1 Samuel 17:14

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

1 Samuel 17:14 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 17:14

And David was the youngest
For the sake of whom this account is given of Jesse and his family, and who after this makes a considerable figure in the camp and court of Saul:

and the three eldest followed Saul;
as before related, and which is repeated, that it might be observed that they only of Jesse's sons followed Saul; not David particularly, but who was providentially sent to the army at the time the Philistine was defying it.

1 Samuel 17:14 In-Context

12 Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah who had eight sons. And in the days of Saul, Jesse was old and well along in years.

13 The three older sons of Jesse had followed Saul into battle: The firstborn was Eliab, the second was Abinadab, and the third was Shammah.

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

15 but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.

16 For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening to take his stand.