שמואל א, פרק י״ז, פסוק י״ט

Before sending his youngest son to the military front, a father must brief him on the current situation. Because David has been away tending the sheep and is entirely disconnected from the unfolding events, Jesse takes the time to inform him of the exact location of the forces in the Valley of Elah [מלבי״ם].

This update specifically concerns David's three older brothers who are stationed at the camp [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. While they are described as fighting, this does not necessarily mean a full-scale war is actively raging at that exact moment. The primary approach among commentators is that the troops are organized, heavily prepared, and actively attempting to initiate a major battle [מצודת דוד, רלב״ג, אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Yet, even during this tense standoff and ongoing preparation, it is likely that small, localized skirmishes have been constantly breaking out between the Israelite and Philistine camps [ביאור שטיינזלץ].