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1 Samuel 17:20
ESV And David rose early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and took the provisions and went, as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the encampment as the host was going out to the battle line, shouting the war cry.
NIV Early in the morning David left the flock in the care of a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry.
NASB So David got up early in the morning and left the flock with a keeper, and took the supplies and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the entrenchment encircling the camp while the army was going out in battle formation, shouting the war cry.
CSB So David got up early in the morning, left the flock with someone to keep it, loaded up, and set out as Jesse had charged him. He arrived at the perimeter of the camp as the army was marching out to its battle formation shouting their battle cry.
NLT So David left the sheep with another shepherd and set out early the next morning with the gifts, as Jesse had directed him. He arrived at the camp just as the Israelite army was leaving for the battlefield with shouts and battle cries.
KJV And 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.
NKJV So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle.

What does 1 Samuel 17:20 mean?

The Philistines have gathered against Israel for war near the Valley of Elah (1 Samuel 17:1–3). Jesse, an elderly man living in Bethlehem, has eight sons. Three of those sons are at the field of battle with King Saul (1 Samuel 17:12–14). His youngest son, David, tends his father's sheep and also serves King Saul (1 Samuel 17:15). Due to Saul's flagrant disobedience, God rejected him as king (1 Kings 15:22–29). God sent the prophet Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint a new king—David (1 Samuel 16:1–13). Though David was God's chosen and the Spirit of the Lord was with him, David would not assume the throne for at least ten more years. At this point in David's journey, he is apparently under the age of twenty. He is both a shepherd for his father and an armor-bearer and musician for King Saul (1 Samuel 16:14–23).

Jesse sent David to the field of battle to bring provisions to his brothers and their division. He also wanted a report back from his three oldest boys to see how they fared (1 Samuel 17:17–18). Here, David obeys his father and carries out his directive. It may have been about ten to fifteen miles—sixteen to twenty-four kilometers—from Jesse's home in Bethlehem to the Israelite camp. David arrives just as the army of the Israelites was forming up their battle line across the valley from the Philistines, who are doing the same. Armies would shout war cries to raise their spirits and intimidate the enemy.
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