I’ve known this great old counting song for nigh on fifty years, but some of the verses (“Nine for the nine all dressed so fine”) don’t make much Biblical sense to me. So armed with my electronic concordance, I’ve added some verses of my own. Feel free to do likewise!
Notes
1. Eight for the sons of Jesse:
1 Samuel 16:10:
Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these.
And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
2. Eleven for eleven stars in the sky:
Genesis 37:9
And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
