John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 17:2
And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together ,.... He being cured, at least being better of his disorder, through the music of David, and alarmed and aroused by the invasion of the Philistines, which might serve to dissipate any remains of it, or prevent its return, got together his forces: and pitched by the valley of Elah ; which Jerom F21 Deloc. Heb. fol. 91. F. says Aquila and Theodotion interpret "the valley of the oak"; but the Vulgate Latin version, the valley of... read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 17:1-11
It was not long ago that the Philistines were soundly beaten, and put to the worse, before Israel, and they would have been totally routed if Saul's rashness had not prevented; but here we have them making head again. Observe, I. How they defied Israel with their armies, 1 Sam. 17:1. They made a descent upon the Israelites? country, and possessed themselves, as it should seem, of some part of it, for they encamped in a place which belonged to Judah. Israel's ground would never have been... read more