1 Samuel 17:15 (YLT)

Passage

and David is going and returning from Saul, to feed the flock of his father at Beth-Lehem.

Nearby Context

1 Samuel 17:13 and the three eldest sons of Jesse go, they have gone after Saul to battle; and the name of his three sons who have gone into battle <FI>are<Fi> Eliab the first-born, and his second Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

1 Samuel 17:14 And David is the youngest, and the three eldest have gone after Saul,

1 Samuel 17:15 and David is going and returning from Saul, to feed the flock of his father at Beth-Lehem.

1 Samuel 17:16 And the Philistine draweth nigh, morning and evening, and stationeth himself forty days.

1 Samuel 17:17 And Jesse saith to David his son, `Take, I pray thee, to thy brethren, an ephah of this roasted <FI>corn<Fi> , and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "david", "going", "returning", "saul", "feed", "flock", "father", and "beth-lehem". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "david" and "going", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 14's "And David is the youngest and the..." into verse 16's "And the Philistine draweth nigh morning and...", so "david" and "going" 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 "david" and "going" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.