1 Samuel 17:13

The three older sons of Jesse had followed Saul into battle: The firstborn was Eliab, the second was Abinadab, and the third was Shammah.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The narrator identifies the three oldest sons of Jesse as they accompany King Saul to battle, establishing their presence before David enters the scene.

The words — וַיֵּלְכוּ (va/i.Ye.le.Khu) and הָלְכוּ (ha.le.Khu) both mean "they had gone," while שְלֹשֶׁת בְּנֵי הַגְּדֹלִים (sheLo.shet be.nei ha.ge.do.Lim) literally reads "the three sons of the older [men]."

The thread — This family line connects to 1 Samuel 16:6, where Samuel initially mistakes Eliab for the anointed one, and 1 Chronicles 2:13, which records Jesse’s first three sons as Eliab, Abinadab, and Shimea.

Why it lands — The text requires the reader to note the specific names and birth order of the older brothers who already occupy the battlefield, setting the stage for their later interactions with David.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיֵּ֨לְכ֜וּva/i.Ye.le.Khuand/ they had gone שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁתshe.Lo.shet[the] three בְּנֵֽי־be.nei-[the] sons of יִשַׁי֙yi.ShaiJesse הַגְּדֹלִ֔יםha./ge.do.Lim<the>/ old הָלְכ֥וּha.le.Khuthey had gone אַחֲרֵי־'a.cha.rei-after שָׁא֖וּלsha.'UlSaul לַמִּלְחָמָ֑הla./mil.cha.Mahto <the>/ battle וְשֵׁ֣ם׀ve./Shemand/ [the] name of שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁתshe.Lo.shet[the] three of בָּנָ֗יוba.Na/vsons/ his אֲשֶׁ֤ר'a.Sherwho הָלְכוּ֙ha.le.Khuthey had gone בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔הba./mil.cha.Mahin the/ battle אֱלִיאָ֣ב'e.li.'Av[was] Eliab הַבְּכ֗וֹרha./be.Khorthe/ firstborn וּמִשְׁנֵ֙הוּ֙u./mish.Ne./huand/ second/ his אֲבִ֣ינָדָ֔ב'a.Vi.na.Dav[was] Abinadab וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁ֖יve./ha./she.li.Shiand/ the/ third שַׁמָּֽה׃sha.Mah[was] Shammah

King James Version

And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

Cross-references

1 Chronicles 2:13 Jesse was the father of Eliab his firstborn; Abinadab was born second, Shimea third,
1 Samuel 16:6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, “Surely here before the LORD is His anointed.”
1 Samuel 17:28 Now when David’s oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, his anger burned against David. “Why have you come down here?” he asked. “And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and wickedness of heart—you have come down to see the battle!”
2 Samuel 13:3 Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very shrewd man,
2 Samuel 13:32 But Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, spoke up: “My lord must not think they have killed all the sons of the king, for only Amnon is dead. In fact, Absalom has planned this since the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar.
2 Samuel 21:21 and when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of David’s brother Shimei killed him.

People named

SaulJesseShimeahEliabAbinadab