{"id":6490,"date":"2026-08-27T00:01:49","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T07:01:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/?p=6490"},"modified":"2026-06-25T16:41:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T23:41:00","slug":"1-samuel-1728-29-now-eliab-his-oldest-brother-heard-when-he-spoke-to-the-men-and-eliabs-anger-was-aroused-against-david-and-he-said-why-did-you-come-down-here-and-wit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/?p=6490","title":{"rendered":"1 Samuel 17:28\u201329: \u201cNow Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, \u2018Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.\u2019 And David said, \u2018What have I done now? Is there not a cause?\u2019\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

It sounds like David’s older brother was still feeling the sting of rejection because God had chosen his little<\/em> brother over him to rule the nation. He was also being a typical older brother, expecting and accusing David of the worst. He was basically saying, \u201cYou just came to see blood and guts. Why don’t you just go home, smart mouth?” And David gave a typical younger brother’s response: \u201cNow what did I do?\u201d David’s feelings might have been hurt, but he refused to be hindered by his brother’s misunderstanding of his motive. When David heard of Saul’s reward to the man who beat Goliath, David spoke and thought about who God is and what God can do. Instead of seeing it as an opportunity to glorify himself, he only saw it as an opportunity to glorify God.<\/p>\n

Can we handle criticism and misunderstanding as well as David did? How thick is our skin? Someone said years ago that serving God requires 2 things. First we need a heart the size of an elephant, and, secondly, we need skin as thick as a rhinoceros. How was David able to handle this criticism so well? He was more concerned with God’s cause and opinion than with anyone else’s. David got the same reaction when he later volunteered to fight Goliath. Saul said, “You can’t fight this Philistine, you’re only a boy.” However, despite all the flack, David did not give up. He insisted that he be given a chance to take on the giant.<\/p>\n

When Robert Fulton, inventor of the steamboat, first presented his new invention, there were reportedly many critics crowded on the riverbank yelling, “It’ll never work; it’ll never even start.” After a lot of tinkering and clanking, Fulton proved them wrong as the steamboat finally started moving down the river. The critics were momentarily quieted but quickly recovered and started yelling, “It’ll never make it; it will never be able to stop.” We will be criticized as we walk with the Lord; so we need to follow the example of David and Robert Fulton. We can’t let it hold us back; we need to use it by applying it and growing from it.<\/p>\n

“LORD, help us today to seize the opportunities You place before us and not be slowed down by the critics.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

=============================================================<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 Samuel 17 KJV<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1<\/sup>\u00a0Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which\u00a0belongeth\u00a0<\/em>to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.\u00a0\u00a02<\/sup>\u00a0And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.\u00a0\u00a03<\/sup>\u00a0And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and\u00a0there was\u00a0<\/em>a valley between them. 4<\/sup>\u00a0And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height\u00a0was\u00a0<\/em>six cubits and a span.\u00a05<\/sup>\u00a0And\u00a0he had\u00a0<\/em>an helmet of brass upon his head, and he\u00a0was\u00a0<\/em>armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat\u00a0was\u00a0<\/em>five thousand shekels of brass.\u00a0\u00a06<\/sup>\u00a0And\u00a0he had\u00a0<\/em>greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders.\u00a0\u00a07<\/sup>\u00a0And the staff of his spear\u00a0was<\/em>like a weaver\u2019s beam; and his spear\u2019s head\u00a0weighed\u00a0<\/em>six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.\u00a08<\/sup>\u00a0And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set\u00a0your\u00a0<\/em>battle in array?\u00a0am\u00a0<\/em>not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.\u00a09<\/sup>\u00a0If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.\u00a010<\/sup>\u00a0And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.\u00a011<\/sup>\u00a0When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid. 12<\/sup>\u00a0Now David\u00a0was\u00a0<\/em>the son of that Ephrathite of Beth-lehem-judah, whose name\u00a0was\u00a0<\/em>Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men\u00a0for\u00a0<\/em>an old man in the days of Saul.\u00a013<\/sup>\u00a0And the three eldest sons of Jesse went\u00a0and\u00a0<\/em>followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle\u00a0were\u00a0<\/em>Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.\u00a014<\/sup>\u00a0And David\u00a0was<\/em>the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul.\u00a015<\/sup>\u00a0But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father\u2019s sheep at Beth-lehem.\u00a016<\/sup>\u00a0And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.\u00a017<\/sup>\u00a0And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched\u00a0corn\u00a0<\/em>, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren;\u00a018<\/sup>\u00a0And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of\u00a0their\u00a0<\/em>thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.\u00a019<\/sup>\u00a0Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel,\u00a0were\u00a0<\/em>in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 20<\/sup>\u00a0And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a021<\/sup>\u00a0For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.\u00a022<\/sup>\u00a0And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a023<\/sup>\u00a0And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard\u00a0them\u00a0<\/em>.\u00a024<\/sup>\u00a0And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.\u00a0\u00a025<\/sup>And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be,\u00a0that\u00a0<\/em>the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father\u2019s house free in Israel.\u00a026<\/sup>\u00a0And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who\u00a0is\u00a0<\/em>this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?\u00a027<\/sup>\u00a0And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him. 28<\/sup>\u00a0And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab\u2019s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.\u00a029<\/sup>\u00a0And David said, What have I now done?\u00a0Is there\u00a0<\/em>not a cause? 30<\/sup>\u00a0And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.\u00a0 31<\/sup>\u00a0And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed\u00a0them\u00a0<\/em>before Saul: and he sent for him.\u00a032<\/sup> And David said to Saul, Let no man\u2019s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.\u00a033<\/sup>\u00a0And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou\u00a0art but\u00a0<\/em>a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.\u00a034<\/sup>\u00a0And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father\u2019s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:\u00a0\u00a035<\/sup>\u00a0And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered\u00a0it\u00a0<\/em>out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught\u00a0him\u00a0<\/em>by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.\u00a036<\/sup>\u00a0Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.\u00a037<\/sup>\u00a0David said moreover, The\u00a0LORD\u00a0that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the\u00a0LORD\u00a0be with thee. 38<\/sup>\u00a0And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.\u00a0\u00a039<\/sup>\u00a0And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved\u00a0it\u00a0<\/em>. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved\u00a0them\u00a0<\/em>. And David put them off him. 40<\/sup>\u00a0And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd\u2019s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling\u00a0was\u00a0<\/em>in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a041<\/sup>\u00a0And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield\u00a0went\u00a0<\/em>before him.\u00a042<\/sup>And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was\u00a0but\u00a0<\/em>a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.\u00a043<\/sup>\u00a0And the Philistine said unto David, Am\u00a0<\/em>I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.\u00a044<\/sup>\u00a0And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.\u00a045<\/sup>\u00a0Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the\u00a0LORD\u00a0of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.\u00a046<\/sup>\u00a0This day will the\u00a0LORD\u00a0deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.\u00a0\u00a047<\/sup>\u00a0And all this assembly shall know that the\u00a0LORD\u00a0saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle\u00a0is<\/em>the\u00a0LORD\u2019S, and he will give you into our hands. 48<\/sup>\u00a0And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.\u00a049<\/sup>\u00a0And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang\u00a0it\u00a0<\/em>, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.\u00a050<\/sup>\u00a0So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was\u00a0<\/em>no sword in the hand of David.\u00a051<\/sup>\u00a0Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.\u00a052<\/sup>\u00a0And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.\u00a053<\/sup>\u00a0And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.\u00a054<\/sup>\u00a0And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent. 55<\/sup>\u00a0And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son\u00a0is\u00a0<\/em>this youth? And Abner said,\u00a0As\u00a0<\/em>thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.\u00a056<\/sup>\u00a0And the king said, Enquire thou whose son the stripling\u00a0is\u00a0<\/em>.\u00a057<\/sup>\u00a0And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.\u00a058<\/sup>And Saul said to him, Whose son\u00a0art\u00a0<\/em>thou,\u00a0thou\u00a0<\/em>young man? And David answered, I\u00a0am\u00a0<\/em>the son of thy servant Jesse the Beth-lehemite.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It sounds like David’s older brother was still feeling the sting of rejection because God had chosen his little brother over him to rule the nation. He was also being a typical older brother, expecting and accusing David of the worst. He was basically saying, \u201cYou just came to see blood and guts. Why don’t […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6490"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6490"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6490\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16169,"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6490\/revisions\/16169"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6490"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6490"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/packinghouseredlands.org\/devotional\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6490"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}