The Valley of Elah was no more than 10 miles west of Bethlehem. It was natural that a concerned father like Jesse would send his youngest to the front to learn of the condition of his three oldest sons. In his old age, his boys had become all the more precious to him. It is unclear why David hadn’t been with Saul. Perhaps Saul’s condition had improved and David was no longer needed to calm his troubled spirit. Or it may have been that Jesse requested that David return to help out at home, with three