New English Translation
1 Samuel 17:28
28When David’s oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, he became angry with David and said, “Why have you come down here? To whom did you entrust those few sheep in the desert? I am familiar with your pride and deceit! You have come down here to watch 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 asked the men who were standing near him, “What will be done for the man who strikes down this Philistine and frees Israel from this humiliation? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he defies the armies of the living God?” 27The soldiers told him what had been promised, saying, “This is what will be done for the man who can strike him down.” When David’s oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, he became angry with David and said, “Why have you come down here? To whom did you entrust those few sheep in the desert? I am familiar with your pride and deceit! You have come down here to watch the battle!” 29David replied, “What have I done now? Can’t I say anything?” 30Then he turned from those who were nearby to someone else and asked the same question, but they 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 full of olive oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers. The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day onward. Then Samuel got up and went to Ramah.
- Genesis 37:4When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated Joseph and were not able to speak to him kindly.
- Proverbs 18:19A relative offended is harder to reach than a strong city, and disputes are like the barred gates of a fortified citadel.
- Proverbs 27:4Wrath is cruel and anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?
- Ecclesiastes 4:4Then I considered all the skillful work that is done: Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another. This also is profitless – like chasing the wind.
- Matthew 10:36and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.
- Matthew 27:18(For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy.)
- Mark 3:21When his family heard this they went out to restrain him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”
- 1 Samuel 17:20So David got up early in the morning and entrusted the flock to someone else who would watch over it. After loading up, he went just as Jesse had instructed him. He arrived at the camp as the army was going out to the battle lines shouting its battle cry.
- 1 Samuel 16:7But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way men do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
- Psalms 35:11Violent men perjure themselves, and falsely accuse me.
- Jude 1:10But these men do not understand the things they slander, and they are being destroyed by the very things that, like irrational animals, they instinctively comprehend.
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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