1 Samuel 17:19 (DRB)

Passage

But Saul, and they, and all the children of Israel, were in the valley of Terebinth, fighting against the Philistines.

Nearby Context

1 Samuel 17:17 And Isai said to David, his son: Take for thy brethren an ephi of frumenty, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren,

1 Samuel 17:18 And carry these ten little cheeses to the tribune: and go see thy brethren, if they are well: and learn with whom they are placed.

1 Samuel 17:19 But Saul, and they, and all the children of Israel, were in the valley of Terebinth, fighting against the Philistines.

1 Samuel 17:20 David, therefore, arose in the morning, and gave the charge of the flock to the keeper: and went away loaded, as Isai had commanded him. And he came to the place of Magala, and to the army, which was going out to fight, and shouted for the battle.

1 Samuel 17:21 For Israel had put themselves in array, and the Philistines who stood against them were prepared.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "saul", "children", "israel", "valley", "terebinth", "fighting", "against", and "philistines". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "saul" and "children", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 18's "And carry these ten little cheeses to..." into verse 20's "David therefore arose in the morning and...", so "saul" and "children" belong inside that flow. In 1 Samuel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "saul" and "children" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.