1 Samuel 17:1-58 - EXEGESIS (Donovan)
CONTEXT: Saul is the king, but he has disobeyed God and God has rejected his kingship (chapter 15). God instructed Samuel to anoint David, and Samuel has done that, albeit secretly-Saul knows nothing of the anointing (16:1-13). The spirit of the Lord came upon David mightily (16:13).
David is a musician, and has played the lyre for Saul to calm Saul's moods, and "he loved him greatly" (16:14-23). However, as we will see in chapter 17, Saul seems not to know David (17:31-37, 55-58). This might reinforce the idea that the story of Saul and David comes from more than one source, but it is also possible that Saul has enjoyed David's entertainment, but David is such a minor figure in Saul's court that the king fails to recognize him when they meet in an unfamiliar context-the battlefield.
The presence of multiple sources is evident from the fact that the Septuagint (LXX) is missing a number of verses that we find in the Masoretic Text (MT). The LXX is the Greek version of the Hebrew Scriptures, which was translated prior to Jesus' birth. The MT is the Hebrew version of the Hebrew Scriptures, which was
I have chosen to include commentary on all of chapter 17, even though many of the verses have been omitted from the lectionary reading. If you are preaching a sermon based primarily on this story, I recommend reading the whole chapter aloud.
1 SAMUEL 17:32-37. YOUR SERVANT WILL GO AND FIGHT THIS PHILISTINE
32 David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." 33 Then Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth." 34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant was tending his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went out after him and attacked him, and rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God." 37 And 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 may the LORD be with you."
"David said to Saul, 'Let no man's heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine'" (v. 32). David offers to fight The Philistine, but shows his disdain by referring to him as "this Philistine" rather than by naming him.
"You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth" (v. 33a). Saul states the obvious. David is just a boy, and this is a man's job. The law says that Israel is to go to war with men "from twenty years old and upward" (Numbers 1:3; 26:2). David must be a teenager.
"and he a man of war from his youth" (v. 33b). The Philistine has been a warrior for many years-probably longer than David has been alive. Not only is the Philistine huge and well-armored and well-armed, but he is also experienced. No telling how many men he has killed. The Philistine has yelled, "Give me a man, that we may fight together" (v. 10), and David is not yet a man. How can Saul send a boy to face a giant?
"David said to Saul, 'Your servant was keeping his father's sheep; and when a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after him, and struck him, and rescued it out of his mouth. When he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and struck him, and killed him. Your servant struck both the lion and the bear'" (vv. 34-36a). David makes a case that he is fit for the job. In his role as shepherd, he has fought lions and bears. He not only drove them off, but killed them. The giant Philistine is no more fearsome than an enraged lion or bear (vv. 34-35). If David could fight lions and bears, he can also fight this Philistine).
"This uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them" (v. 36b). David moves the argument into the theological arena. Who is this who dares to challenge Israel? An uncircumcised Philistine-one of the unwashed-a man who lives outside the circle of the Lord's favor!
"since he has defied the armies of the living God" (v. 36c). More than that, this Philistine "has defied the armies of the living God." This is the point! It isn't the Israelite army that is powerful. As a matter of fact, their army is largely an ad hoc army of soldier-citizens-farmers, artisans, merchants, and others who are doing their duty (temporary duty, they hope) to protect their nation and their families from the Philistine enemy. But they aren't dependent on their marginal skills or courage to save Israel, but on their living God.
"David said, 'Yahweh who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine'" (v. 37a). A giant backed by a nobody-god is no match for a boy backed by the living God. The same God who helped a boy shepherd to kill lions and bears will help this same boy to kill the Philistine giant.
"Saul said to David, 'Go; and Yahweh shall be with you'" (v. 37b). So Saul, having no one else clamoring to face the giant-and being unwilling to do it himself-says, "Go; and Yahweh shall be with you."
1 SAMUEL 17:38-40. DAVID TOOK HIS STAFF AND STONES AND SLING
38 Then Saul clothed David with his garments and put a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with armor. 39 David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them." And David took them off. 40 He took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.
"Saul dressed David with his clothing. He put a helmet of brass on his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail" (v. 38). If Saul is going to permit this lad to represent Israel in battle against the Philistine giant, he wants to help him. He surrenders his own personal armor to David. We immediately sense that there is something inappropriate here. David has faced lions and bears armored only by his faith in the living God. It is the Philistine who hides behind coats of mail and shields.
"David strapped his sword on his clothing, and he tried to move; for he had not tested it. David said to Saul, 'I can't go with these; for I have not tested them.' David took them off" (v. 39). This inappropriateness takes a comic turn when we remember that Saul is a tall man who "from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people" (9:2). We have been told that David is handsome (16:12), but nowhere has it been suggested that he is tall. The picture we get here is of a young man dressed in armor four sizes too large-struggling even to walk, much less to wage battle. David, who has known all along from whence his strength comes (see Psalm 121:1-2), removes the armor (v. 39b). He then arms himself with the kinds of weapons with which he is familiar-a wooden staff, a sling, and five carefully chosen stones (v. 40a).
▪ It is worth noting that David does not go barehanded to face the giant. He doesn't eschew weapons, but chooses weapons matched to his physique and skills. His weapons of choice aren't as impressive as the giant's weapons, but they are deadly nevertheless-designed not to intimidate but to kill. In fact, his most deadly weapon, the sling, is so small and unobtrusive that The Philistine will remark only on David's staff (v. 43)-not even noticing the weapon that will kill him.
"He took his staff in his hand, and chose for himself five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in his wallet. His sling was in his hand; and he drew near to the Philistine" (v. 40). So armed, David moves to engage the Philistine.
1 SAMUEL 17:41-44. THE PHILISTINE CURSED DAVID BY HIS GODS
41 Then the Philistine came on and approached David, with the shield-bearer in front of him. 42 When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance. 43 The Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine also said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field."
"The Philistine came on and drew near to David; and the man who bore the shield went before him" (v. 41). The Philistine giant doesn't enter the battlefield alone. He is accompanied by his shield-bearer-his first line of defense. We can be sure that this shield-bearer is one of the best Philistine soldiers-hand-picked for his strength, courage, and athletic prowess. We can imagine him training daily to keep his strength and agility at their peak. It will be a rare spear or arrow that gets by this shield-bearer. The Philistine giant is well-armored, but it is this shield-bearer's job to see that he needs no armor (v. 1).
"When the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and withal of a fair face" (v. 42). When the Philistine giant sees David, he sees only a pretty-boy-handsome, but nothing more-an unworthy opponent.
"The Philistine said to David, 'Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?'" (v. 43a). Referring to David's staff (and failing to notice David's sling) The Philistine shouts, " Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?"
"The Philistine cursed David by his gods" (v. 43b). We learned earlier that the Philistine god is Dagon. When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they "brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon" (5:2b). But "when they of Ashdod arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon was fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh" (5:3). They set Dagon back in his place, but the next day found him fallen on his face once again. This time, his head and hands had been severed (5:4). The Philistines concluded, "The ark of the God of Israel shall not stay with us; for his hand is severe on us, and on Dagon our god" (5:7). So being cursed by the Philistine gods holds no terror for David. As the Apostle Paul will later say, "no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no other God but one" (1 Corinthians 8:4). But these many centuries earlier, David already knows that.
"The Philistine said to David, 'Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky, and to the animals of the field'" (v. 44). Then the Philistine giant turns his intimidation tactics on David-tactics that have served him so well so often. He invites David to engage in battle, and threatens to feed David's flesh to the birds and wild animals (v. 44). This would be especially repugnant to Israelites, who value proper burial and burial rites (Genesis 50:5-9; Deuteronomy 21:23; Joshua 8:29; 2 Samuel 3:31; 2 Kings 9:10; 2 Chronicles 16:14; Proverbs 30:17; Jeremiah 16:4; 22:19; 34:5; Ezekiel 39:15).
1 SAMUEL 17:45-47. I COME TO YOU IN THE NAME OF YAHWEH OF ARMIES
45 Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, a spear, and 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 taunted. 46 This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD'S and He will give you into our hands."
"Then David said to the Philistine, 'You come to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin: but I come to you in the name of Yahweh of Armies, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today, Yahweh will deliver you into my hand'" (vv. 45-46a). David is not intimidated by the giant or his threats. He notes that the Philistine giant derives his power from his sword and spear and javelin, but David derives his power from "the name of Yahweh of Armies, the God of the armies of Israel" (v. 45b).
▪ David doesn't claim military expertise or athletic prowess. Even when telling Saul about the lions and bears that he killed, he made it clear that it was the Lord who saved him from these wild animals-and that it would be the Lord who would save him from this Philistine giant (v. 37). It is this Lord whom this Philistine has defied (v. 45c).
"I will strike you, and take your head from off you. I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky, and to the wild animals of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel" (v. 46b). David outlines his plan-a plan that must seem preposterous to the Philistine giant. David will strike down the giant and cut off his head. Not only will the birds and wild animals feed on the giant, but the soldiers of the Philistine army will share his fate (v. 46a). The purpose of this action is so "that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel" (v. 46b). Furthermore, "this assembly" (Philistines and Israelites alike) will learn that "Yahweh doesn't save with sword and spear" (v. 47a). They will also learn that "the battle is Yahweh's" and that Israel will prevail because the Lord "will give you (the giant and the Philistine army) into our hand" (v. 47b).
▪ David consistently makes it clear that it is not his strength or the strength of Israel that will defeat the Philistines. The Lord is in charge, and the Lord will give the giant into David's hands and the Philistines into Israel's hands.
1 SAMUEL 17:48-49. GOLIATH FELL ON HIS FACE TO THE EARTH
48 Then it happened when the Philistine rose and came and drew near to meet David, that David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground.
"It happened, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine" (v. 48). The Philistine giant, burdened by his armor and weaponry and hiding behind his shield-bearer, draws near to meet David-but David, unencumbered, runs quickly to meet the Philistine. The giant is ponderous and slow, but David is nimble and quick.
"David put his hand in his bag, took a stone, and slung it, and struck the Philistine in his forehead" (v. 49a). David minces neither words nor actions. He takes out a stone-one of five that he has chosen-and slings it toward the Philistine's forehead. Where others saw only the giant's armor, the Lord has led David's eye to the one place where the giant is vulnerable-his forehead.
"and the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth" (v. 49). The stone sinks into the giant's forehead, and he falls face down on the ground-like his god, Dagon, before him (5:3ff.). This is a fitting fate for one who has defied the armies of the living God (v. 26). The law prescribes death by stoning for anyone, "the foreigner as well as the native-born," who is guilty of blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16).
1 SAMUEL 17:50-54. DAVID CUT OFF GOLIATH'S HEAD
50 Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David's hand.
The narrator reaffirms that David has brought down the Philistine giant, and has done so without a sword (v. 50). Then David goes to the fallen giant, grasps the giant's sword, and uses that sword to kill the giant. Then he cuts off the giant's head (v. 51a). There is grand irony here, of course. The giant has used this sword and his other armor and weaponry to intimidate and defeat his opponents. This sword has been his strength. Now, because the Lord has willed it so, this sword has become his undoing.
1 Sam. 17:32-37, 42-50 - EW Commentary
C. David prepares to fight Goliath.
1. (1 Sam. 17:31-32) David's confident words become known to Saul.
32 David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."
b. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine: Saul waited a long time - at least 40 days - to hear someone say these words. But to hear them now, from the mouth of this boy, almost seemed like a cruel joke. "The good news is that some one finally wants to fight Goliath. The bad news is that he is a little shepherd boy."
i. David's words to Saul almost made the matter worse. "Let no man's heart fail because of him" almost sounds like, "All right everyone, calm down, I've got the situation completely under control." It seemed ridiculous coming from this teen-age boy. It seemed like youthful pride and overconfidence, but it wasn't.
c. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine: These are bold words. This is the first time David specifically volunteered to battle Goliath. It is one thing to say, "Someone should do something about the enemy." It is entirely another thing to say, "I will do something about the enemy."
2. (1 Sam. 17:33-37) David's training as a shepherd prepared him.
33 Then Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth." 34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant was tending his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went out after him and attacked him, and rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God." 37 And 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 may the LORD be with you."
a. You are not able... you are but a youth: Saul thought David was disqualified because of his age, size, and inexperience. This shows that Saul looked at the battle purely in natural, outward terms. The outward "tale of the tape" said there was no way David could win. The "tale of God's tape" said there was no way David could lose.
b. You are but a youth and he a man of war from his youth: Saul essentially told David, "He's been a soldier longer than you have been alive. How can you ever defeat him?" Again, this shows that Saul only looked at the outward, not the spiritual dimensions of this battle.
c. Your servant has killed both lion and bear: God prepared David for this exact battle when David was a lowly shepherd. A lion attacked the lambs and David fought the lion. A bear came against the sheep and David battled the bear. All along, God prepared David to fight Goliath. How long did David prepare to fight Goliath? All of his life, up to that day.
i. This is generally God's pattern for preparation. He calls us to be faithful right where we are and then uses our faithfulness to accomplish greater things. If David ran scared at the lion or the bear, he would never have been ready to fight Goliath now. But he was faithful then, so he will be faithful now.
d. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them: David increases in boldness as the story progresses. First he said someone should fight Goliath for a righteous cause (1 Samuel 17:26, 29). Then he said he would fight Goliath (1 Samuel 17:32). Now he says he will kill Goliath.
e. 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: As a shepherd facing lions and bears, David had no idea he was being trained to fight a giant. In the midst of our preparation we rarely see how God will use it. Yet now, David can look back and know that the same God who delivered him before will also deliver him now. David knew that God's help in times past is a prophecy of His help in the future.
D. David defeats Goliath.
1. (1 Sam. 17:42-44) Goliath curses David and his God.
42 When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance. 43 The Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine also said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field."
b. When the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him: The idea behind looked about is almost that Goliath had to look around to find David. David was so small compared to this man that Goliath had a hard time even seeing him. But when he did see him he disdained him. There was nothing - nothing - in David that struck fear or respect in Goliath's heart. Goliath felt insulted that they sent David (Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks?).
i. When Goliath asked, "Am I a dog?" it was worse than it sounds. The Hebrew word for dog (kaleb) is used in passages like Deuteronomy 23:18 for male homosexual prostitutes. Goliath felt that sending David was an insult to his manhood.
c. And the Philistine cursed David by his gods: If it hadn't been established before, it is certainly settled now. This is not a fair fight. It isn't Goliath and his armor bearer against David. It is Goliath and his armor bearer against David and the Lord God of Israel. The battle is over. Anyone with any spiritual understanding could finish the story from here.
d. Come to me: "Bring it on, little boy!" David will be more than happy to oblige Goliath's request.
2. (1 Sam. 17:45-47) David, full of faith, replies to Goliath.
45 Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, a spear, and 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 taunted. 46 This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD'S and He will give you into our hands."
a. Then David said to the Philistine: We can imagine Goliath's deep, deep, bass voice reverberating against the tall hills surrounding the Valley of Elah. The sound struck fear into the heart of every Israelite soldier, and probably even some of the Philistine soldiers! Then David answered with his teen-age voice; perhaps even with his voice cracking. The Philistines laughed when they heard David practically screaming in his cracking voice and the Israelites were both horrified and embarrassed.
b. You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied: David makes a contrast between himself and Goliath without giving credit to Goliath himself. "Those are some pretty fancy weapons you've got there, mister. But I've got something far better than your weapons."
i. To say, "I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts" is to say, "I come as a representative of the Lord of hosts, the God who has heavenly armies at His command. I am a sent man, a man on a mission from God."
c. This day, the Lord will deliver you into my hand: David is bolder and bolder. It is one thing to tell Saul he will kill Goliath (1 Samuel 17:36). It is an entirely different thing to tell Goliath he will kill Goliath, and to say the Lord would do it this day. Adding I will strike you down and take your head from you is a nice, vivid detail.
i. David was careful to say, "the Lord will deliver you into my hand." David was bold, but bold in God not in himself. He knew the battle belonged to the Lord.
d. That all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel: This whole incident made David famous. But that was not why he did it. He did it for the fame and the glory of the Lord, not his own name. He wanted all the earth to know that there is a God in Israel.
e. Then all this assembly shall know: At this point, it wasn't enough for all the earth to know that there is a God in Israel. Israel needed to know that there was a God in Israel! Saul and the rest of the soldiers of Israel thought that the Lord only could save with sword and spear. They didn't really believe that the battle is the Lord's but David will give them proof.
f. He will give you into our hands: Again, notice David's humility. It isn't He will give you into my hands. David knows this was an "our" battle, that he fought on behalf of all Israel. If they weren't trusting in the Lord, David would trust for them.
3. (1 Sam. 17:48-49) David kills Goliath.
48 Then it happened when the Philistine rose and came and drew near to meet David, that David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground.
a. When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hastened and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine: What a scene! Goliath, enraged at David's boldness, drew near to quickly kill David. David didn't run away. He didn't hide. He didn't panic. He didn't drop to his knees and pray. Instead, David hastened and ran... to meet the Philistine.
i. Many Christians struggle at this very point. Is God supposed to do it or am I supposed to do it? The answer is, "Yes!" God does it and we do it. Trust God, rely on Him, and then get to work and work as hard as you can - run right at the enemy. That is how the work of God is done.
ii. "The lazy-bones of our orthodox churches cry, 'God will do his own work'; and then they look out the softest pillow they can find, and put it under their heads, and say, 'The eternal purposes will be carried out: God will be glorified.' That is all very fine talk, but it can be used with the most mischievous design. You can make opium out of it, which will lull you into a deep and dreadful slumber, and prevent your being of any kind of use at all." (Spurgeon)
b. He slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face: David had the calm hand and careful aim of someone who really trusted God. He used the sling - a leather strap with a pouch in the middle - to hurl a stone, killing Goliath.
i. This battle was won out with the sheep. In those lonely hours alone with the lambs, David talked to God and took a lot of target practice with his sling. Now his communion with the Lord and his skill with the sling are both used by God. "In the use of the sling it requires much practice to hit the mark; but when once this dexterity is acquired, the sling is nearly as fatal as the musket or bow.#8221; (Clarke)
ii. Everyone else thought, "Goliath is so big, I can't beat him." David thought, "Goliath is so big, I can't miss him." "A man of less faith might have been too nervous to take the proper aim." (Balikie)
c. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face: Just as the Philistine god Dagon fell on his face before the Lord (1 Samuel 5:2-5), so now the worshipper of Dagon falls on his face.
4. (1 Sam. 17:50-51) David beheads Goliath and Israel romps over the Philistines.
50 Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David's hand. 51 Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it.
a. 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: First, David made certain the enemy was dead. You can not mess around with sin or your spiritual enemies; you must kill them dead. Second, David used Goliath's own sword to cut off his head.
