1 Samuel 17:20

20 So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle.

1 Samuel 17:20 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 17:20

And David rose up early in the morning
Being very ready and eager to obey his father's orders, and visit his brethren:

and left the sheep with a keeper;
which showed his care and faithfulness in the discharge of his office; he was not unmindful of his father's sheep, any more than of his commands:

and took;
the ephah of parched corn, the ten loaves, and the ten cheeses:

and went, as Jesse had commanded him;
went and carried them to the camp, according to his orders:

and he came to the trench;
foss or ditch, which was cast up all around the army, partly to prevent the enemy falling on them before, and partly to prevent deserters from them behind; or the word signifying a wagon or carriage, which is here used, this might be a fence around the camp made of wagons fastened to each other; though it may only signify, the camp itself, which lay in a circular form, with proper guards about it to watch the enemy. Now David came up to it just

as the host was going forth to the fight;
preparing and getting every thing ready to the battle, and in motion, and upon the march to meet the enemy:

and shouted for the battle;
which was usually done when about to make the onset, to animate the soldiers, and strike the greater terror into the enemy; and this noise was sometimes made with the voice in a hideous and howling way, and was called "barritus" F1 by the Romans; with the Trojans it was like the noise of cranes in the air F2; it was also attended with the clashing of shields and spears F3; with the Persians, it was a rough, boisterous, and confused noise F4.


FOOTNOTES:

F1 Vid. Valtrimum de re militar. Roman. l. 5. c. 3. p. 314, 315. & A. Gell. Noct. Attic. l. 1. c. 11.
F2 Homer. Iliad. 3. ver. 1, 2, 3.
F3 Vid. Lydium de re militari, l. 4. c. 3. p. 158, 159.
F4 Curt. Hist. l. 3. c. 10. Vid. Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 4. c. 7.

1 Samuel 17:20 In-Context

18 And carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers fare, and bring back news of them."
19 Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
20 So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle.
21 For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army.
22 And David left his supplies in the hand of the supply keeper, ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.