1 Samuel 17:16

16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening and presented himself 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, the three eldest having gone after Saul.

15 But David had gone and returned from being with Saul to feed his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.

16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening and presented himself for forty days.

17 And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched grain and these ten loaves and run to the camp to thy brethren

18 and carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand and look how thy brethren fare and take their pledge.