And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
Jesse's three oldest sons went with Saul to join the battle. The names of these three sons who went to war were Eliab (the oldest), then Abinadab, and third was Shammah.
This verse tells us that David's three older brothers left home to serve as soldiers in King Saul's army during a time of war.
📚 Historical Context
This takes place during the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Philistines, when military service was expected of able-bodied men. Jesse's three oldest sons were fulfilling their duty as Israelite warriors by joining Saul's army. Meanwhile, David, being the youngest, stayed home to tend his father's sheep - setting up the famous story of David and Goliath that follows.
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