שמואל א, פרק י״ז, פסוק י״ז

As the standoff between the Israelites and the Philistines dragged on for forty days, the Israelite fighters depleted their food supplies. To address this shortage, Jesse sends fresh provisions to his sons stationed at the battlefront [מלבי״ם]. Fierce combat raged in the valley throughout the day, making it impossible for David to reach or speak to his brothers. A safe meeting could only take place under the cover of darkness, once both armies had retreated and paused their fighting until morning [אלשיך].

To sustain his sons, Jesse equips David with a substantial amount of food. He instructs him to take an ephah, a large volume measure [מצודת ציון] holding over twenty-two liters in modern terms [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This measure was filled with roasted grain. Commentators offer different descriptions of this food; it was either a flour ground from roasted kernels [מצודת ציון], or a sweet treat made from whole kernels that naturally sweetened during the roasting process [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Alongside this grain, Jesse also sends ten loaves of bread [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Knowing the pressing need of the soldiers, Jesse emphasizes the urgency of the mission. He instructs David to run and hurry, ensuring that the vital food supply reaches his brothers in the military camp as quickly as possible [מצודת ציון, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].