1 Samuel 17:13

13 Jesse's three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war, and their names were Eliab, the firstborn, Abinadab, the next, and Shammah, the third,

1 Samuel 17:13 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 17:13

And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to
the battle
Either of their own accord, or rather at their father's motion, or however with his knowledge and consent, who because he could not go himself, willed them to go; and these were forward, and some of the foremost that followed Saul to the battle, being zealous and well disposed to defend their king and country:

and the names of the three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the
firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah;
who are the three mentioned by name that passed before Samuel, when he came to anoint one of Jesse's sons to be king, ( 1 Samuel 16:6 1 Samuel 16:8 1 Samuel 16:9 ) .

1 Samuel 17:13 In-Context

11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words from the Philistine, they lost their courage and were terrified.

12 Now David was the son of the Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah named Jesse. Jesse had eight sons, and during Saul's reign was [already] an old man.

13 Jesse's three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war, and their names were Eliab, the firstborn, Abinadab, the next, and Shammah, the third,

14 and David was the youngest. The three oldest had followed Saul,

15 but David kept going back and forth from Saul to tend his father's flock in Bethlehem.