1 Samuel 17:55

1 Samuel 17:55 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.
• English Standard Version (ESV)As soon as Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is this youth?" And Abner said, "As your soul lives, O king, I do not know."
• New King James Version (NKJV)When Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this youth?” And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)As Saul watched David go out to fight the Philistine, he asked Abner, the commander of his army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?” “I really don’t know,” Abner declared.

Context of 1 Samuel 17:55

53When the Israelites returned from chasing the Philistines, they plundered their camp. 54David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem; he put the Philistine’s weapons in his own tent. As Saul watched David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is that young man?” Abner replied, “As surely as you live, Your Majesty, I don’t know.” 56The king said, “Find out whose son this young man is.” 57As soon as David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with David still holding the Philistine’s head.

1 Samuel 17:55 word by word

וְכִרְא֨וֹת שָׁא֜וּל אֶת־דָּוִ֗ד יֹצֵא֙ לִקְרַ֣את הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔י אָמַ֗ר אֶל־אַבְנֵר֙ שַׂ֣ר הַצָּבָ֔א בֶּן־מִי־זֶ֥ה הַנַּ֖עַר אַבְנֵ֑ר וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אַבְנֵ֔ר חֵֽי־נַפְשְׁךָ֥ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אִם־יָדָֽעְתִּי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• go forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• againstקִרְאָהqir'âh · befallH7125
• the Philistineפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
• he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto Abnerאֲבִינֵר'abnêr 'ăbîynêr · AbnerH74
• the captainשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
• of the hostצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · armyH6635
• whose sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• this youthנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• thy soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
• livethחַיchay · aliveH2416
• O kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• I cannotאִם'im · if: surely noH518
• tellיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 17:55

• 1 Samuel 17:58“Whose son are you, young man?” Saul asked him. David said, “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.”
• 1 Samuel 16:21David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 17:55

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 55Whose son … - See the marginal reference note.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 48-58Verses 48-58 See how frail and uncertain life is, even when a man thinks himself best fortified; how quickly, how easily, and by how small a matter, the passage may be opened for life to go out, and death to enter! Let not the strong man glory in his strength, nor the armed man in his armour. God resists the proud, and pours contempt on those who defy him and his people. No one ever hardened his heart against God and prospered. The history is recorded…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 55-58Considering 1 Samuel 16:14–23, it is surprising that neither Saul nor Abner recognized David. The events in 1 Samuel 17 might have occurred either before or long after David's occasional service mentioned in 1 Samuel 16. Saul likely ruled as king for forty-two years, as noted in 1 Samuel 13:1.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55-5855-58. Saul ... said unto Abner ... whose son is this youth?--A young man is more spoken of in many Eastern countries by his father's name than his own. The growth of the beard, and other changes on a now full-grown youth, prevented the king from recognizing his former favorite minstrel [1Sa 16:23].Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 17:55

• Abner

In the dictionaries

• Abner
• David
• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• Arise
• Assay
• Carriage
• Cause
• Coat
• Elhanan

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