1 Samuel 17:13

13 And the three eldest sons of Jesse went after Saul into battle; and the names of his three sons, that went to battle (who went to battle), were Eliab, the first begotten, and the second, Abinadab, and the third, Shammah.

1 Samuel 17:13 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 17:13

And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to
the battle
Either of their own accord, or rather at their father's motion, or however with his knowledge and consent, who because he could not go himself, willed them to go; and these were forward, and some of the foremost that followed Saul to the battle, being zealous and well disposed to defend their king and country:

and the names of the three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the
firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah;
who are the three mentioned by name that passed before Samuel, when he came to anoint one of Jesse's sons to be king, ( 1 Samuel 16:6 1 Samuel 16:8 1 Samuel 16:9 ) .

1 Samuel 17:13 In-Context

11 Soothly Saul and all men of Israel heard such words of the Philistine, and they were astonished, and dreaded greatly (and were greatly afraid).
12 Forsooth David was the son of a man of Ephrath, of whom it is said before, of Bethlehem of Judah, to whom the name was Jesse, and he had eight sons; and in the days of Saul, Jesse was an old man, and of great age among men. (And David was the son of a man of Ephrath, of whom it was spoken of before, of Bethlehem in Judah, whose name was Jesse, and he had eight sons; and Jesse was an old man in the days of Saul, and of great age among men.)
13 And the three eldest sons of Jesse went after Saul into battle; and the names of his three sons, that went to battle (who went to battle), were Eliab, the first begotten, and the second, Abinadab, and the third, Shammah.
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.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.