And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.
1 SAMUEL 17:55KJVWhat does 1 Samuel 17:55 mean?
1 Samuel 17:55 shows King Saul watching David go out to face Goliath and asking Abner, his army commander, about David’s family background. Abner admits he does not know who David’s father is.
Saul is speaking to Abner, the captain of his army, as David prepares to fight the Philistine champion. The verse highlights Saul’s curiosity about David’s identity, even though David had already been in Saul’s service as a musician and armor-bearer. This moment sets up the importance of David’s family and background for what comes next in the story.
The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 17:55
- "son" (בֵּן, ben): Saul specifically asks about David’s father, not just David himself. This shows the importance of family lineage and social standing in ancient Israel.
- "youth" (נַעַר, naʿar): The word used for David means a young man or youth, emphasizing David’s age and inexperience compared to the seasoned warriors around him.
- "host" (צָבָא, tsābā’): Abner is called the captain of the "host," meaning the army. This underlines Abner’s high rank and the seriousness of Saul’s inquiry.
Why 1 Samuel 17:55 matters
- This verse clears up a common confusion about whether Saul already knew David; it shows that Saul did not recognize David’s family background, even if he knew David personally.
- The focus on David’s lineage prepares the reader for the later rewards Saul promises, which include exemption for David’s family and marriage into the royal family.
- The verse highlights the dramatic tension: the king and his top commander are unsure about the identity of the young man about to face Israel’s greatest threat.