1 Samuel 17:16

16 Forsooth the Philistine came forth in the morrowtide, and [at] eventide; and stood by forty days. [Forsooth the Philistine came forth early, and at even, standing (and) reproving the children of Israel (for) forty days.]

1 Samuel 17:16 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 17:16

And the Philistine drew near morning and evening
Twice a day he came near the camp, within the hearing of it. The Jews ^F23 say, he took those seasons on purpose to disturb them in reading their "Shema", or "hear, O Israel" and saying their prayers morning and evening:

and presented himself forty days;
Successively, before the armies of Israel, daring them to send down a man to fight with him, and reproaching them for their cowardice in not doing it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 42. 2.

1 Samuel 17:16 In-Context

14 And David was the youngest. Then while the three eldest sons followed Saul,

15 David went, and turned again from Saul, that he should keep the flock of his father in Bethlehem. (David returned home from Saul, so that he could care for his father's flock in Bethlehem.)

16 Forsooth the Philistine came forth in the morrowtide, and [at] eventide; and stood by forty days. [Forsooth the Philistine came forth early, and at even, standing (and) reproving the children of Israel (for) forty days.]

17 And Jesse said to David his son, Take thou to thy brethren meat made of meal, the measure of ephah, and these ten loaves, and run thou in to the tents to thy brethren; (And Jesse said to his son David, Take thou to thy brothers this meal of roasted grain, an ephah in measure, and these ten loaves, and run thou to thy brothers? camp;)

18 and thou shalt bare to the tribune these ten small cheeses; and thou shalt visit thy brethren, whether they do rightly (and see if all is well), and learn thou, with which men they be ordained.