. 1Sa 16:11; 17:34,35 After David's rupture with Saul he took his father and his mother into the country of Moab and deposited them with the king, and there they disappear from our view in the records of Scripture. (B.C. 1068-61.) Who the wife of Jesse was we are not told.