The three eldest sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
Saul’s defeat of the Ammonites (1 Samuel 11:1-11) followed Saul’s anointing (1 Samuel 10:1). Similarly David’s defeat of the Philistines (ch. 17) follows the record of his anointing (1 Samuel 16:13). Both victories demonstrate God’s blessing on His newly anointed leaders. [Note: For a brief discussion of the problem of the shorter Septuagint version of chapters 17 and 18, see The NET Bible note on 1 Samuel 17:1.] 