1 Samuel 17:19

19 "For Saul and they and all the men of Israel are in the valley of Elah, fighting with 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 Then Jesse said to David his son, "Take now for your brothers an ephah of this roasted grain and these ten loaves and run to the camp to your brothers.

18 "Bring also these ten cuts of cheese to the commander of their thousand, and look into the welfare of your brothers, and bring back news of them.

19 "For Saul and they and all the men of Israel are in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines."

20 So David arose early in the morning and left the flock with a keeper and took the supplies and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the circle of the camp while the army was going out in battle array shouting the war cry.

21 Israel and the Philistines drew up in battle array, army against army.