Study it in the app“When Saul saw David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, “Whose son is this young man, Abner?” And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.””
WhenוְכִSaulשָׁאוּלsawרְאוֹתDavidאֶת דָּוִדgoing outיֹצֵאto meetלִקְרַאתthe Philistine,הַפְּלִשְׁתִּיhe saidאָמַרtoאֶלAbner,אַבְנֵרthe commanderשַׂרof the army,הַצָּבָא“Whoseמִיsonבֶּןis thisזֶהyoung man,הַנַּעַרAbner?”אַבְנֵרAnd Abnerוַ אַבְנֵרsaid,יֹּאמֶר“As your soul lives,חֵי נַפְשְׁךָO king,הַמֶּלֶךְI do notאִםknow.”יָדָעְתִּי
Saul
Saul, the name of several people. The best known is the son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, the first king of Israel. A king of Edom and a son of Simeon also bear it. It means "asked for".
Where else “shaul” appearssee
To see with one's eyes.
Where else “reot” appearsDavid
David, youngest son of Jesse, of Bethlehem; the second king of Israel. The name means "beloved."
Where else “david” appearsset out
To set out somewhere, or go out to war.
Where else “yotse” appearsmeet
To go out toward someone who is coming, to meet him on the way.
Where else “kerat” appearsPhilistines
Philistines: a people that settled on the south-west coast of Canaan and was Israel's enemy in the days of the judges and of David.
Where else “pelishti” appearssay
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “amar” appearsAbner
Abner, son of Ner, relative of King Saul and commander of his army. In 1 Samuel 14:50 the Hebrew writes the long form, "Abiner." The name means "my father is a lamp."
Where else “avner” appearschief
Someone set over others, in the army or in the state.
Where else “sar” appearsarmy
An army.
Where else “tsava” appearsson
The male born of a father and mother; in the plural, also sons and daughters.
Where else “ben” appearsboy
A child or a young man who is still growing and does not rule a household.
Where else “naar” appearsas lives
The oath formula: "as YHWH lives", calling him to witness.
Where else “che” appearslife
Life, when it is at stake.
Where else “nafsh” appearsking
A king who rules a people.
Where else “melech” appearsknow
To know something, realize.
Where else “yadati” appears“As your soul lives” is an oath formula: “as surely as you live.” Chapter 16 tells that David already served Saul; the text does not explain why Saul asks here about his family.
54David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, and his weapons he put in his tent.
55 · This verse (above)
56The king said, “Ask you whose son this youth is.”
