1 Samuel 17:55

Bishop's Bible

When Saul sawe Dauid go foorth against the Philistine, he sayd vnto Abner the captaine of his hoast: Abner, whose sonne is this young man? Abner aunswered: As thy soule liueth (O king) I cannot tell.

Parallel Translations

Update Bible Version
And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As your soul lives, O king, I don't know.

New Living Translation
As Saul watched David go out to fight the Philistine, he asked Abner, the commander of his army, "Abner, whose son is this young man?" "I really don't know," Abner declared.

English Revised Version
And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.

New Century Version
When Saul saw David go out to meet Goliath, Saul asked Abner, commander of the army, "Abner, who is that young man's father?" Abner answered, "As surely as you live, my king, I don't know."

New English Translation
Now as Saul watched David going out to fight the Philistine, he asked Abner, the general in command of the army, "Whose son is this young man, Abner?" Abner replied, "As surely as you live, O king, I don't know."

Webster's Bible Translation
And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner the captain of the host, Abner, whose son [is] this youth? And Abner said, [As] thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.

World English Bible
When Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? Abner said, As your soul lives, O king, I can't tell.

Amplified Bible
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 answered, "By your life, O king, I do not know."

English Standard Version
As soon as Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is this youth?" And Abner said, "As your soul lives, O king, I do not know."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe in that tyme in which Saul siy Dauid goynge out ayens `the Filistei, he seide to Abner, prince of his chiualrie, Abner, of what generacioun `cam forth this yong waxynge man? And Abner seide, Kyng, thi soule lyueth, I knowe not.

Young's Literal Translation
And when Saul seeth David going out to meet the Philistine, he hath said unto Abner, head of the host, `Whose son [is] this -- the youth, Abner?' and Abner saith, `Thy soul liveth, O king, I have not known.'

Berean Standard Bible
As Saul had watched David going out to confront the Philistine, he said to Abner the commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is this young man?" "As surely as you live, O king," Abner replied, "I do not know."

Contemporary English Version
After King Saul had watched David go out to fight Goliath, Saul turned to the commander of his army and said, "Abner, who is that young man?" "Your Majesty," Abner answered, "I swear by your life that I don't know."

American Standard Version
And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.

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.

Complete Jewish Bible
When Sha'ul saw David go out to fight the P'lishti, he said to Avner, the army's commander, "Avner, whose son is this boy?" "By your life, O king," Avner replied, "I don't know."

Darby Translation
And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this young man? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.

Easy-to-Read Version
Saul watched David go out to fight Goliath. Saul spoke to Abner, the commander of the army. "Abner, who is that young man's father?" Abner answered, "I swear I don't know, sir."

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host: 'Abner, whose son is this youth?' And Abner said: 'As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.'

King James Version (1611)
And when Saul sawe Dauid goe forth against the Philistine, he sayd vnto Abner the captaine of the hoste, Abner, whose sonne is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soule liueth, O king, I cannot tell.

New Life Bible
When Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner the head of his army, "Abner, whose son is this young man?" And Abner said, "By your life, O king, I do not know."

New Revised Standard
When Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is this young man?" Abner said, "As your soul lives, O king, I do not know."

Geneva Bible (1587)
When Saul sawe Dauid go forth against the Philistim, he sayd vnto Abner the captaine of his hoste, Abner, whose sonne is this yong man? & Abner answered, As thy soule liueth, O King, I can not tell.

George Lamsa Translation
And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of his army, Whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.

Good News Translation
When Saul saw David going out to fight Goliath, he asked Abner, the commander of his army, "Abner, whose son is he?" "I have no idea, Your Majesty," Abner answered.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, when Saul saw David going forth to meet the Philistine, he said unto Abner, prince of the host, Whose son is the young man, Abner? And Abner said, By the life of thy soul, O king! I know not.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Now at the time that Saul saw David going out against the Philistines, he said to Abner, the captain of the army: Of what family is this young man descended, Abner? And Abner said: As thy soul liveth, O king, I know not.

Revised Standard Version
When Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is this youth?" And Abner said, "As your soul lives, O king, I cannot tell."

Christian Standard Bible®
When Saul had seen David going out to confront the Philistine, he asked Abner the commander of the army, “Whose son is this youth, Abner?”

Hebrew Names Version
When Sha'ul saw David go forth against the Pelishti, he said to Aviner, the captain of the host, Aviner, whose son is this youth? Aviner said, As your soul lives, O king, I can't tell.

King James Version
And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.

Lexham English Bible
Now 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."

Literal Translation
And when Saul saw David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, the army commander, Whose son is this youth, Abner? And Abner said, As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Whan Saul sawe Dauid go forth agaynst the Philistyne, he saide vnto Abner his chefe captayne: Abner, whose sonne is this childe? Abner sayde: As truly as thy soule lyueth O kynge, I wote not.

THE MESSAGE
When Saul saw David go out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, "Tell me about this young man's family." Abner said, "For the life of me, O King, I don't know."

New American Standard Bible
Now when Saul had seen David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner the commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is this young man?" And Abner said, "By your life, O king, I do not know."

New King James Version
When Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is this youth?" And Abner said, "As your soul lives, O king, I do not know."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now when Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner the commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is this young man?" And Abner said, "By your life, O king, I do not know."

Legacy Standard Bible
Now when Saul saw David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner the commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is this young man?" And Abner said, "By your life, O king, I do not know."

Contextual Overview

⁴⁸ And when the Philistine arose to come and drawe nye to Dauid, Dauid hasted, and ran to fight against the Philistine, ⁴⁹ And Dauid put his hand in his bagge, and toke out a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone suncke into his forehead, and he fell groueling to the earth. ⁵⁰ And so Dauid ouercame the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and smote the Philistine, & slue him, euen when Dauid had no sword in his hand. ⁵¹ But Dauid ran and stoode vpon the Philistine, and toke his sword, and drue it out of his sheathe, & slue him, and cut of his head therewith. And when the Philistines sawe that their champion was dead, they fled. ⁵² And the men of Israel and of Iuda arose, and showted, and folowed after the Philistines, vntill they came to the valley, and vnto the gates of Acaron: And the Philistines fell downe wounded by the way to Saaraim, euen vnto Gath, and Acaron. ⁵³ And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and spoyled their tentes. ⁵⁴ And Dauid toke the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Hierusalem, but he put his armour in his tent. ⁵⁵ When Saul sawe Dauid go foorth against the Philistine, he sayd vnto Abner the captaine of his hoast: Abner, whose sonne is this young man? Abner aunswered: As thy soule liueth (O king) I cannot tell. ⁵⁶ And the king sayde: Enquire thou whose sonne the youngling is. ⁵⁷ And whe Dauid was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner toke him, & brought him before Saul, with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

whose son: 1 Samuel 17:58, 1 Samuel 16:21, 1 Samuel 16:22

Reciprocal: Genesis 42:15 - By the life 1 Samuel 1:26 - as thy soul 1 Samuel 14:50 - the name of the captain 1 Samuel 20:3 - as thy soul 1 Samuel 26:5 - Abner 2 Samuel 2:8 - Abner 2 Samuel 11:11 - as thou livest 2 Samuel 14:19 - As thy soul 2 Kings 2:2 - As the Lord 1 Chronicles 26:28 - Abner Daniel 3:24 - O king

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine,.... Set out to meet him, and engage with him, as he might from the side of the mountain, where he was encamped:

he said unto Abner, the captain of the host; his own cousin, whom he had raised to this high post in the army, 1 Samuel 14:50;

Abner, whose son [is] this youth? it is thought strange by many that Saul should not know who he was, when he had been often at his court, and served him as a musician, and had been very useful to him, and he loved him, and made him his armourbearer, and even had just now conversed with him about encountering with the Philistine, and had clothed him with his own armour: to get rid of the former part of the objection, some have supposed that this event happened before David was his musician and armourbearer, and is by anticipation spoken of in

1 Samuel 16:14, but that the connection with this and the following chapter will not admit of; and besides, before this event, David is said to return home from Saul, 1 Samuel 17:15; so that it is certain he had been at Saul's court, and in his presence before: but to remove this seeming difficulty it may be observed, that Saul, having laboured under a disorder of body and mind, might easily forget David, and his serving him in the above capacity; and to which the multiplicity of business, and of persons in a court, might greatly contribute; and what with the distance of time, and the different habits in which David appeared, sometimes as a musician, and sometimes as a shepherd, and at other times as a soldier, and always as a servant, it is no wonder the king should not know him again; though after all it is not about his person that he inquires, but whose son he was, what was his father's name, and from what family he sprung; for though Saul was made acquainted with this in the time of his disorder, and therefore sent to his father Jesse for him, and afterwards desired leave for his continuance; yet this might slip out of his memory in a course of time, he having had no personal knowledge of Jesse, nor any correspondence with him, but just at that time; and it behoved him to know the pedigree of David, since, if he was victorious, he was not only to be enriched by him, but to have his daughter for wife, and his family ennobled:

and Abner said, [as] thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell; he swore by the life of Saul, as Joseph by the life of Pharaoh, that he knew nothing of him; which need not at all seem strange, that a general of an army, always employed in military affairs, and often abroad, should know nothing of a domestic servant of Saul's, under the character of a musician, and not always at court either; and still less that he should be ignorant of his family, and know nothing of his father, who lived in obscurity in Bethlehem, and was an old man in those days.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Whose son ... - See the marginal reference note.