1 Samuel 17:20

1 Samuel 17:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle.
• New International Version (NIV)Early in the morning David left the flock in the care of a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And David rose early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and took the provisions and went, as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the encampment as the host was going out to the battle line, shouting the war cry.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So 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.

Context of 1 Samuel 17:20

18Also take these ten slices of cheese to the captain of their thousand—and check out the welfare of your brothers and bring back some token from them. 19They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.” So David rose up early in the morning, left the flock with a keeper, took the provisions and went as Jesse had commanded him. When he reached the camp, the army was going out to the battle line shouting the war cry. 21Israel and the Philistines drew up their battle lines, army against army. 22Then David left his baggage in the care of the baggage keeper, and ran to the battle line and entered to check out his brothers’ welfare.

1 Samuel 17:20 word by word

וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם דָּוִ֜ד בַּבֹּ֗קֶר וַיִּטֹּ֤שׁ אֶת־הַצֹּאן֙ עַל־שֹׁמֵ֔ר וַיִּשָּׂ֣א וַיֵּ֔לֶךְ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֖הוּ יִשָׁ֑י וַיָּבֹא֙ הַמַּעְגָּ֔לָה וְהַחַ֗יִל הַיֹּצֵא֙ אֶל־הַמַּ֣עֲרָכָ֔ה וְהֵרֵ֖עוּ בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• rose up earlyשָׁכַםshâkam · to riseH7925
• in the morningבֹּ֫קֶרbôqer · morningH1242
• and leftנָטַשׁnâţash · to leaveH5203
• the sheepצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
• with a keeperשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
• and tookנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: raiseH5375
• and wentיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• as Jesseיִשַׁיyishay 'îyshay · JesseH3448
• had commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• him; and he cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• to the trenchמַעְגָּלma‛gâl ma‛gâlâh · trackH4570
• as the hostחַ֫יִלchayil · armyH2428
• was going forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• to the fightמַעֲרָכָהma‛ărâkâh · rankH4634
• and shoutedרוּעַrûa‛ · to shoutH7321
• for the battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 17:20

• 1 Samuel 17:28Now when Eliab his oldest brother heard him speaking to the men, Eliab’s anger was kindled against David. “Why have you come down here?” he asked. “So with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart! For you’ve come down here to watch the battle.”
• Ephesians 6:1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
• 1 Samuel 26:5Then David got up and went to the place where Saul had camped. David detected the spot where Saul lay asleep, as well as Abner son of Ner his army commander. Saul was lying inside the barricade and the troops were camped around him.
• Luke 19:43For the days will come upon you when your enemies will surround you with barricades and hem you in on all sides.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 17:20

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20The trench - Rather, “the wagons,” which were all put together in the camp so as to form a kind of bulwark or fortification (see 1 Samuel 26:5, 1 Samuel 26:7). Here David left his “carriage” 1 Samuel 17:22, i. e., the things which he had carried, “his things” as we should say, or baggage (translated stuff in 1 Samuel 10:22; 1 Samuel 25:13; 1 Samuel 30:24). There seems to have been an officer (“the keeper,” 1 Samuel 17:22) in the Hebrew army whose charge…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
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. David left the sheep with a keeper--This is the only instance in which the hired shepherd is distinguished from the master or one of his family. trench--some feeble attempt at a rampart. It appears (see Margin) to have been formed by a line of carts or chariots, which, from the earliest times, was the practice of nomad people.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 17:20

• Armies
• Battle
• Championship
• Decision
• Jesse
• Rising

In the dictionaries

• David
• Jesse
• Arise
• Assay
• Carriage
• Cause
• Coat
• Elhanan
• Naughtiness
• Prevail

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