New King James Version
1 Samuel 17:28
28Now 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.”
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 Living Translation (NLT)But when David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. “What are you doing around here anyway?” he demanded. “What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!”
Context of 1 Samuel 17:28
26Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 27And the people answered him in this manner, saying, “So shall it be done for the man who kills him.” 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.” 29And David said, “What have I done now? Is there not a cause?” 30Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did.
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 16:13Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
- Genesis 37:4But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.
- Proverbs 18:19A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a castle.
- Proverbs 27:4Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before jealousy?
- Ecclesiastes 4:4Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
- Matthew 10:36and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’
- Matthew 27:18For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.
- Mark 3:21But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”
- 1 Samuel 17:20So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle.
- 1 Samuel 16:7But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
- Psalms 35:11Fierce witnesses rise up; They ask me things that I do not know.
- Jude 1:10But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries