'Young' in the Bible

One of the young men said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, a brave and competent man, a warrior, discerning (prudent, eloquent) in speech, and a handsome man; and the Lord is with him.”

Saul asked him, “Whose son are you, young man?” And David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.”

David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has commissioned me with a matter and has told me, ‘Let no one know anything about the matter for which I am sending you and with which I have commissioned you. I have directed the young men to a certain place.’

The priest answered David, “There is no ordinary (unconsecrated) bread on hand, but there is consecrated bread; [you may have it] if only the young men have kept themselves from women.”

David answered the priest, “Be assured that women have been kept from us in these three days since I set out, and the bodies of the young men were consecrated (ceremonially clean), although it was an ordinary (unconsecrated) journey; so how much more will their vessels be holy today?”

So David sent ten young men; and David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name;

Ask your young men and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your sight [and be well-treated], for we have come on a good (festive) day. Please, give whatever you find at hand to your servants and to your son David.’”

When David’s young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all these words in the name of David; then they waited.

So David’s young men made their way back and returned; and they came and told him everything that was said [to them by Nabal].

But one of Nabal’s young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “Listen, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to bless (greet) our master, and he shouted at them [in contempt].

Please do not let my lord pay attention to this worthless man, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal (fool) is his name and foolishness (stupidity) is with him; but I your maidservant did not see my lord’s young men whom you sent.

Now this gift, which your maidservant has brought my lord, let it be given to the young men who accompany and follow my lord.

David answered, “Look, here is the king’s spear! Now let one of the young men come over and get it.

David said to him, “To whom do you belong, and where are you from?” He said, “I am a young man from Egypt, a servant of an Amalekite; and my master abandoned me [as useless] when I fell sick three days ago.

So David said to the young man who informed him, “How do you know Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

And the young man who told him explained, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and the chariots and horsemen [of the Philistines] were close behind him.

David said to the young man who informed him, “Where are you from?” He answered, “I am the son of a foreigner (resident alien, sojourner), an Amalekite.”

David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” So he struck the Amalekite and he died.

Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men now stand and have a contest before us.” And Joab said, “Let them stand.”

So Abner said to him, “Turn to your right or to your left, and grab one of the young men and take his armor for yourself.” But Asahel was not willing to turn away from pursuing Abner.

So David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hung them beside the pool in Hebron. But they took Ish-bosheth’s head and buried it in Hebron in the tomb of Abner [his relative].

Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba’s house were servants to Mephibosheth.

Now Absalom fled. And the young man who kept watch looked up, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him by the side of the mountain.

Then the king said to Joab, “Listen, I will most certainly do this thing; now go, bring back the young man Absalom.”

The king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these?” Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s household (family) to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine is for anyone to drink who becomes weary in the wilderness.”

The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently with the young man Absalom for my sake.” And all the men heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom.

The man told Joab, “Even if I were to feel the weight of a thousand pieces of silver in my hands, I would not put out my hand against the king’s son; for we all heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, ‘Protect the young man Absalom, for my sake.’

And ten young men, Joab’s armor bearers, surrounded and struck Absalom and killed him.

The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, and your servant, I saw a great turmoil, but I do not know what it was about.”

The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom [my son] safe?” The Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all those who rise against you to do evil, be [dead] like that young man is.”

So his servants said to him, “Let a young virgin be found for my lord the king and let her attend him and become his nurse; let her lie against your chest, so that my lord the king may feel warm.”

They set out from Midian [south of Edom] and came to Paran, and took men with them from Paran and came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave [young] Hadad a house and ordered food and provisions for him and gave him land.

The man Jeroboam was a brave warrior and when Solomon saw that the young man was industrious, he put him in charge of all the forced labor of the house of Joseph.

But he ignored the advice which the elders gave him and consulted the young men who grew up with him and served him.

The young men who had grown up with him answered, “This is what you should say to this people who told you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but as for you, make our yoke lighter’—say this to them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins [and my reign will be even more severe].

and spoke to them in accordance with the advice of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but as for me, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.”

Ahab said, “By whom?” And he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘By the young men [the attendants or bodyguards] of the governors of the districts.’” Then Ahab said, “Who shall begin the battle?” And he answered, “You.”

So these young men of the governors of the districts went out of the city, and the army followed them.

Then Elisha went up from Jericho to Bethel. On the way, young boys came out of the city and mocked him and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”

Now all the Moabites heard that the [three] kings had come up to fight against them, and all who were able to put on armor, as well as those who were older, were summoned and stood [together in battle formation] at the border.

And he said, “All is well. My master has sent me to say, ‘Just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes.’”

Then Elisha prayed and said, “Lord, please, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servants eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha.

Hazael said, “Why are you weeping, my lord?” He answered, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the sons (descendants) of Israel. You will set their strongholds on fire, kill their young men with the sword, smash their children to pieces, and rip up their pregnant women.”

So the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead.

and Zadok, a courageous young man, and twenty-two captains from his father’s house.

David said, “Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord shall be exceedingly magnificent, famous, and an object of glory and splendor throughout all lands [of the earth]. So now I will make preparations for it.” Therefore, David made ample preparations before his death.

And King David said to all the assembly, “My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is still young and inexperienced and the work is great; for the temple is not for man but for the Lord God.

But the king rejected the advice which the elders gave him, and consulted with the young men who grew up with him and served him [as advisers].

The young men who grew up with him told him, “Tell the people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter for us’: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins!

He spoke to them in accordance with the advice of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.”

and worthless (unprincipled, unethical) men gathered around him, useless and wicked men, who proved too strong for Rehoboam the son of Solomon when Rehoboam was young and timid, and could not assert himself against them.

Have you not driven out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves like the peoples of other lands? So whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams, even he may become a priest of non-existent gods (idols).

and that whoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel, was to be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman.

The Levites shall surround the [young] king, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes into the temple [breaking through the ranks of the guard to get near Joash] is to be killed. You are to be with the king when he comes in [from the temple chamber where he is hiding] and when he goes out.”

For Hezekiah king of Judah gave to the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep, and the officials gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. And a large number of priests consecrated themselves [for service].

For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young (sixteen), he began to seek after and inquire of the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, and the carved and cast images.

Then Josiah contributed to the lay people, to all who were present, flocks of lambs and young goats numbering 30,000, all as Passover offerings, and 3,000 bulls—these were from the king’s property.

Therefore He brought the king of the Chaldeans against them, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or infirm; He gave them all into his hand.

Whatever is needed, including young bulls, rams, and lambs for the burnt offerings to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine, and anointing oil, according to the request of the priests at Jerusalem, let it all be given to them daily without fail,

They offered at the dedication of this house of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and, as a sin offering for all Israel, 12 male goats, according to the number of Israel’s tribes.

Therefore with this money, you shall diligently buy bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.

Also the [former] exiles who had come from the captivity offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: 12 bulls for all Israel, 96 rams, 77 lambs, and 12 male goats for a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering to the Lord.

Then the king’s attendants, who served him, said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.

Let the king appoint administrators in all the provinces of his kingdom, and have them gather all the beautiful young virgins to the citadel in Susa, into the harem, under the custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let their beauty preparations be given to them.

Letters were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces to destroy, to kill and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth [day] of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar (March 7, 473 b.c.), and to seize their belongings as plunder.

He wrote [a decree] in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by couriers on horseback, riding on the royal [mail] relay horses, the offspring of the racing mares.

and suddenly, a great wind came from across the desert, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

“The roaring of the lion and the voice of the fierce lion,And the teeth of the young lions are broken.

Yet at the scent of water [the stump of the tree] will flourishAnd bring forth sprigs and shoots like a seedling.

“Even young children despise me;When I get up, they speak against me.

“The proud beasts [and their young] have not walked on it,Nor has the fierce lion passed over it.

The young men saw me and hid themselves,The aged arose and stood [respectfully];

Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite said,“I am young, and you are aged;For that reason I was anxious and dared not tell you what I think.

“Can you lead forth a constellation in its season,And guide [the stars of] the Bear with her sons?

“Can you [Job] hunt the prey for the lion,Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions

“Who provides prey for the ravenWhen its young cry to GodAnd wander about without food?

“Do you know the time when the wild goats of the rock give birth [to their young]?Do you observe the calving of the deer?

“They kneel down, they bring forth their young,They cast out their labor pains.

“Their young ones become strong, they grow up in the open field;They leave and do not return to them.

“She treats her young cruelly, as if they were not hers;Though her labor is in vain because she is unconcerned [for the safety of her brood],

“His young ones suck up blood;And where the slain are, there is he.”

He is like a lion eager to tear [his prey],And like a young lion lurking in hiding places.

He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,And Sirion (Mount Hermon) like a young, wild ox.

The voice of the Lord makes the doe labor and give birthAnd strips the forests bare;And in His temple all are saying, “Glory!”

The young lions lack [food] and grow hungry,But they who seek the Lord will not lack any good thing.

I have been young and now I am old,Yet I have not seen the righteous (those in right standing with God) abandonedOr his descendants pleading for bread.

O God, break their teeth in their mouth;Break out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord.

The fire [of war] devoured His young men,And His [bereaved] virgins had no wedding songs.

From tending the ewes with nursing young He brought himTo shepherd Jacob His people,And Israel His inheritance.

The bird has found a house,And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young—Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,My King and my God.

You will tread upon the lion and cobra;The young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

The young lions roar after their preyAnd seek their food from God.

Your people will offer themselves willingly [to participate in Your battle] in the day of Your power;In the splendor of holiness, from the womb of the dawn,Your young men are to You as the dew.

Beth.How can a young man keep his way pure?By keeping watch [on himself] according to Your word [conforming his life to Your precepts].

He gives to the beast its food,And to the young ravens that for which they cry.

Both young men and virgins;Old men and children.

And among the naive [the inexperienced and gullible],I saw among the youthsA young man lacking [good] sense,

In the twilight, in the evening;In the black and dark night.

The glory of young men is their [physical] strength,And the honor of aged men is their gray head [representing wisdom and experience].

The eye that mocks a fatherAnd scorns a mother,The ravens of the valley will pick it out,And the young vultures will devour it.