1 Samuel 17:19

19 Sha'ul and your brothers, with all the army of Isra'el, are in the Elah Valley, fighting the P'lishtim."

1 Samuel 17:19 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 17:19

Now Saul, and they
That is, the sons of Jesse, and brethren of David:

and all the men of Israel;
the soldiers in the army:

were in the valley Elah;
or "by" it, near unto it; for they were set in array on the mountain on the side of it:

fighting with the Philistines;
not actually engaged in battle, but drawn up for it; prepared and in readiness to engage whenever it was necessary, or they were obliged to it; and perhaps there might be now and then some skirmishes in the outer parts of the camp.

1 Samuel 17:19 In-Context

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.

19 Sha'ul and your brothers, with all the army of Isra'el, are in the Elah Valley, fighting the P'lishtim."

20 David got up early in the morning, left the sheep with a helper, took his load and set out, as Yishai had ordered him. He arrived at the barricade of the camp just as the troops were going out to their battle stations and shouting the war cry.

21 Isra'el and the P'lishtim had set up their battle lines facing each other.