1 Samuel 17:55 bbe — And when Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the army, Abner, whose son i…

Bible in Basic English

"And when Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the army, Abner, whose son is this young man? And Abner said, On your life, O king, I have no idea."

— 1 Samuel 17:55, Bible in Basic English

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1 Samuel 17 — Context

52

And the men of Israel and of Judah got up, and gave a cry, and went after the Philistines as far as Gath and the town doors of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines were falling down by the road from Shaaraim all the way to Gath and Ekron.

53

Then the children of Israel came back from going after the Philistines, and took their goods from the tents.

54

And David took the head of the Philistine to Jerusalem, but the metal war-dress and the arms he put in his tent.

55

And when Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the army, Abner, whose son is this young man? And Abner said, On your life, O king, I have no idea.

56

And the king said, Make search and see whose son this young man is.

57

And when David was coming back after the destruction of the Philistine, Abner took him to Saul, with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

58

And Saul said to him, Young man, whose son are you? And David in answer said, I am the son of your servant Jesse of Beth-lehem.

1 Samuel 17:55 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 1 Samuel 17:55 say?
1 Samuel 17:55 in the Bible in Basic English reads: “And when Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the army, Abner, whose son is this young man? And Abner said, On your life, O king, I have no idea.”
Where is 1 Samuel 17:55 in the Bible?
1 Samuel 17:55 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 17, verse 55.
Who wrote 1 Samuel?
1 Samuel is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Samuel, Nathan, and Gad). It was written c. 930–722 BC.
What is the book of 1 Samuel about?
1 Samuel marks Israel's transition from judges to kings. It traces the births and ministries of the prophet Samuel, the rise and tragic fall of Saul as Israel's first king, and the anointing of the shepherd boy David, whose faith makes him a man after God's own heart.
What are the major themes of 1 Samuel?
1 Samuel explores themes including Kingship, Prophet, Faith vs. Fear, God's Sovereign Choice, Anointing. These themes shape the meaning and context of 1 Samuel 17:55.
What translation should I read 1 Samuel 17:55 in?
1 Samuel 17:55 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 1 Samuel 17:55?
1 Samuel 17:55 reads (BBE): “And when Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the army, Abner, whose son is this young man? And Abner said, On your life, O king, I have no idea.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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