When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”
“Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?” He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before. What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him.
David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.
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This is the scene right before David slays Goliath. Goliath is mocking God and his people. The army of Israel is cowing in fear and defeat. David, a young shepherd, comes to check in on his brothers and witnesses what is happening.
When he does, his older brother (Eliab), starts to pick a fight. The irony, of course, is that Eliab is supposed to be fighting Goliath- the Philistine giant who is mocking Yahweh. While he is scared of this fight, he seems eager to pick on his younger brother. Irony indeed.
David, however, does not lose sight of the big picture. He easily could have engaged his brothers accusations, and defended himself. He probably could have even won the argument (seeing as his father sent him, and he has a legitimate reason for being there). However, David simply “turned away”.
You see, sometimes it is not about being right, or winning an argument. Sometimes it is about fighting the right battles.
David understood that the real enemy was not his brother.
The real battle to be fought that day was against Goliath.
