Show Bible Commentary For A Bible Verse

Click here to show/hide instructions.

Selected Verse: 1 Samuel 17:55 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
1Sa 17:55	Strong Concordance	And when Saul [07586] saw [07200] David [01732] go forth [03318] against [07125] the Philistine [06430], he said [0559] unto Abner [074], the captain [08269] of the host [06635], Abner [074], whose son [01121] is this youth [05288]? And Abner [074] said [0559], As thy soul [05315] liveth [02416], O king [04428], I cannot [0518] tell [03045].
	King James	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.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

Open All | Close All Open All | Close All

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
Saul . . . said unto Abner . . . whose son is this youth?--A young man is more spoken of in many Eastern countries by his father's name than his own. The growth of the beard, and other changes on a now full-grown youth, prevented the king from recognizing his former favorite minstrel [Sa1 16:23].

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

Saul . . . said unto Abner . . . whose son is this youth?--A young man is more spoken of in many Eastern countries by his father's name than his own. The growth of the beard, and other changes on a now full-grown youth, prevented the king from recognizing his former favorite minstrel [Sa1 16:23].

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Whose son ... - See the marginal reference note.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

Whose son ... - See the marginal reference note.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Whose son - David had been some considerable time dismissed from Saul's court, and was returned home. And therefore it is not strange, if Saul for the present had forgot David. Besides the distemper of Saul's mind might make him forgetful; and that David might be now much changed, both in his countenance and in his habit. I cannot tell - Abner's employment was generally in the camp, when David was at the court; and when Abner was there, he took little notice of a person so much inferior to him as David was.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]

Whose son - David had been some considerable time dismissed from Saul's court, and was returned home. And therefore it is not strange, if Saul for the present had forgot David. Besides the distemper of Saul's mind might make him forgetful; and that David might be now much changed, both in his countenance and in his habit. I cannot tell - Abner's employment was generally in the camp, when David was at the court; and when Abner was there, he took little notice of a person so much inferior to him as David was.

Top