Useful Bible Studies > 1 Samuel Commentary > chapter 17
David was boldly telling Israel’s men that God would support them against their enemy, Goliath (17:26). They must not feel hopeless; God was on their side. They should trust God, he would rescue them.
David’s brother Eliab heard these words and he became angry. Eliab told David that he (David) was not even a proper soldier. David had no right to speak in such a manner. His duty was to look after the family’s sheep. He should not have come to the army’s camp. He had become proud and wicked. That was what Eliab said.
David could have answered all of Eliab’s statements. Jesse, David’s father, had sent David. Jesse had greater authority in the family than Eliab had. David had come to provide food for Eliab; that was a necessary and important task (17:17). The family had paid someone to look after the sheep while David was away (17:20).
However, David chose not to explain any of these things to Eliab. David did not even try to defend himself. He simply insisted that he had a proper reason to speak. Then he continued to encourage Israel’s soldiers.
It seems likely that Eliab was jealous of David. Eliab had been present when Samuel anointed (poured oil upon) David (16:13). We do not know whether Eliab understood clearly the real meaning of that ceremony. However, Eliab would have understood that God was separating David to do special work for him. God had chosen David; he had not chosen Eliab (16:6-7).
Since then, David had been acting in the power of God’s Holy Spirit (16:13). He had even been serving King Saul as a sacred musician (16:23). Now David was starting to speak with authority to Israel’s soldiers (17:26). Eliab felt angry and jealous then, but later he too would support David (22:1).
Next part: David offers to fight Goliath (1 Samuel 17:31-32)
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© 2014, Keith Simons.