1 Samuel 17:15
New International Version
but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.

New Living Translation
but David went back and forth so he could help his father with the sheep in Bethlehem.

English Standard Version
but David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.

Berean Standard Bible
but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.

King James Bible
But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.

New King James Version
But David occasionally went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.

New American Standard Bible
but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s flock at Bethlehem.

NASB 1995
but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s flock at Bethlehem.

NASB 1977
but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s flock at Bethlehem.

Legacy Standard Bible
but David went back and forth from Saul to shepherd his father’s flock at Bethlehem.

Amplified Bible
but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s flock at Bethlehem.

Christian Standard Bible
but David kept going back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s flock in Bethlehem.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
but David kept going back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s flock in Bethlehem.

American Standard Version
Now David went to and fro from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Beth-lehem.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And David returned from the presence of Shaul, and he went on feeding the sheep of his father in Bayth Lekhem

Contemporary English Version
He took care of his father's sheep, and he went back and forth between Bethlehem and Saul's camp.

Douay-Rheims Bible
David went, and returned from Saul, to feed his father's flock at Bethlehem.

English Revised Version
Now David went to and fro from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Beth-lehem.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
David went back and forth from Saul's camp to Bethlehem, where he tended his father's flock.

Good News Translation
David would go back to Bethlehem from time to time, to take care of his father's sheep.

International Standard Version
And David would go back and forth from Saul to tend his father's sheep in Bethlehem.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Now David went to and fro from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Beth-lehem.--

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

Majority Standard Bible
but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.

New American Bible
David would come and go from Saul’s presence to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.

NET Bible
David was going back and forth from Saul in order to care for his father's sheep in Bethlehem.

New Revised Standard Version
but David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.

New Heart English Bible
Now David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.

Webster's Bible Translation
But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Beth-lehem.

World English Bible
Now David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.

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

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David Accepts the Challenge
14And David was the youngest. The three oldest had followed Saul, 15but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep in Bethlehem. 16For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening to take his stand.…

Cross References
1 Samuel 16:11
And Samuel asked him, "Are these all the sons you have?" "There is still the youngest," Jesse replied, "but he is tending the sheep." "Send for him," Samuel replied. "For we will not sit down to eat until he arrives."

1 Samuel 16:19
So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, "Send me your son David, who is with the sheep."

1 Samuel 16:21
When David came to Saul and entered his service, Saul admired him greatly, and David became his armor-bearer.

1 Samuel 17:16
For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening to take his stand.

1 Samuel 18:2
And from that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father's house.


Treasury of Scripture

But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.

returned

1 Samuel 16:11,19-23
And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither…

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1 Samuel 17
1. The armies of the Israelites and Philistines being ready to battle
4. Goliath challenges a combat
12. David, sent by his father to visit his brothers, takes the challenge
28. Eliab chides him
30. He is brought to Saul
32. shows the reason of his confidence
38. and slays the giant
55. Saul takes notice of David














(15) Returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep.--This short statement was, no doubt, introduced by the compiler of the First Book of Samuel to show that, in spite of this apparent introduction of David into the history for the first time in this chapter (see 1Samuel 17:12 and following verses), and the inquiry of King Saul from Abner respecting the young hero's father (see 1Samuel 17:55-58), he, the compiler, was perfectly aware that David had already visited the court of Saul in the capacity of a musician (see 1Samuel 16:18-23). As has been already suggested, these historical books of the Old Testament are, no doubt, made up from contemporaneous documents, stored up most probably in one or other of the prophetic schools. It is, therefore, to be expected that certain facts will be found occasionally repeated. The circumstances connected with the healing influence of the music of David in the case of the soul malady of King Saul were of course preserved with great care and detail in these "schools," where music and poetry were so highly cultivated and esteemed. We have here many of the very words of the original narrative preserved to us. Similarly the story of the first exploit of David is incorporated in the history probably unchanged. Each of these ancient and favourite "memories" of David, as being complete in themselves, would of course contain some of the same details.

The apparent ignorance of Saul and Abner respecting the young shepherd's family will be discussed in the note on 1Samuel 17:55-58.

Verse 15. - David went and returned from Saul. This is a very important statement, as it shows that the writer, in spite of what is said in vers. 55-58, knew that David had visited Saul at his court, and become personally known to him. Apparently it had been but a short visit, possibly because after the fit of melancholy had passed away there was no return of it for the present; and if David had been back at Bethlehem for two or three years, a young man changes so much in appearance at David's time of life that it is no wonder that neither Saul nor Abner recognised him in his shepherd's dress. For some reason, then, or other David had not remained with Saul at Gibeah, but had resumed his pastoral life at Bethlehem, and the statements made in 1 Samuel 16:21-23 belong to the time immediately after the combat with Goliath, and not before.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
but David
וְדָוִ֛ד (wə·ḏā·wiḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

went back and forth
הֹלֵ֥ךְ (hō·lêḵ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

from
מֵעַ֣ל (mê·‘al)
Preposition-m
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

Saul
שָׁא֑וּל (šā·’ūl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7586: Saul -- first king of Israel, also an Edomite and two Israelites

to tend
לִרְע֛וֹת (lir·‘ō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7462: To tend a, flock, pasture it, in, to graze, to rule, to associate with

his father’s
אָבִ֖יו (’ā·ḇîw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

sheep
צֹ֥אן (ṣōn)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 6629: Small cattle, sheep and goats, flock

in Bethlehem.
לָֽחֶם׃ (lā·ḥem)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1035: Bethlehem -- 'place of bread', a city in Judah, also a city in Zebulun


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OT History: 1 Samuel 17:15 Now David went back and forth (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 17:14
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