Christian Standard Bible
1 Samuel 17:28
28David’s oldest brother Eliab listened as he spoke to the men, and he became angry with him. “Why did you come down here?” he asked. “Who did you leave those few sheep with in the wilderness? I know your arrogance and your evil heart — you came down to see the battle!”
1 Samuel 17:28 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
- New International Version (NIV)When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, "Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.”
Context of 1 Samuel 17:28
26David spoke to the men who were standing with him: “What will be done for the man who kills that Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 27The troops told him about the offer, concluding, “That is what will be done for the man who kills him.” David’s oldest brother Eliab listened as he spoke to the men, and he became angry with him. “Why did you come down here?” he asked. “Who did you leave those few sheep with in the wilderness? I know your arrogance and your evil heart — you came down to see the battle!” 29“What have I done now?” protested David. “It was just a question.” 30Then he turned from those beside him to others in front of him and asked about the offer. The people gave him the same answer as before.
Read all of 1 Samuel 171 Samuel 17:28 word by word
וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע אֱלִיאָב֙ אָחִ֣יו הַגָּד֔וֹל בְּדַבְּר֖וֹ אֶל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֑ים וַיִּֽחַר־אַף֩ אֱלִיאָ֨ב בְּדָוִ֜ד וַיֹּ֣אמֶר׀ לָמָּה־זֶּ֣ה יָרַ֗דְתָּ וְעַל־מִ֨י נָטַ֜שְׁתָּ מְעַ֨ט הַצֹּ֤אן הָהֵ֙נָּה֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר אֲנִ֧י יָדַ֣עְתִּי אֶת־זְדֹנְךָ֗ וְאֵת֙ רֹ֣עַ לְבָבֶ֔ךָ כִּ֗י לְמַ֛עַן רְא֥וֹת הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה יָרָֽדְתָּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Eliabאֱלִיאָב'ĕlîy'âb · EliabH446
- his eldestגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: oldH1419
- brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- when he spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- unto the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- angerאַף'aph · face: angerH639
- was kindledחָרָהchârâh · to be incensedH2734
- against Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- and he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Why camest thou downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- hither? and with whom hast thou leftנָטַשׁnâţash · to leaveH5203
- thoseהֵנָּהhênnâh · they(fem.)H2007
- fewמְעַטme‛aţ me‛âţ · littleH4592
- sheepצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
- in the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
- I knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- thy prideזָדוֹןzâdôn · arroganceH2087
- and the naughtinessרֹעַrôa‛ · evilH7455
- of thine heartלֵבָבlêbâb · heartH3824
- that thou mightest seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- the battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 17:28
- 1 Samuel 16:13So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully on David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah.
- Genesis 37:4When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not bring themselves to speak peaceably to him.
- Proverbs 18:19An offended brother is harder to reach than a fortified city, and quarrels are like the bars of a fortress.
- Proverbs 27:4Fury is cruel, and anger a flood, but who can withstand jealousy?
- Ecclesiastes 4:4I saw that all labor and all skillful work is due to one person’s jealousy of another. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
- Matthew 10:36and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.
- Matthew 27:18For he knew it was because of envy that they had handed him over.
- Mark 3:21When his family heard this, they set out to restrain him, because they said, “He’s out of his mind.”
- 1 Samuel 17:20So David got up early in the morning, left the flock with someone to keep it, loaded up, and set out as Jesse had charged him. He arrived at the perimeter of the camp as the army was marching out to its battle formation shouting their battle cry.
- 1 Samuel 16:7But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature because I have rejected him. Humans do not see what the Lord sees, for humans see what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.”
- Psalms 35:11Malicious witnesses come forward; they question me about things I do not know.
- Jude 1:10But these people blaspheme anything they do not understand. And what they do understand by instinct — like irrational animals — by these things they are destroyed.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 17:28
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28Why camest thou down? - From the heights of Bethlehem to the valley of Elah. Thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart - See the similar expression, Jeremiah 49. Compare the envy of Jacob‘s sons toward Joseph, and of the slanders heaped upon the Son of David in the days of His flesh.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-30Verses 12-30 Jesse little thought of sending his son to the army at that critical juncture; but the wise God orders actions and affairs, so as to serve his designs. In times of general formality and lukewarmness, every degree of zeal which implies readiness to go further, or to venture more in the cause of God than others, will be blamed as pride and ambition, and by none more than by near relations, like Eliab, or negligent superiors. It was a trial of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 28Eliab was angry, possibly because he was jealous that David was chosen to be king instead of him (1 Samuel 16:6–13).Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 17:28
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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