1 Samuel 17:19

19 Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.

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 And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched grain and these ten loaves and run to the camp to thy brethren

18 and carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand and look how thy brethren fare and take their pledge.

19 Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.

20 And David rose up early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and took and went with his burden as Jesse had commanded him, and he came to the trench as the host was going forth in battle array, and they had already sounded the alarm for the battle.

21 For Israel and the Philistines had ordered the battle, army against army.