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1 Samuel
Chapter Seventeen
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 17
This
chapter relates how the armies of Israel
and of the Philistines
prepared for
battle
and where
1 Samuel 17:1
describes a champion of the Philistines
who defied the armies of Israel
1 Samuel 17:4
and
while he was so doing
it informs us that David came into the camp
and he
heard his words
and signified to one and another his inclination to fight with
him
1 Samuel 17:12
which being reported to Saul
David was sent for by him
and much discourse
passed between them about it
1 Samuel 17:31 when
we are told the manner in which he engaged with the Philistine
and the victory
he obtained over him
1 Samuel 17:38 upon
which the Philistines fled
and Israel pursued them; and on account of this
action David was taken notice of by Saul
and brought to court again
as the
following chapter shows
1 Samuel 17:52.
1 Samuel 17:1 Now the
Philistines gathered their armies together to battle
and were gathered at
Sochoh
which belongs to Judah; they encamped between Sochoh and Azekah
in Ephes Dammim.
YLT
1And the Philistines gather
their camps to battle
and are gathered to Shochoh
which [is] to Judah
and
encamp between Shochoh and Azekah
in Ephes-Dammim;
Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle
.... JosephusF19Antiqu.
l. 6. c. 9. sect. 1. says this was not long after the things related in the
preceding chapter were transacted; and very probably they had heard of the
melancholy and distraction of Saul
and thought it a proper opportunity of
avenging themselves on Israel for their last slaughter of them
and for that
purpose gathered together their dispersed troops:
and were gathered together at Shochoh
which
belongeth to Judah; a city of the tribe of Judah
Joshua 15:35
which
shows that
notwithstanding their last defeat
they had great footing in the
land of Israel
or however had penetrated far into it in this march of theirs:
and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah; which were
both in the same tribe
and near one another
of which See Gill on Joshua 10:10; see
Gill on Joshua 15:35.
in Ephesdammim; which
by an apocope of the first letter
is called Pasdammim
1 Chronicles 11:13
which the JewsF20Midrash Ruth
fol. 48. 2. Kimchi in loc. say had
this name because there blood ceased.
1 Samuel 17:2 2 And
Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together
and they encamped in the Valley
of Elah
and drew up in battle array against the Philistines.
YLT
2and Saul and the men of
Israel have been gathered
and encamp by the valley of Elah
and set the battle
in array to meet the Philistines.
And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together
.... He being
cured
at least being better of his disorder
through the music of David
and
alarmed and aroused by the invasion of the Philistines
which might serve to
dissipate any remains of it
or prevent its return
got together his forces:
and pitched by the valley of Elah; which JeromF21Deloc.
Heb. fol. 91. F. says Aquila and Theodotion interpret "the valley of the
oak"; but the Vulgate Latin version
the valley of Terebinth; which
according to our countryman SandysF23Travels
p. 157. ed. 5.
was
four miles from Ramaosophim
where Samuel dwelt; for he says
"after four
miles riding
we descended into the valley of Terebinth
famous
though little
for the slaughter of Goliath;'and in the Targum this valley is called the
valley of Butma
which in the Arabic language signifies a
"terebinth"
or turpentine tree; though some translate it "the
oak"; and
according to some modern travellersF24Egmont and
Heyman's Travels
vol. 1. p. 305.
to this day it bears a name similar to
that; for they say it is"now called the vale of Bitumen
very famous all
over those parts for David's victory over Goliath:"
and set the battle in array against the Philistines; prepared to
give them battle.
1 Samuel 17:3 3 The
Philistines stood on a mountain on one side
and Israel stood on a mountain on
the other side
with a valley between them.
YLT
3And the Philistines are
standing on the mountain on this side
and the Israelites are standing on the
mountain on that side
and the valley [is] between them.
And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side
and
Israel stood on a mountain on the other side
Before the Israelites
are said to encamp in or by the valley; but here they are said to take the
higher ground
and face the Philistines
who were on a mountain or hill on the
other side over against them
which Kimchi reconciles thus; the whole or the
grand army lay encamped in the valley
and
they that were set in array
or the
first ranks
the first battalion
ascended the mountain to meet the
Philistines. Vatablus takes it to be the same mountain
that on one part of it
the Philistines formed their first battalion
and the rest of the army was in
the valley; and on the other part of the mountain the Israelites pitched their
camp:
and there was a valley between them; the same as in the
preceding verse.
1 Samuel 17:4 4 And a champion went out
from the camp of the Philistines
named Goliath
from Gath
whose height was
six cubits and a span.
YLT
4And there goeth out a man
of the duellists from the camps of the Philistines
Goliath [is] his name
from
Gath; his height [is] six cubits and a span
And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines
.... Or a
"middle person"
or a man "between two"F25איש הבינים "vir
intermedius"
Montanus; "inter duo"
Vatablus; "vir
medietatum"
Noldius
p. 194. No. 283. ; meaning either one that went and
stood between the two armies of Israel and the Philistines
as the Jewish
writers generally interpret it: or a "dueller"F26"Quidam
duellator"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator.
as others
with which our
version agrees; one that proposed to fight a duel
and have the war decided by
two persons
of which he would be one:
named Goliath of Gath; which was one of the
places where the Anakims or giants were driven
and left
in the times of
Joshua
and from whom this man descended
Joshua 11:22.
whose height was six cubits and a span; and taking a
cubit after the calculation of Bishop CumberlandF1Of Scripture
Weights and Measures
c. 2. p. 57. to be twenty one inches
and more
and a
span to be half a cubit
the height of this man was eleven feet four inches
and somewhat more; which need not seem incredible
since the coffin of Orestea
the son of Agamemnon
is saidF2Herodot. Clio
sive
l. 1. c. 68.
Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 7. c. 16. to be seven cubits long; and Eleazar
a Jew
who
because of his size was called the giant
and was presented by Artabanus
king
of the Parthians
to Tiberius Caesar
is said by JosephusF3Antiqu.
l. 18. c. 5. sect. 5. to be seven cubits high; and one Gabbara of Arabia
in
the times of Claudius Caesar
measured nine feet nine inches
as PlinyF4Nat.
Hist. ib. relates
and who elsewhereF5Ibid. l. 6. 30. speaks of a
people in Ethiopia
called Syrbotae
who were eight cubits high; the Septuagint
version makes Goliath to be only four cubits and a span high
and so JosephusF6Antiqu.
l. 6. c. 9. sect. 1. ; that is
about eight feet.
1 Samuel 17:5 5 He had
a bronze helmet on his head
and he was armed with a coat of mail
and
the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze.
YLT
5and a helmet of brass [is]
on his head
and [with] a scaled coat of mail he [is] clothed
and the weight
of the coat of mail [is] five thousand shekels of brass
And he had an helmet of brass upon his head
.... This was
a piece of armour
which covered the head in the day of battle; these were
usually made of the skins of beasts
of leather
and which were covered with
plates of iron
or brass; and sometimes made of all iron
or of brassF7Vid.
Lydium "de re militari": l. 3. c. 5. p. 63. ; as this seems to have
been:
and he was armed with a coat of mail; which reached
from the neck to the middle
and consisted of various plates of brass laid on
one another
like the scales of fishesF8"----Rutilum thoraca
indutus aYnis Horrebat squamis----" Virgil. Aeneid. l. 11.
so close
together that no dart or arrow could pierce between:
and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass: which made
one hundred and fifty six pounds and a quarter of zygostatic or avoirdupois
weight; and therefore he must be a very strong man indeed to carry such a
weight. So the armour of the ancient Romans were all of brass
as this man's;
their helmets
shields
greaves
coats of mail
all of brass
as Livy saysF9Hist.
l. 1. c. 22. ; and so in the age of the Grecian heroesF10Pausan.
Messenica
l. 3. p. 163. So Homer frequently describes the Grecians with a coat
of mail of brass. .
1 Samuel 17:6 6 And he had bronze
armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders.
YLT
6and a frontlet of brass
[is] on his feet
and a javelin of brass between his shoulders
And he had greaves of brass upon his legs
.... Which
were a sort of boots
or leg harnesses
which covered the thighs and legs down
to the heels; such as IolausF11Hesiod. Scutum Herc. ver. 122. and
the Grecians usually wore
as described by Homer; which are supposed to be
double the weight of the helmet
reckoned at fifteen pounds
so that these must
weigh thirty pounds of avoirdupois weight:
and a target of brass between his shoulders; the Targum
is
"a spear or shield of brass
which came out of the helmet
and a weight
of brass upon his shoulders.'Jarchi says the same
and that it was in the form
of a spear to defend the neck from the sword; it seems to be a corslet of
brass
worn between the helmet and the coat of mail for the defence of the
neck
supposed to weigh thirty poundsF12Vid. Hostii Monomach. David
& Goliath
c. 5. .
1 Samuel 17:7 7 Now the staff of his spear
was like a weaver’s beam
and his iron spearhead weighed six
hundred shekels; and a shield-bearer went before him.
YLT
7and the wood of his spear
[is] like a beam of weavers'
and the flame of his spear [is] six hundred
shekels of iron
and the bearer of the buckler is going before him.
And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam
.... The
wooden part of it
held in the hand; this for thickness was like the beam in
the weaver's loom
about which the warp
or else the web
is rolled; and it is
conjectured that
in proportion to the stature of Goliath
his spear must be
twenty six feet long
since Hector's in HomerF13Iliad. 18. was
eleven cubits
or sixteen feet and a half:
and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron; the iron part
of the spear
the point of it
which has its name in Hebrew from a flame of
fire
because when brandished it looks shining and flaming; and being the
weight of six hundred shekels
amounted to eighteen pounds and three quarters
of avoirdupois weight
and the whole spear is supposed to weigh thirty seven
pounds and a half; and the whole of this man's armour is thought to weigh two
hundred and seventy two pounds
thirteen ouncesF14Hostius
ut supra.
; which was a prodigious weight for a man to carry
and go into battle with;
and one may well wonder how he could be able with such a weight about him to
move and lay about in an engagement; though this is nothing in comparison of
the weight some men have carried. PlinyF15Nat. Hist. l. 7. c. 20.
tells us that he saw one Athanatus come into the theatre clothed with a leaden
breastplate of five hundred pounds weight
and shod with buskins of the same
weight:
and one bearing a shield went before him; which when
engaged in battle he held in his own hand
and his sword in the other; the
former was reckoned at thirty pounds
and the latter at four pounds
one ounce;
though one would think he had no occasion for a shield
being so well covered
with armour all over; so that the carrying of it before him might be only a
matter of form and state. His spear is the only piece of armour that was of
iron
all the rest were of brass; and HesiodF16Opera & Dies
l.
1. ver. 147
148.
writing of the brazen age
says
their arms and their
houses were all of brass
for then there was no iron; and so LucretiusF17"De
rerum natura". l. 5. & "prior aeris erat"
&c. affirms
that the use of brass was before iron; but both are mentioned together; see
Gill on Genesis 4:22
hence
Mars is called χαλχεος αρηςF18Homer. Iliad.
5. ver. 704
859
864. Pindar. Olymp. Ode 10. .
1 Samuel 17:8 8 Then he stood and cried
out to the armies of Israel
and said to them
“Why have you come out to line
up for battle? Am I not a Philistine
and you the servants of Saul?
Choose a man for yourselves
and let him come down to me.
YLT
8And he standeth and calleth
unto the ranks of Israel
and saith to them
`Why are ye come out to set in
array the battle? [am] not I the Philistine
and ye servants to Saul? choose
for you a man
and let him come down unto me;
And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel
.... He stood
in the valley between the two armies
and cried with a loud voice that he might
be heard; and as he was of such a monstrous stature
no doubt his voice was
very strong and sonorous; and as the battalions of Israel designed by armies
were posted on the mountain or hill
his voice would ascend
and be the more
easily heard:
and said unto them
why are ye come out to set your battle in
array? either as wondering at their boldness
to set themselves in
battle array against the Philistines; or rather suggesting that it was needless
since the dispute between them might be issued by a single combat:
am not I a Philistine
and you servants to Saul? a common
Philistine
according to Jarchi; not a captain of a hundred
or of a thousand;
and yet would fight anyone of them
their general officers
or be they who they
would; or rather
as Abarbinel
he was a prince among the Philistines
and king
of Gath; and though he was
and it was usual with great persons to engage with
their equals
yet he did not insist on that; but would engage with any man
though of an inferior rank
even with any of Saul's servants; and by calling
the Israelites the servants of Saul
he might have some respect to Saul's
arbitrary government over them; and since they must be servants and slaves
it
was as well to be servants to the Philistines as to him:
choose you a man for you
and let him come down to me; according to
Jarchi and the Targumist
the challenge first respects Saul their king; that if
he was a man of fortitude and courage
let him come and engage with him; if
not
choose another
and send him down into the valley to fight with him. These
same writers represent him as blustering and bragging that he killed the two
sons of Eli
Hophni and Phinehas
took the ark captive
and carried it into the
temple of Dagon; that he had been used to go out with the armies of the
Philistines
and had obtained victories
and slain many
and yet had never been
made captain of a thousand among them; all which is improbable
and some of it
notoriously false; for in every battle after the taking of the ark the
Philistines had been beaten.
1 Samuel 17:9 9 If he is able to fight
with me and kill me
then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against
him and kill him
then you shall be our servants and serve us.”
YLT
9if he be able to fight with
me
and have smitten me
then we have been to you for servants; and if I am
able for him
and have smitten him
then ye have been to us for servants
and
have served us.'
If he be able to fight with me
and to kill me
then will we be
your servants
.... For which it does not appear he had any commission or
authority to say; nor did the Philistines think themselves obliged to abide by
what he said
since
when he was slain
they did not yield themselves servants
to the Israelites:
but if I prevail against him
and kill him
then shall ye be our
servants
and serve us; to which terms also the Israelites did not consent; nor did
David
who engaged with him
enter the fray on such conditions.
1 Samuel 17:10 10 And the Philistine said
“I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man
that we may fight
together.”
YLT
10And the Philistine saith
`I have reproached the ranks of Israel this day; give to me a man
and we fight
together.'
And the Philistine said
I defy the armies of Israel this day
.... Or
"reproach"F19חרפתי
"exprobravo". V. L. Pagninus
Montanus; "probro affeci"
Tigurine version; "probro affecero"
Junius & Tremellius. them;
that is
should they not accept his challenge
and send down a man to fight
with them
he should then upbraid them with cowardice; and now he disdained
them
as if there was not a man among them that dared to encounter with him:
give me a man that we may fight together; and so decide
the controversy between us; such as were those duels fought between Paris and
Menelaus in the Trojan war
and between the Lacedemonians and the Argives in
the times of Orthryades
and between the Athenians and Romans by the Horatii
and Curiatii
as Grotius observes.
1 Samuel 17:11 11 When Saul and all Israel
heard these words of the Philistine
they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
YLT
11And Saul heareth -- and all
Israel -- these words of the Philistine
and they are broken down and greatly
afraid.
When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine
.... For they
were delivered with such a tone and strength of voice
as to be heard very
generally
at least by many
and which soon was reported through the whole
army:
they were dismayed
and greatly afraid; which may
seem strange
when there were so many valiant men among them
as Saul himself
who had behaved with so much courage against the Ammonites
Philistines
and
Amalekites; but now the Spirit of God was departed from him
and he was become
timorous and fearful; and though he was much better than he had been
yet still
he was not the man of spirit and resolution as before: there was also Abner
the general of his army
a very valiant man
a great man in Israel
and yet
appears not on this occasion; and
what is more wonderful
Jonathan the son of
Saul was present
as appears from 1 Samuel 18:1 who
had not only smitten a garrison of the Philistines
but with one man more only
had attacked another garrison
and routed the whole army of the Philistines
and yet now shows not his head against a single man: so it is when God cuts off
the spirits of princes
or takes away their courage; victory over this man
and
the glory of it
were reserved for David; and all this fear and dread
throughout the armies of Israel were suffered
that he might appear the more
glorious.
1 Samuel 17:12 12 Now David was the
son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah
whose name was Jesse
and who
had eight sons. And the man was old
advanced in years
in the days of Saul.
YLT
12And David [is] son of this
Ephrathite of Beth-Lehem-Judah
whose name [is] Jesse
and he hath eight sons
and the man in the days of Saul hath become aged among men;
Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah
whose name
was Jesse
.... Before made mention of
1 Chronicles 16:1.
and he had eight sons; seven only are
mentioned
1 Chronicles 2:13
one of them being
as is thought by some
a grandson
perhaps Jonadab the son
of Shammah; or was a son by another woman
or died without children
as Jarchi
and therefore not mentioned:
and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul; the phrase
"among men"
either signifies that he was ranked among old men
infirm and unfit for war
and so excused
and his sons went in his room
so
Kimchi; or he was reckoned among men of the first rank
men of esteem
credit
and reputation
so Jarchi and R. Isaiah
with which agrees the Targum; or
whenever he went abroad
he was attended by many men
had a large retinue
which sense Abarbinel mentions
and is that of Ben Gersom
and agrees with the
TalmudF20T. Bab. Beracot: fol. 58. 1. ; but the Syriac and Arabic
versions read "stricken in years"
which seems most agreeable.
1 Samuel 17:13 13 The three oldest sons of
Jesse had gone to follow Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons who
went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn
next to him Abinadab
and
the third Shammah.
YLT
13and the three eldest sons
of Jesse go
they have gone after Saul to battle; and the name of his three
sons who have gone into battle [are] Eliab the first-born
and his second
Abinadab
and the third Shammah.
And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the
battle
.... Either of their own accord
or rather at their father's
motion
or however with his knowledge and consent
who because he could not go
himself
willed them to go; and these were forward
and some of the foremost
that followed Saul to the battle
being zealous and well disposed to defend
their king and country:
and the names of the three sons that went to the battle were Eliab
the firstborn
and next unto him Abinadab
and the third Shammah; who are the
three mentioned by name that passed before Samuel
when he came to anoint one
of Jesse's sons to be king
1 Samuel 16:6.
1 Samuel 17:14 14 David was the
youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul.
YLT
14And David is the youngest
and the three eldest have gone after Saul
And David was the youngest
.... For the sake of whom
this account is given of Jesse and his family
and who after this makes a
considerable figure in the camp and court of Saul:
and the three eldest followed Saul; as before related
and
which is repeated
that it might be observed that they only of Jesse's sons
followed Saul; not David particularly
but who was providentially sent to the
army at the time the Philistine was defying it.
1 Samuel 17:15 15 But David occasionally
went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.
YLT
15and David is going and
returning from Saul
to feed the flock of his father at Beth-Lehem.
But David went
and returned from Saul
.... Or
"from above Saul"; JosephusF21Antiqu. l. 6. c. 8. sect. 2.
says
the physicians of Saul advised to get a man to stand υπερ κεφαλνς
"over
his head"
and sing psalms and hymns to him; and Saul being recovered from
his frenzy and melancholy
by means of David's music
he was dismissed from
him
or had leave to go home
or he returned upon Saul's taking the field;
though one would think
if he was now his armourbearer
he would have gone with
him
see 1 Samuel 16:21. It
seems that when he was called to the court of Saul
that he did not continue
there
but was going and coming
was there at certain times when Saul wanted
him; and so when in the camp he might go and return as there was occasion for
it:
to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem; for though he
was anointed king
and was called to court
yet such was his humility
that he
condescended to attend this employment of keeping sheep; and though Jesse knew
all this
yet he kept him at home to this business
when it might be more
reasonably thought he would have lain in the way of preferment
had he followed
Saul to the camp
and appeared in the army; but he chose to leave things to the
providence of God to work the way for him
and by which he was directed to take
the following step
though perhaps without any design to his son's future
promotion.
1 Samuel 17:16 16 And the Philistine drew
near and presented himself forty days
morning and evening.
YLT
16And the Philistine draweth
nigh
morning and evening
and stationeth himself forty days.
And the Philistine drew near morning and evening
.... Twice a
day he came near the camp
within the hearing of it. The JewsF23T.
Bab. Sotah
fol. 42. 2. say
he took those seasons on purpose to disturb them
in reading their "Shema"
or "hear
O Israel"
&c. and
saying their prayers morning and evening:
and presented himself forty days; Successively
before the
armies of Israel
daring them to send down a man to fight with him
and
reproaching them for their cowardice in not doing it.
1 Samuel 17:17 17 Then Jesse said to his son
David
“Take now for your brothers an ephah of this dried grain and
these ten loaves
and run to your brothers at the camp.
YLT
17And Jesse saith to David
his son
`Take
I pray thee
to thy brethren
an ephah of this roasted [corn]
and these ten loaves
and run to the camp to thy brethren;
And Jesse said unto David his son
.... His youngest son
that was at home with him keeping sheep; he had three more at home
and who
were elder than David
and yet he is directed by the providence of God to pick
and send him on the following errand
there being work for him to do Jesse knew
nothing of:
take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn; pointing to a
quantity of it in a certain place; this was wheat or barley dried in a furnace
or oven
and ground into meal
and being mixed with water
or milk
or butter
or honey
or oil
was eaten
and reckoned very delicious; and besides this
there was another sort of "kali"
the word here used
which was
parched pulse
as beans
peas
&c. parched
and which to this day is by the
Arabs called by this nameF24Vid. Bochart. Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 1.
c. 7. col. 47. ; of both which mention is made
2 Samuel 17:28. Now
an "ephah" was as much as ten men could eat in a day
it consisted of
ten omers
Exodus 16:16
and
the number ten is after used of loaves and cheese:
and these ten loaves of bread; or cakes of bread
as
Kimchi interprets it; pieces or morsels of bread
as the Targum; which seems
not so agreeable as loaves or cakes
which are not in the text
but to be
supplied:
and run to the camp to thy brethren; which
according to BuntingF25Travels
&c. p. 135.
was four miles from Bethlehem; and whither it seems he went
on foot
and is bid to make haste
and even to run
as his brethren might be in
want of provision; and Jesse was very desirous of relieving them
and hearing
from them as soon as possible; it is very likely he had a servant or servants
to attend him
and assist in carrying this load of provision
which
with what
follows
was too much for one man to run with.
1 Samuel 17:18 18 And carry these ten
cheeses to the captain of their thousand
and see how your brothers
fare
and bring back news of them.”
YLT
18and these ten cuttings of
the cheese thou dost take in to the head of the thousand
and thy brethren thou
dost inspect for welfare
and their pledge dost receive.'
And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand
.... Their
chiliarch or colonel
who had the command of 1000 men
and under whom Jesse's
sons fought; Jarchi thinks this was Jonathan
who had 1000 men with him at
Gibeah
and so now
1 Samuel 13:2
these cheeses were sent by Jesse to the captain
to be distributed among his
men
or a present to himself
that he might use his sons well who were under
his command:
and look how thy brethren fare; whether in good health
in good spirits
and in safety:
and take their pledge; that is
if they had
been obliged for want of money to pawn any of their clothes
or what they had
with them to buy food with
that he would redeem and take up the pledge
by
paying the money for which they were pawned; for it is thought that soldiers at
this time were not maintained at the expense of the king and government
but at
their own
and the families to which they belonged: though some are of opinion
that this was some token which they had sent by a messenger to their father
by
which he might know he came from them
so Ben Gersom; and which David was now
to take with him
and return it; or a token that he was to bring from them
whereby he might be assured of their welfare; and so the Targum
"and
bring their goodness"
a token of their being in good health. The JewsF26Hieron.
Trad. Heb. in lib. Reg. fol. 76. D. understand it of bills of divorce to be
given to their wives
that if they should die in battle
or be taken captive
that their wives might marry after three years.
1 Samuel 17:19 19 Now Saul and they and all
the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah
fighting with the
Philistines.
YLT
19And Saul
and they
and all
the men of Israel [are] in the valley of Elah
fighting with the Philistines.
Now Saul
and they
.... That is
the sons of Jesse
and
brethren of David:
and all the men of Israel; the soldiers in the
army:
were in the valley Elah; or "by" it
near unto it; for they were set in array on the mountain on the side of it:
fighting with the Philistines; not actually engaged in
battle
but drawn up for it; prepared and in readiness to engage whenever it
was necessary
or they were obliged to it; and perhaps there might be now and
then some skirmishes in the outer parts of the camp.
1 Samuel 17:20 20 So David rose early in the
morning
left the sheep with a keeper
and took the things and went as
Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to
the fight and shouting for the battle.
YLT
20And David riseth early in
the morning
and leaveth the flock to a keeper
and lifteth up
and goeth
as
Jesse commanded him
and he cometh in to the path
and to the force which is going
out unto the rank
and they have shouted for battle;
And David rose up early in the morning
.... Being
very ready and eager to obey his father's orders
and visit his brethren:
and left the sheep with a keeper; which showed his care
and faithfulness in the discharge of his office; he was not unmindful of his
father's sheep
any more than of his commands:
and took; the ephah of parched corn
the ten loaves
and the ten cheeses:
and went
as Jesse had commanded him; went and
carried them to the camp
according to his orders:
and he came to the trench; foss or ditch
which was
cast up all around the army
partly to prevent the enemy falling on them
before
and partly to prevent deserters from them behind; or the word
signifying a wagon or carriage
which is here used
this might be a fence
around the camp made of wagons fastened to each other; though it may only
signify
the camp itself
which lay in a circular form
with proper guards
about it to watch the enemy. Now David came up to it just
as the host was going forth to the fight; preparing and
getting every thing ready to the battle
and in motion
and upon the march to
meet the enemy:
and shouted for the battle; which was usually done
when about to make the onset
to animate the soldiers
and strike the greater
terror into the enemy; and this noise was sometimes made with the voice in a
hideous and howling way
and was called "barritus"F1Vid.
Valtrimum de re militar. Roman. l. 5. c. 3. p. 314
315. & A. Gell. Noct.
Attic. l. 1. c. 11. by the Romans; with the Trojans it was like the noise of
cranes in the airF2Homer. Iliad. 3. ver. 1
2
3. ; it was also
attended with the clashing of shields and spearsF3Vid. Lydium de re
militari
l. 4. c. 3. p. 158
159. ; with the Persians
it was a rough
boisterous
and confused noiseF4Curt. Hist. l. 3. c. 10. Vid. Alex.
ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 4. c. 7. .
1 Samuel 17:21 21 For Israel and the
Philistines had drawn up in battle array
army against army.
YLT
21and Israel and the
Philistines set in array rank to meet rank.
For Israel and all the Philistines had put the battle in array
.... Both
sides prepared for it
and drew up in line of battle:
army against army; rank against rank
battalion against
battalion
the right wing of the one against the left of the other
&c.
1 Samuel 17:22 22 And David left his
supplies in the hand of the supply keeper
ran to the army
and came and
greeted his brothers.
YLT
22And David letteth down the
goods from off him on the hand of a keeper of the goods
and runneth into the
rank
and cometh and asketh of his brethren of welfare.
And David left his carriage in the hand the keeper of the carriage
.... That is
he left load of provisions he brought with him in the hand of the keeper of the
bag and baggage of the army
their clothes
and such like things; not having an
opportunity to deliver them to his brethren
who were just going to engage in
battle:
and ran into the army; which showed the valour
and courage of David
who chose rather to expose himself in battle
than to abide
with the keeper of the carriages:
and came and saluted his brethren; asked them of their
welfare
in his father's name and his own.
1 Samuel 17:23 23 Then as he talked with
them
there was the champion
the Philistine of Gath
Goliath by name
coming
up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke according to the same
words. So David heard them.
YLT
23And he is speaking with
them
and lo
a man of the duellists is coming up
Goliath the Philistine [is]
his name
of Gath
out of the ranks of the Philistines
and he speaketh
according to those words
and David heareth;
And as he talked with them
.... About their health
and the errand he came upon
and the message of his father to them
and how it
was with him
who sent them his best wishes:
behold
there came up the champion
the Philistine of Gath
Goliath by name: of whom see 1 Samuel 17:4; he
came out of the valley
and drew near to the mountain the Israelites were
descending:
out of the armies of the Philistines: from the
plains where they were encamped
as Kimchi
though they seem to have been
encamped on a mountain as the Israelites were; or from the ranks of the
Philistines; according to the marginal reading
he came out of one of the
battalions that were set in array:
and spake according to the same words; which he had
spoken time after time forty days successively
namely
what is expressed 1 Samuel 17:8
and David heard them; and observed them.
1 Samuel 17:24 24 And all the men of Israel
when they saw the man
fled from him and were dreadfully afraid.
YLT
24and all the men of Israel when
they see the man flee from his presence
and are greatly afraid.
And all the men of Israel
when they saw the man
.... Even as
it should seem before they heard him; knowing who he was
and what he was about
to say
having seen and heard him forty days running:
fled from him
and were sore afraid; it is pretty much a
whole army should be afraid of one man
and flee from him; they must be greatly
forsaken of God
and given up by him
see Deuteronomy 32:30;
but perhaps they were not so much afraid of personal danger from him
as that
they could not bear to hear his blasphemy.
1 Samuel 17:25 25 So the men of Israel said
“Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel;
and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with
great riches
will give him his daughter
and give his father’s house exemption
from taxes in Israel.”
YLT
25And the men of Israel say
`Have ye seen this man who is coming up? for
to reproach Israel he is coming
up
and it hath been -- the man who smiteth him
the king doth enrich him with
great riches
and his daughter he doth give to him
and his father's house doth
make free in Israel.'
And the men of Israel said
.... To one another:
have ye seen this man that is come up? taken notice
of him
and observed him?
surely to defy Israel is he come up; to challenge them to
fight with him
and upbraid them with cowardice that they did not:
and it shall be that the man who killeth him; this
and
what follows
they said to encourage any person to engage with him
though none
of them cared to encounter him themselves:
the king will enrich him with great riches; give him a
large gratuity
make a present of a great sum of money to him:
and will give him his daughter to be his wife
in like
manner as Caleb promised to give his daughter in marriage to the person that
should take Kirjathsepher
Judges 1:12
and make his father's house free in Israel; from all
tributes
taxes
levies
impositions
king's service
and duty; or
as the
Targum
"make his father's house freemen
nobles;'raise it to the rank of
nobility.
1 Samuel 17:26 26 Then David spoke to the
men who stood by him
saying
“What shall be done for the man who kills this
Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this
uncircumcised Philistine
that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
YLT
26And David speaketh unto the
men who are standing by him
saying
`What is done to the man who smiteth this
Philistine
and hath turned aside reproach from Israel? for who [is] this
uncircumcised Philistine that he hath reproached the ranks of the living God?'
And David spake to the men that stood by him
.... Who were
next to him
looking upon the Philistine
and hearing what he said:
saying
what shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine
and taketh away the reproach from Israel? which he
asked not for the sake of the reward
but to observe the necessity there was of
some man's engaging with him
and killing him
or otherwise it would be a
reproach to Israel
and to signify that he had an inclination to attempt it:
for who is this uncircumcised Philistine
that he should
defy the armies of the living God? there were two things
which provoked David
and raised indignation in him against this man; the one
was
the character of the person that reproached
a Philistine
an uncircumcised
person
a profane man
that had no true religion in him
an alien from the
commonwealth of Israel
and a stranger to the covenants of promise; and the
other was the persons whom he reproached
the armies of the living God
of the
King of kings
and Lord of lords; and which in effect was reproaching the Lord
himself
and which David
filled with zeal for God
and for his people
could
not bear; and the consideration of these things animated him to engage with
him
not doubting of success.
1 Samuel 17:27 27 And the people answered
him in this manner
saying
“So shall it be done for the man who kills him.”
YLT
27And the people speak to him
according to this word
saying
`Thus it is done to the man who smiteth him.'
And the people answered him after this manner
.... Told him
what was proposed to be done in honour to the man that should attempt to kill
him
and succeed:
saying
so shall it be done to the man that killeth him; as before
related
that he should be enriched
marry the king's daughter
and his family
be ennobled
1 Samuel 17:25.
1 Samuel 17:28 28 Now Eliab his oldest
brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against
David
and he said
“Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left
those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your
heart
for you have come down to see the battle.”
YLT
28And Eliab
his eldest
brother
heareth when he speaketh unto the men
and the anger of Eliab burneth
against David
and he saith
`Why [is] this -- thou hast come down! and to whom
hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I have known thy pride
and
the evil of thy heart -- for
to see the battle thou hast come down.'
And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men
.... Heard the
questions he put to them
by which he perceived his inclination:
and Eliab's anger was kindled against David; because what
he had said carried in it a tacit reproach of him
and others
that they had
not the courage
and did not attempt to encounter with the Philistine; or the
displeasure he expressed was either out of affection to him
fearing
or being
assured almost he would perish in the enterprise; or rather out of envy to him
lest succeeding in so bold an action
he should gain superior glory to him
and
the rest of his brethren
who yet was the youngest of them:
and he said
why comest thou down hither? for though
David had talked with his brethren
or had begun to talk with them
yet he had
not sufficiently explained the reasons of his coming:
and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? the
wilderness of Judea
or some wilderness near Bethlehem; by this he would not
only insinuate a charge of unfaithfulness
in not taking care of his father's
flock committed to him; but his view was to make him look little and mean in
the eyes of the people
that in the family he belonged to he was thought to be
fit for nothing but to keep sheep
and those but a small flock
and in doing
this was negligent and careless:
I know thy pride
and the haughtiness of thine heart; that he was
too proud to keep sheep
and wanted to advance himself in the army
and make a
figure there
and thereby gratify his vanity and ambition
which was the
reverse of David's character; for
such was his humility
that
though he was
anointed king
and had been preferred in Saul's court
yet condescended with
all readiness to keep his father's sheep; and what he now proposed was not from
any bad principle in his heart
but purely for the glory of God
and the honour
of the people of Israel
who were both reproached:
for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle: out of
curiosity
and to take every advantage and opportunity of signalizing and
making himself famous.
1 Samuel 17:29 29 And David said
“What have
I done now? Is there not a cause?”
YLT
29And David saith
`What have
I done now? is it not a word?'
And David said
what have I now done?.... That is
criminal and blameworthy; as if he should say
I have only expressed an
indignation against this uncircumcised Philistine
and a concern for the glory
of God
and the honour of the people of Israel:
is there not a cause? either for his
coming to the camp
being sent by his father; or of his expressing himself with
indignation at the Philistine's defiance of the armies of Israel. Some take the
sense to be
that he had done nothing
he had not committed any fact; it was
mere words what he had said
he had attempted nothing
and therefore there was
no reason to bear so hard upon him; to this purpose is the Targum
"what
have I done as yet? is it not a word "only" which I have spoken?'but
the former sense seems best.
1 Samuel 17:30 30 Then he turned from him
toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the
first ones did.
YLT
30And he turneth round from
him unto another
and saith according to this word
and the people return him
word as the first word.
And he turned from him towards another
.... From his
brother Eliab
to another person right against him
and directed his discourse
to him:
and spake after the same manner: as in 1 Samuel 17:26;
inquiring what encouragement would he given to a man that should attempt to
kill the Philistine
and expressing his concern to hear the armies of the
living God defied by such a wretch:
and the people answered him again after the former manner; telling him
what gratuities and honours would be conferred on such a person
as in 1 Samuel 17:25; and
the design of his talking to one
and to another
was
that what he had said
might spread and reach to the ears of Saul
to whom in modesty he did not
choose to apply himself.
1 Samuel 17:31 31 Now when the words which
David spoke were heard
they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him.
YLT
31And the words which David
hath spoken are heard
and they declare before Saul
and he receiveth him;
And when the words were heard which David spake
.... To one
and to another
and these reported to other persons
and so they went from one
to another through many hands:
they rehearsed them before Saul; coming to the
ears of some of his courtiers and counsellors
or officers about him
they told
him what such an one had said:
and he sent for him; to his tent or pavilion
where he was
to talk with him on this subject. The whole of 1 Samuel 17:11 is
wanting in the Septuagint version
according to the Vatican exemplar; and these
"twenty" verses are thought
by someF5See Dr. Kennicott's
Dissert. 2. p. 418
&c.
to be an interpolation; and it must be owned
there are difficulties in them
and that the connection of 1 Samuel 17:11 with
the following is very clear and consistent
as also is 1 Samuel 17:50 left
out in the same version; and likewise the last four of the chapter
1 Samuel 17:55
and
five with which the next begins
1 Samuel 18:1.
1 Samuel 17:32 32 Then David said to Saul
“Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with
this Philistine.”
YLT
32and David saith unto Saul
`Let no man's heart fall because of him
thy servant doth go
and hath fought
with this Philistine.'
And David said to Saul
let no man's heart fail because of him
.... The
Philistine
though so gigantic
mighty
and blustering: this he said within
himself
so Kimchi; as David perceived the hearts of most
if not all
did
since none dared to go out and fight him
but on the contrary fled from him:
thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine; and therefore
there need be no thought
care
or concern to look out for another man.
1 Samuel 17:33 33 And Saul said to David
“You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are
a youth
and he a man of war from his youth.”
YLT
33And Saul saith unto David
`Thou art not able to go unto this Philistine
to fight with him
for a youth
thou [art]
and he a man of war from his youth.'
And Saul said to David
thou art not able to go against this
Philistine to fight with him
.... Had neither strength of body
nor skill
in military affairs
to encounter with a man of his stature
and warlike genius
and practice:
for thou art but a youth; some say about fourteen
or sixteen years of age
but very probably about twenty
and not more
and so
not only weak
but inexpert in the art of fighting:
and he a man of war from his youth; a gigantic man
trained
up in
inured to
and expert in the affairs of war; so that David could not
on
any account
be a competitor with him
and a match for him.
1 Samuel 17:34 34 But David said to Saul
“Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep
and when a lion or a bear came
and took a lamb out of the flock
YLT
34And David saith unto Saul
`A shepherd hath thy servant been to his father among the sheep
and the lion
hath come -- and the bear -- and hath taken away a sheep out of the drove
And David said unto Saul
.... In answer to his
objection of inability to encounter with one so superior to him; and this
answer is founded on experience and facts
and shows that he was not so weak
and inexpert as Saul took him to be:
thy servant kept his father's sheep; which he was not ashamed
to own
and especially as it furnished him with an stance of his courage
bravery
and success
and which would be convincing to Saul:
and there came a lion and a bear
and took a lamb out of the flock; not that they
came together; though Kimchi so interprets it
"a lion with a bear";
but these are creatures that do not use to go together; and besides
both could
not be said with propriety to take one and the same lamb out of the flock: to
which may be added
that David in 1 Samuel 17:35
speaks only of one
out of whose mouth he took the lamb; wherefore the words
may be rendered
"a lion or a bear"F6הארי
ואת הדוב "leo vel
ursus"
V. L. "leo aut ursus"
Junius & Tremellius
Bochart.
Noldius
p. 271. ; and if the copulative "and" is retained
the
meaning can only be
that at different times they would come and take a lamb
a
lion at one time
and a bear at another.
1 Samuel 17:35 35 I went out after it and
struck it
and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose
against me
I caught it by its beard
and struck and killed it.
YLT
35and I have gone out after
him
and smitten him
and delivered out of his mouth
and he riseth against me
and I have taken hold on his beard
and smitten him
and put him to death.
And I went out after him
.... Whether a lion or a
bear; but mention after being made of his beard
a lion rather is meant:
and smote him; with his fist
or rather with his
shepherd's staff:
and delivered it out of his mouth; snatched it
out from thence
or obliged him to drop it
by beating him:
and when he arose against me; after he had let go the
lamb
threatening to tear him in pieces for attempting to disturb him in his
prey
and take it away from him:
I caught him by his beard; such as lions have;
hence a lion is often called in HomerF7Iliad. 17. ver. 109. &
Iliad. 18. ver. 318. λις
ηευγενειος
the well-bearded lion. Kimchi thinks the beard with the nether jaw
is meant
which David caught hold on:
and smote him
and slew him; tore him to pieces
as
Samson did
Judges 14:5
or
slew him with some weapon in his hand.
1 Samuel 17:36 36 Your servant has killed
both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them
seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.”
YLT
36Both the lion and the bear
hath thy servant smitten
and this uncircumcised Philistine hath been as one of
them
for he hath reproached the ranks of the living God.'
Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear
.... At
different times
and several of them at one time or another; whenever any of
them came into the flock
he used to lay hold on them and kill them
with all
the ease imaginable. The Jews suppose this phrase denotes many of themF8See
Halicot Olam
p. 177. .
And this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them; as he was
like them in nature
savage
cruel and unclean
so he would be in his end
killed as they; of this David was fully persuaded and assured in mind having an
impulse from the Spirit of God
by which he was certified of it:
seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God; so that as he
justly deserved to die
he made no doubt of it it would be his case.
1 Samuel 17:37 37 Moreover David said
“The Lord
who delivered
me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear
He will deliver me
from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David
“Go
and the Lord be with you!”
YLT
37And David saith
`Jehovah
who delivered me out of the paw of the lion
and out of the paw of the bear
He
doth deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.' And Saul saith unto David
`Go
and Jehovah is with thee.'
And David said moreover
.... For the further
confirmation of it
and as more strongly expressing his faith of it; not as
owing to any natural strength or skill of his
but to the power of God
of
whose assistance he made no question:
the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion
and out of
the paw of the bear; for to him he ascribes his deliverance from those savage
creatures
and his victory over them
and on him he relied for help and
salvation in the present case:
he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine; David did not
go forth in his own name and strength
but in the name and strength of the Lord
of hosts:
and Saul; seeing him so positive
and fully assured of victory:
said unto David
go
and the Lord be with thee; to help and
assist him
to deliver him out of the hand of the Philistine
and give him
victory over him; the Targum is
"the Word of the Lord be for thy help.'
1 Samuel 17:38 38 So Saul clothed David with
his armor
and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a
coat of mail.
YLT
38And Saul clotheth David
with his long robe
and hath put a helmet of brass on his head
and doth clothe
him with a coat of mail.
And Saul armed David with his armour
.... Not with
what he wore himself; for it cannot be thought he would strip himself of his
armour in the field of battle
and when just going to it; and besides what
suited the one would not be fit for the other
their bulk and stature being
different i but this was some armour Saul had brought with him
besides what he
himself wore
to furnish any with that might want it:
and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; such an one
though not so large as Goliath had
these being usually made of brass; See Gill
on 1 Samuel 17:5
also he armed him with a coat of mail; which
probably was of brass also
and like that of Goliath's too
only lesser
1 Samuel 17:5.
1 Samuel 17:39 39 David fastened his sword
to his armor and tried to walk
for he had not tested them. And David
said to Saul
“I cannot walk with these
for I have not tested them.” So
David took them off.
YLT
39And David girded his sword
above his long robe
and beginneth to go
for he hath not tried [it]; and David
saith unto Saul
`I am not able to go with these
for I had not tried;' and
David turneth them aside from off him.
And David girded his
sword upon his armour
.... Which
Saul also perhaps furnished him with:
and he assayed to go; made an attempt
and had
a mind to go thus accoutred; he at first showed an inclination to go in such an
habit
but afterwards would not:
for he had not proved it; as warriors were wont to
do; so Achilles didF9Homer. Iliad. 19. ver. 384
385. so Theocrit.
Idyll. 10. ver. 61. ; he never made trial of such armour before
he had not
been used to it
and knew not how to behave in it
or walk with it on him; it
was an encumbrance to him: Abarbinel renders it
"but he had not proved it";
he would have gone with it but for that reason; the Targum is
"because
there was no miracle in them;'because if he had made use of this
there would
have been no appearance of a miracle in getting the victory over the
Philistine
as was by using only a sling and stones:
and David said unto Saul
I cannot go with these
for I have not
proved them; he thought fit to acquaint Saul with it that he could not go
thus accoutred
and his reason for it
lest he should be offended with him:
and David put them off him; took off the helmet from
his head
ungirt the sword upon his armour
and stripped himself of his coat of
mail
and went forth entirely unarmed.
1 Samuel 17:40 40 Then he took his staff in
his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook
and put
them in a shepherd’s bag
in a pouch which he had
and his sling was in his
hand. And he drew near to the Philistine.
YLT
40And he taketh his staff in
his hand
and chooseth for him five smooth stones from the brook
and putteth
them in the shepherds' habiliments that he hath
even in the scrip
and his
sling [is] in his hand
and he draweth nigh unto the Philistine.
And he took his staff in his hand
.... His shepherd's
staff
which he used in keeping his father's sheep
and chose rather to appear
in the habit of a shepherd than of a soldier:
and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook; which ran in
the valley
which became smooth by lying in the water running over them; and
which being smooth were fitter for his purpose
being the more easily cast out
of the sling; though De Dieu is of opinion that these were parts or pieces of
stones
cleft ones
which were rough and rugged
and which would more easily
and firmly be fixed in the forehead of the Philistine:
and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had
even in a scrip; in which he
had been wont to put things he needed for the good of the flock
and was such
as travellers put their food in; and this might also be the use of it with
shepherds; but
according to the Ethiopic interpretersF11Apud
Ludolf. Lexic. Ethiop. p. 84.
it was that piece of the leather in the midst
of the sling
in which the slingers used to put the stones
that they might
stick the more firmly:
and his sling was in his hand; which he
intended to use in slinging the stone or stones he had in his scrip; and which
was an exercise he had been accustomed to in all likelihood
and for which the
Benjaminites his neighbours
of the next tribe
were very famous:
and he drew near to the Philistine; marched towards him
thereby signifying that he accepted his challenge
and would enter the list
with him.
1 Samuel 17:41 41 So the Philistine came
and began drawing near to David
and the man who bore the shield went
before him.
YLT
41And the Philistine goeth
on
going and drawing near unto David
and the man bearing the buckler [is]
before him
And the Philistine came on
and drew near unto David
.... By slow
paces
because of the weight of his armour
and bulk of his body
yet with a
haughty air
and a proud gait:
and the man that bare the shield went before him; See Gill on 1 Samuel 17:7.
1 Samuel 17:42 42 And when the Philistine
looked about and saw David
he disdained him; for he was only a youth
ruddy and good-looking.
YLT
42and the Philistine looketh
attentively
and seeth David
and despiseth him
for he was a youth
and ruddy
with a fair appearance.
And when the Philistine looked about
and saw David
he disdained
him
.... He looked about for his antagonist
to take a view of him
what sort of a man he was
expecting to see one much like himself; but
observing a puny young man
he despised him in his heart
and perhaps looked
upon it as an affront to him to send such a man to fight with him:
for he was but a youth; his age was one reason
why he despised him
being
as before observed
about twenty years of age
and
not come to his full strength
a stripling
as he is called
1 Samuel 17:56
another reason follows:
and ruddy
and of a fair countenance; looked
effeminate
had not the appearance of a soldier
of a weather beaten veteran
exposed to heat and cold
and inured to hardships.
1 Samuel 17:43 43 So the Philistine said to
David
“Am I a dog
that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine
cursed David by his gods.
YLT
43And the Philistine saith
unto David
`Am I a dog that thou art coming unto me with staves?' and the
Philistine revileth David by his gods
And the Philistine said unto David
am I a dog?.... Truly
David did not think him much better
because of his impudence
impurity
and
barking blasphemy against God
and the armies of Israel; the Targum is
"am
I a despised dog?'
verily
he was by David:
that thou comest to me with staves? or with a staff
the
plural for the singular
to beat him with it as a dog is beaten
and as David
used to beat his dog with
while keeping his father's sheep
when the dog he
had with him did not do his business as he should; he says nothing of his sling
and stones
they being out of sight:
and the Philistine cursed David by his gods: by Dagon and
others; he made an imprecation by them
and wished the greatest evils might
befall him from them; he devoted him to them
and doubted not to make a
sacrifice of him.
1 Samuel 17:44 44 And the Philistine said to
David
“Come to me
and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the
beasts of the field!”
YLT
44and the Philistine saith
unto David
`Come unto me
and I give thy flesh to the fowl of the heavens
and
to the beast of the field.'
And the Philistine said to David
come to me
.... He seems
to have stood still
disdaining: to take another step towards such a pitiful
combatant
and therefore bids him come up to him
and he would soon dispatch
him; unless he said this
because David was light and nimble
and he heavy and
unwieldy because of his bigness
and the burden of armour on him
and therefore
could not make such haste as he wished to destroy his adversary
of which he
made no doubt:
and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air
and to the
beasts of the field; the wild beasts he means; though Jarchi thinks he spoke
improperly
since it is not the way of the beasts of the field
as sheep
oxen
&c. to devour a man
or even to eat any flesh; and therefore he observes
when David comes
he uses another word
which signifies the wild beasts of the
earth
and so we render it
1 Samuel 17:46; but
Kimchi shows that even these are comprehended in the word here used
see Isaiah 18:6.
1 Samuel 17:45 45 Then David said to the
Philistine
“You come to me with a sword
with a spear
and with a javelin. But
I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts
the God of the
armies of Israel
whom you have defied.
YLT
45And David saith unto the
Philistine
`Thou art coming unto me with sword
and with spear
and with
buckler
and I am coming unto thee in the name of Jehovah of Hosts
God of the
ranks of Israel
which thou hast reproached.
Then said David to the Philistine
.... In answer to the
contempt he held him in
and to the threatening words he gave him:
thou comest to me with a sword
and with a spear
and with a
shield; the word for "shield" is not the same with that so
rendered
1 Samuel 17:41;
which his armourbearer carried before him
but with that translated a
"target"
which was between his shoulders
1 Samuel 17:6;
however
they were all weapons of war
either defensive or offensive:
but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts
the God of
the armies of Israel
whom thou hast defied; the Lord of all hosts
in heaven and in earth in general
and in particular the God of the armies of
Israel; which he was at the head of
led on
protected and defended
having a
kind and merciful regard unto them
and which this Philistine had defied
reproached
and blasphemed; and now David was come
by a commission from this
great Jehovah
to vindicate his honour
and to avenge his people on him: he had
asked for a man
and now the Lord of hosts
as the JewsF12T. Bab.
Sotah
fol. 42. 2. observe
comes forth as a man of war
for the battle was
his
as in 1 Samuel 17:47; and
David was his messenger
and came in his name
and was the man into whose hands
he should be given.
1 Samuel 17:46 46 This day the Lord will deliver
you into my hand
and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this
day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of
the air and the wild beasts of the earth
that all the earth may know that
there is a God in Israel.
YLT
46This day doth Jehovah shut
thee up into my hand -- and I have smitten thee
and turned aside thy head from
off thee
and given the carcase of the camp of the Philistines this day to the
fowl of the heavens
and to the beast of the earth
and all the earth do know
that God is for Israel.
This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hands
.... Of which
he was assured by divine inspiration
by the impulse of the Spirit of God upon
him; or otherwise he could not have expressed himself with such certainty
and
have given the particulars of what he should do
as in the following clauses:
and I will smite thee
and take thine head from thee; and yet he
had no weapon in his hand to do it with
1 Samuel 17:50
but
it was revealed to him that he should do it
and he believed it; though the
Philistine no doubt looked upon all this as romantic:
and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this
day unto the fowls of the air
and to the wild beasts of the earth; not only this
man's carcass
which should fall and become a prey to fowls and wild beasts
but the carcasses of the Philistine army
which fleeing upon the fall of their
champion
and pursued by the Israelites as they were
would be cut off
and
become the food of wild creatures
see 1 Samuel 17:52;
though some think the plural is put for the singular
and that it only means
his carcass
who was a Philistine; but the host of the Philistines
carries it
to the other sense: and this would be done:
that all the earth may know there is a God in Israel; not only the
land of Canaan or Palestine
but the whole earth
and all the inhabitants of
it
who should hear of the fall of this giant by such means
and of the rout of
the Philistine army upon it; the report of which no doubt was spread far
and
near.
1 Samuel 17:47 47 Then all this assembly
shall know that the Lord
does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s
and He will
give you into our hands.”
YLT
47and all this assembly do
know that not by sword and by spear doth Jehovah save
that the battle [is]
Jehovah's
and He hath given you into our hand.'
And all this assembly shall know
.... The congregation of
Israel
and church of the living God
great part of which were now gathered
together
and were spectators of this wonderful event:
that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear; that is
by
outward means and instruments
by arms and armed men; he does not save by them
only
or by them always; he can save as well without them as with them:
for the battle is the Lord's; it is under his
direction; the issue and event of it depend on his will
and are owing to him;
or
as the Targum
"from the Lord is the victory of wars
'it is he that
gives it to whom he pleases:
and he will give you into our hands; not only this Philistine
into the hands of David
but the army of them into the hands of the Israelites;
David knew
and was assured of this by the Lord
and it was on this he relied
and was what animated him to engage with this champion in the manner he did.
1 Samuel 17:48 48 So it was
when the
Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David
that David hurried and
ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.
YLT
48And it hath come to pass
that the Philistine hath risen
and goeth
and draweth near to meet David
and
David hasteth and runneth to the rank to meet the Philistine
And it came to pass
when the Philistine arose
.... Or
prepared for the encounter
and was in all probability in great wrath and fury
at hearing what David said
and which hastened him to it:
and came and drew nigh to meet David; as fast as
his unwieldy body
and heavy load of armour on him
would admit of:
that David hasted and ran toward the army; the army of
the Philistines
from whence this champion came:
to meet the Philistine; to get up to him before
he could draw his sword
or put himself in a posture to make use of any weapon
to strike at David with.
1 Samuel 17:49 49 Then David put his hand in
his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine
in his forehead
so that the stone sank into his forehead
and he fell on his
face to the earth.
YLT
49and David putteth forth his
hand unto the vessel
and taketh thence a stone
and slingeth
and smiteth the
Philistine on his forehead
and the stone sinketh into his forehead
and he
falleth on his face to the earth.
And David put his hand in his bag
.... The shepherd's
scrip
in which he had put the five stones he took out of the brook:
and took thence a stone; and put it into his
sling he had in his hand:
and slang it
and smote the Philistine in his forehead; it is made a
difficulty of how he should smite him on his forehead
when he had a helmet of
brass upon his head
1 Samuel 17:5; in
answer to this Kimchi observes
that some say
that when David said he would
give his flesh to the fowls of the air
at the mention of that he looked
upwards
and what was upon his forehead fell backwards
and then David slung
and smote him; or he might put back his helmet to talk with David
and hear and
be heard the better; and having nothing to fear from an unarmed man
might
neglect to put it forward again; or there might be some open space left in the
helmet for him to look through
in at which the stone might pass; so the Targum
renders it
he smote him in the house of his eyes
so the stone passed through
the eye hole into his brain: but after all
supposing his forehead ever so well
covered
as the stone slung by David was under a divine direction
so as to hit
a person in motion
it came with a divine power
which nothing could resist;
and supposing this
of which there need no doubt
it could as easily pass
through the helmet of brass
as pierce into his forehead and sink there; nor
can this be thought the least incredible
if what Diodorus SiculusF13Bibliothec.
l. 5. p. 298. relates of the Baleares be true
that they were so dexterous at
slinging
that they not only would sling stones bigger than others could
and
were so directed
that they seldom missed their mark
being inured to it from
their youth
but would even in battle break in pieces shields
helmets
and all
kinds of armour
with which bodies were covered:
that the stone sunk into his forehead; and so into
his brain
as a stone is immersed and sinks in water
when thrown into it; with
such force did it go
and with so much ease did it make its way
through the
direction and power of God:
and he fell upon his face to the earth; Jarchi
observes
that it was most natural for him to have fallen backwards
being
struck upon his forehead; but so it was
that David might have no trouble to
cut off his head
for by this means he fell nearer to him.
1 Samuel 17:50 50 So David prevailed over
the Philistine with a sling and a stone
and struck the Philistine and killed
him. But there was no sword in the hand of David.
YLT
50And David is stronger than
the Philistine with a sling and with a stone
and smiteth the Philistine
and
putteth him to death
and there is no sword in the hand of David
So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a
stone
.... And with them only
without any other warlike weapon:
and smote the Philistine
and slew him; smote him
with the stone
which brought him to the ground
and then slew him with his own
sword
as afterwards related:
but there was no sword in the hand of David; when he
engaged with the Philistine
and smote him
for he had put off all his armour
1 Samuel 17:39.
1 Samuel 17:51 51 Therefore David ran and
stood over the Philistine
took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and
killed him
and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that
their champion was dead
they fled.
YLT
51and David runneth and
standeth over the Philistine
and taketh his sword
and draweth it out of its
sheath
and putteth him to death
and cutteth off with it his head; and the
Philistines see that their hero [is] dead
and flee.
Therefore David ran and stood upon the Philistine
.... Upon his
carcass
as it lay prostrate on the ground
and trampled on him
in just
contempt of him who had defied
reproached
and despised the armies of Israel:
and took his sword
and drew it out of the sheath thereof; which no
doubt was a very large one
and required a good deal of strength to unsheathe
it
and use it; and therefore either David
though so very young
was naturally
very strong
or he had at this time a more than ordinary measure of strength
given him:
and slew him; for it seems that by the blow of the stone
he was only stunned
and fell to the ground
but still had life in him
which
David soon put an end to by his own sword:
and cut off his head therewith; by which it would appear
to both armies looking on that his business was done
and he was thoroughly
dispatched:
and when the Philistines saw their champion was dead; of which the
cutting off his head was a demonstrative proof
and which they could discern at
a distance:
they fled; being struck with a panic at this unexpected event
and no doubt
by the Lord; for otherwise
had they given themselves the least time to reflect
on their own numbers and strength
they had no just occasion to flee; their
safety not depending on a single man
though ever so strong: upon this occasion
David penned the ninth psalm; see Psalm 9:1.
1 Samuel 17:52 52 Now the men of Israel and
Judah arose and shouted
and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of
the valley[a] and to the
gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to
Shaaraim
even as far as Gath and Ekron.
YLT
52And the men of Israel rise
-- also Judah -- and shout
and pursue the Philistines till thou enter the
valley
and unto the gates of Ekron
and the wounded of the Philistines fall in
the way of Shaaraim
even unto Gath
and unto Ekron
And the men of Israel and of Judah arose
.... From
their encampment and entrenchment
or they prepared for a pursuit:
and shouted
and pursued the Philistines; shouted when
they first set out
and continued shouting as they pursued
to animate their
own troops
and terrify the enemy:
until thou come to the valley
and to the gates of Ekron; which was one
of the five principalities of the Philistines; so that they pursued them to
their own cities
and to the very gates of them:
and the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to
Shaaraim; a city in the tribe of Judah
and seems to be the same with
Sharaim; see Gill on Joshua 15:36.
Josephus saysF14Antiqu. l. 6. c. 9. sect. 5.
there were killed of
the Philistines thirty thousand
and twice as many wounded:
even unto Gath
and unto Ekron; JosephusF15Ibid.
has it
to the borders of Gath
and to the gates of Ashkelon
which were two
other principalities of the Philistines; according to BuntingF16Travels
of the Patriarchs
&c. p. 128.
the whole chase was this
to the valley
and river Sorek four miles; from thence to Ekron eight miles; to Ashkelon
twenty miles
and to Gath twenty four miles; that is
from the place where
Goliath was killed.
1 Samuel 17:53 53 Then the children of
Israel returned from chasing the Philistines
and they plundered their tents.
YLT
53and the sons of Israel turn
back from burning after the Philistines
and spoil their camps.
And the children of Israel
returned from chasing after the Philistines
.... The remainder that
escaped having got into their fortified cities:
and they spoiled their tents; which they left in their
camp
all their armour
goods
money
and provisions
they found there
they
seized upon as their prey and booty; these they did not stay to meddle with as
soon as the Philistines fled
but first pursued them
and slew as many of them
as they could
and then returned to the spoil; which was wisely done.
1 Samuel 17:54 54 And David took the head of
the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem
but he put his armor in his tent.
YLT
54And David taketh the head
of the Philistine
and bringeth it in to Jerusalem
and his weapons he hath put
in his own tent.
And David took the head of
the Philistine
and brought it to Jerusalem
.... After he had been
introduced with it to Saul
and when he had passed through various cities in
Israel
carrying the head in triumph; where he was congratulated by the women
who came out singing and dancing
and speaking highly in his commendation and
praise: why he carried it to Jerusalem is not easy to say
this not being a
royal city
nor was it wholly in the hands of the Israelites; part of it indeed
was in the possession of Judah and Benjamin
but the stronghold of Zion was
possessed by the Jebusites; and it is generally thought that it was to the
terror of them that the head of Goliath was carried there. R. Joseph Kimchi
thinks
that Nob
where the tabernacle was at this time
was surnamed
Jerusalem
but for what reason cannot be said:
but he put his armour in his tent; not where the army was
encamped before the engagement; for David had not his tent there
and beside
the camp broke up upon this victory obtained; but rather in his tent or
apartment at Bethlehem
when he returned thither
and where he laid up the
armour he took from Goliath; though Abarbinel thinks
and so other JewsF17Hieron.
Trad. Heb. in lib. Reg. fol. 76. E.
that by his tent is meant the tabernacle
of the Lord
called David's
because of his attachment to it; and certain it is
that the sword of Goliath was either now
or at least hereafter
laid up there
see 1 Samuel 21:9;
where all that went to sacrifice might see it
and call to mind this wonderful
instance of the power and goodness of God
and praise him for it.
1 Samuel 17:55 55 When Saul saw David going
out against the Philistine
he said to Abner
the commander of the army
“Abner
whose son is this youth?” And Abner said
“As your soul lives
O
king
I do not know.”
YLT
55And when Saul seeth David
going out to meet the Philistine
he hath said unto Abner
head of the host
`Whose son [is] this -- the youth
Abner?' and Abner saith
`Thy soul liveth
O
king
I have not known.'
And when Saul saw David go
forth against the Philistine
.... Set out to meet him
and engage with
him
as he might from the side of the mountain
where he was encamped:
he said unto Abner
the captain of the host; his own
cousin
whom he had raised to this high post in the army
1 Samuel 14:50
Abner
whose son is this youth? it is thought
strange by many that Saul should not know who he was
when he had been often at
his court
and served him as a musician
and had been very useful to him
and
he loved him
and made him his armourbearer
and even had just now conversed
with him about encountering with the Philistine
and had clothed him with his
own armour: to get rid of the former part of the objection
some have supposed
that this event happened before David was his musician and armourbearer
and is
by anticipation spoken of in 1 Samuel 16:14
but
that the connection with this and the following chapter will not admit of; and
besides
before this event
David is said to return home from Saul
1 Samuel 17:15; so
that it is certain he had been at Saul's court
and in his presence before: but
to remove this seeming difficulty it may be observed
that Saul
having
laboured under a disorder of body and mind
might easily forget David
and his
serving him in the above capacity; and to which the multiplicity of business
and of persons in a court
might greatly contribute; and what with the distance
of time
and the different habits in which David appeared
sometimes as a
musician
and sometimes as a shepherd
and at other times as a soldier
and
always as a servant
it is no wonder the king should not know him again; though
after all it is not about his person that he inquires
but whose son he was
what was his father's name
and from what family he sprung; for though Saul was
made acquainted with this in the time of his disorder
and therefore sent to
his father Jesse for him
and afterwards desired leave for his continuance; yet
this might slip out of his memory in a course of time
he having had no
personal knowledge of Jesse
nor any correspondence with him
but just at that
time; and it behoved him to know the pedigree of David
since
if he was
victorious
he was not only to be enriched by him
but to have his daughter for
wife
and his family ennobled:
and Abner said
as thy soul liveth
O king
I cannot tell; he swore by
the life of Saul
as Joseph by the life of Pharaoh
that he knew nothing of
him; which need not at all seem strange
that a general of an army
always
employed in military affairs
and often abroad
should know nothing of a
domestic servant of Saul's
under the character of a musician
and not always
at court either; and still less that he should be ignorant of his family
and
know nothing of his father
who lived in obscurity in Bethlehem
and was an old
man in those days.
1 Samuel 17:56 56 So the king said
“Inquire
whose son this young man is.”
YLT
56And the king saith
`Ask
thou whose son this [is] -- the young man.'
And the king said
inquire
thou whose son the stripling is. Still the question is the
same
being very desirous of knowing of what family he was
for the reason
before given; see Gill on 1 Samuel 17:55.
1 Samuel 17:57 57 Then
as David returned
from the slaughter of the Philistine
Abner took him and brought him before
Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.
YLT
57And when David turneth back
from smiting the Philistine
then Abner taketh him and bringeth him in before
Saul
and the head of the Philistine in his hand;
And as David returned from
the slaughter of the Philistine
.... Carrying his head in triumph
and no
doubt accompanied with the acclamations of the people:
Abner took him and brought him before Saul
with the head of the
Philistine in his hand; to give an answer to the king's question concerning him
who
could best do it himself; and that Saul might have the opportunity of rewarding
him
according to his merit
for so great a piece of service he had done for
Israel
of which the head in his hand was a sufficient proof.
1 Samuel 17:58 58 And Saul said to him
“Whose son are you
young man?” So David answered
“I am the son
of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”
YLT
58and Saul saith unto him
`Whose son [art] thou
O youth?' and David saith
`Son of thy servant Jesse
the Beth-Lehemite.'
And Saul said unto him
whose son art thou
thou young man?.... Still the question
was such as did not necessarily imply ignorance of his person
but of his
family:
and David answered
I am the son of thy servant Jesse the
Bethlehemite; which doubtless refreshed the memory of Saul
and he quickly
called to mind who he was. This interview was very probably at Gibeah of Saul
which was the place of his birth and residence
1 Samuel 10:26
and
where he kept his court
and to which he returned after the above victory was
obtained.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)