1 Samuel 17:18

Take also these ten portions of cheese to the commander of their unit. Check on the welfare of your brothers and bring back an assurance from them.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jesse instructs his son David to deliver provisions to the commander of his brothers' military unit. This occurs while the Israelite army is stationed in the Valley of Elah, engaged in a standoff with the Philistines.

The words — The text specifies עֲשֶׂ֜רֶת (a.Seret, "ten") חֲרִצֵ֤י (cha.Ritzei, "portions") הֶֽ/חָלָב֙ (ha./chalav, "of milk/cheese") and תָּבִ֖יא (ta.Vi, "you will bring") to the commander of the thousand (שַׂר־הָאָ֑לֶף). These terms define the exact quantity and type of dairy provision being transported.

The thread — The command to verify the welfare of family members echoes Jacob's instruction to Joseph in Genesis 37:14 to check on his brothers and the flocks. The delivery of dairy and grain to military leaders also parallels the provisions Jesse sends to Saul in 1 Samuel 16:20 and the supplies brought for David in 2 Samuel 17:29.

Why it lands — The text records a direct order to deliver specific food, check on family safety, and return with a report. A reader must note the practical logistics of ancient warfare and the explicit command to verify the status of others before drawing conclusions about David's role.

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

וְ֠אֵתVe./'etand/ <obj.>עֲשֶׂ֜רֶת'a.Se.ret[the] ten חֲרִצֵ֤יcha.ri.Tzei[the] portions of הֶֽחָלָב֙he./cha.Lav<the>/ milk הָאֵ֔לֶּהha./'E.leh<the>/ these תָּבִ֖יאta.Vi'you will bring לְשַׂר־le./sar-to/ [the] commander of הָאָ֑לֶףha./'A.lefthe/ thousand וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>אַחֶ֙יךָ֙'a.Chei./khabrothers/ your תִּפְקֹ֣דtif.Kodyou will pay attention לְשָׁל֔וֹםle./sha.Lomto/ welfare וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>עֲרֻבָּתָ֖ם'a.ru.ba.Ta/mpledge/ their תִּקָּֽח׃ti.Kachyou will take

King James Version

And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.

Cross-references

Genesis 37:14 Then Israel told him, “Go now and see how your brothers and the flocks are faring, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron. And when Joseph arrived in Shechem,
1 Samuel 16:20 And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and one young goat and sent them to Saul with his son David.
2 Samuel 17:29 honey, curds, sheep, and cheese from the herd for David and his people to eat. For they said, “The people have become hungry, exhausted, and thirsty in the wilderness.”
Job 10:10 Did You not pour me out like milk, and curdle me like cheese?
Acts 15:36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing.”
1 Thessalonians 3:5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter had somehow tempted you and that our labor might have been in vain.