Samuel1 16:11 And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the young men?” And he said, “The youngest still remains, and behold, he is tending the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him, for we shall not sit down until he comes here.”

As mentioned David was excluded estranged from his family (see “king David’s family tree” and “David suspected to be a bastard/Ben Temurah“). Therefore he was sent afar and alone in the desert, as the family’s shepherd. In a retrospect we can understand it was a step many of the Israelite’s leaders went through – being ‘tested’ as shepherds (Avraham, Itzchak, Yaakov, twelve tribes, Moshe, king Saul). Maybe as the verse in Psalm 119:71 states “It is good for me that I was afflicted, in order that I learn Your statutes.” – There when I (King David) was alone, estranged, I ‘discovered’ Your closeness.

Uniqueness of being a shepherd:

– The shepherd is in hardship, as we see David was taking the flocks in the desert, and had to fight wild animals in order to save them. (Samuel1 17:35-36) “And David said to Saul, “Your bondsman was a shepherd of sheep for his father, and there came a lion and also a bear, and carried off a lamb from the flock.”

– It also shows the devotion David has to the flocks, whereas he could just leave the one ship to the wild animal and not risk his life. David apparently chose otherwise.

– Being alone with the herds, brings with it  two dangerous things: 1) No one sees you 2) sheep do not complain. The moral of a shepherd is tested in that time. (as we see today many unfortunate cases of people in the same situation who torture the flock, and mis-treat it in times of hardship).

– Last interesting anecdote, Rash”i’s commentry on Psalm 78″71-71: “And He chose His servant David and took him from the sheepcotes. From behind the nursing ewes He brought him, to shepherd Jacob His people and Israel His heritage.”

Rash”i: From behind the nursing ewes He brought him: For he would shepherd the nursing ewes for his father, because he was merciful and would bring the kids first and feed them the upper tips of the grasses, which are tender. Then after them he would bring out the he-goats, who would eat the middle of the grasses, and afterwards, he would bring out the older ones, who would eat the roots. Said the Holy One, blessed be He, “This one is fit to shepherd My people.”