55As 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.”
When David initially left Saul’s tent to go and fight against Goliath, he asked Abner if he knew more about the family of David. This was before David had beaten Goliath,1 as he made his way to the stream to collect his stones (1 Samuel 17:40).2
55 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.”