Good News Translation has restructured this verse in several ways that may prove helpful in other languages. The verb said is replaced with the more natural “answered” in English. Good News Translation also leaves implicit that Saul was talking to David. Good News Translation further changes the statement at the beginning of Saul’s response into a rhetorical question, “How could you fight him?”

You are but a youth is introduced by the conjunction for (sometimes translated “because”). This statement is therefore an explanation of Saul’s reason for thinking that David could not possibly go out to fight against Goliath. In some languages this logical connection may be left implicit, but in others it will be better to say explicitly “because you are only a young person.” The word for youth is a very general term that may be used for an infant as young as a few months old (Exo 2.6; 2 Sam 12.16) as well as for a growing boy, a young household servant, or young soldiers in the army. Since David was looking after sheep, he was probably at least in his teenage years at the time of this event. The point is, however, that he was not accepted as an adult capable of fighting in the army.

A man of war: see the comments at 16.18. And compare also 2 Sam 17.8, where the same expression is translated “expert in war.” From his youth uses the same Hebrew root as that in but a youth.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .