(the brothers), and the whole of the men of Israel, are in the terebinth valley,” etc. This statement forms part of Jesse's words.
Verses 20-21
In pursuance of this commission, David went in the morning to the waggon-rampart, when the army, which was going out (of the camp) into battle array, raised the war-cry, and Israel and the Philistines placed themselves battle-array against battle-array. וגו והחיל is a circumstantial clause, and the predicate is introduced with והרעוּ, as וגו והחיל is placed at the head absolutely: “and as for the army which, etc., it raised a shout.” בּמּלחמה הרע, lit. to make a noise in war, i.e., to raise a war-cry.
Verse 22
David left the vessels with the provisions in the charge of the keeper of the vessels, and ran into the ranks to inquire as to the health of his brethren.
Verse 23
Whilst he was talking with them, the champion (middle-man) Goliath drew near, and spoke according to those words (the words contained in 1Sa 17:8.), and David heard it. פל ממּערות is probably an error for פל ממּערכות (Keri, lxx, Vulg.; cf. 1Sa 17:26). If the Chethibh were the proper reading, it would suggest an Arabic word signifying a crowd of men (Dietrich on Ges. Lex.).
Verses 24-25
All the Israelites fled from Goliath, and were so afraid. They said (ישׂראל אישׁ is a collective noun), “Have ye seen this man who is coming? (הרּאיתם, with Dagesh dirim as in 1Sa 10:24. Surely to defy Israel is he coming; and whoever shall slay him, the king will enrich him with great wealth, and give him his daughter, and make his father's house (i.e., his family) free in Israel,” viz., from taxes and public burdens. There is nothing said afterwards about the fulfilment of these promises. But it by no means follows from this, that the statement is to be regarded as nothing more than an exaggeration, that had grown up among the people, of what Saul had really said. There is al| the less probability in this, from the fact that, according to 1Sa 17:27, the people assured him again of the same thing. In all probability Saul had actually made some such promises as these, but did not feel himself bound to fulfil them afterwards, because he had not made them expressly to David himself.
Verses 26-27
When David heard these words, he made more minute inquiries from the bystanders about the whole matter, and dropped some words which gave rise to the supposition that he wanted to go and fight with this Philistine himself. This is implied in the
