1 Samuel 17:14

14 ¹David was the youngest. The three eldest 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 an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years.

13 The three oldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

14 David was the youngest. The three eldest followed Saul,

15 but David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.

16 For forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand, morning and evening.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Samuel 16:11