1 Samuel 17:16

16 Meanwhile, the P'lishti approached with his challenge every morning and evening for forty days.

1 Samuel 17:16 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 17:16

And the Philistine drew near morning and evening
Twice a day he came near the camp, within the hearing of it. The Jews ^F23 say, he took those seasons on purpose to disturb them in reading their "Shema", or "hear, O Israel" and saying their prayers morning and evening:

and presented himself forty days;
Successively, before the armies of Israel, daring them to send down a man to fight with him, and reproaching them for their cowardice in not doing it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 42. 2.

1 Samuel 17:16 In-Context

14 David was the youngest; the three oldest followed Sha'ul.

15 David went back and forth from Sha'ul to pasture his father's sheep at Beit-Lechem.

16 Meanwhile, the P'lishti approached with his challenge every morning and evening for forty days.

17 Yishai said to David his son, "Please take your brothers five bushels of this roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread; hurry, and carry them to your brothers at the camp.

18 Also bring these ten cheeses to their field officer. Find out if your brothers are well, and bring back some token from them.