Paul Kretzmann Commentary - 1 Samuel 17:12 - 17:31

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Paul Kretzmann Commentary - 1 Samuel 17:12 - 17:31


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David Sent to the Camp

v. 12. Now, David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem-judah whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons; and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul,
he was advanced in years and consequently felt the weakness of old age.

v. 13. And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle,
they were in the army which had been summoned to repel the invaders; and the names of his three sons that went to battle were Eliab, the first-born, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah, 1Sa_16:6-9.

v. 14. And David was the youngest; and the three eldest followed Saul.

v. 15. But David went and returned from Saul,
he went back and forth between his home and the king's court, just as Saul had need of him, to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem, he helped out at home as much as possible, especially now that Saul had gone forth on the campaign against the Philistines. He had indeed been enrolled among Saul's armor-bearers, but he had not yet been drilled in the art of warfare as it was then practiced.

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

v. 17. And Jesse said unto David, his son,
during these forty days, Take now for thy brethren an ephah (about 26 quarts) of this parched corn, roasted peas or grain, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren;

v. 18. and carry these ten cheeses,
portions of curds, probably on the order of cottage-cheese, unto the captain of their thousand, under whose command his brothers were, and look how thy brethren fare, inquiring after their welfare; and take their pledge, some personal. token which would assure the father that they were indeed well.

v. 19. Now, Saul and they,
the eons of Jesse, and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. This remark belongs to the instructions which Jesse addressed to David.

v. 20. And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper,
faithful to his charge also in this, and took, and went as Jesse had commanded him; and be came to the trench, the wagon rampart which served for a fortification of the camp, as the host was going forth to the fight, to be set up in battle array, and shouted for the battle, raised their war-cry, to encourage their own ranks and to terrify the enemies in case they should contemplate an attack.

v. 21. For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army,
in readiness for the battle which was expected every day.

v. 22. And David left his carriage,
the load which he had come to deliver, in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, the officer in charge of the army's baggage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren, asking for his brothers, inquiring after their well-being.

v. 23. And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words,
as he usually did; and David heard them.

v. 24. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid,
the very sight of the man filled them with such fear and trembling that they were unable to give battle.

v. 25. And the men of Israel said,
after the manner of men discussing a great calamity, Have ye seen this man that is come up? Surely to defy Israel is he come up, to challenge them to single combat with a contemptuous sneer; and it shall be that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel, exempt from taxes and every form of public service. This was the promise of Saul in a public proclamation, intended to inspire some man with the courage to risk his life in battle.

v. 26. And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine and taketh away the reproach from Israel,
which was daily heaped upon the entire people by this contemptuous challenge? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, a man outside of the covenant with Jehovah, that he should defy the armies of the living God? The main thought in David's mind was this, that the insult offered to Israel, the people of Jehovah, must be wiped out at all costs.

v. 27. And the people answered him after this manner,
in agreement with the proclamation of the king, as before, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.

v. 28. And Eliab, his eldest brother, heard when he spake unto the men, and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither,
from the higher ranges near Bethlehem? And with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? He intimated that their family could ill afford to lose the few heads of small cattle which they owned. His zeal was blinded by envy and jealousy. I know thy pride and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. The intimation was that David was not satisfied with his lowly calling, that he wished to rise above his station and take part in the war, since his wickedness enjoyed the brutality of the battle. Eliab's is a type of a small soul, incapable of great thoughts and deeds.

v. 29. And David said,
in a quiet, but very decided denial of the wrong charged to him, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? He surely had a right to ask a simple question.

v. 30. And he turned from him,
letting his oldest brother stand in his pitiful smallness, toward another and spake after the same manner; and the people answered him again after the former manner.

v. 31. And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul,
in a respectful announcement; and he sent for him, he had David brought before him. David is a type of a simple believer, who performs his work in all simplicity, showing himself faithful even in the smallest details which are entrusted to him.