1 Samuel 17:36

36 Your servant has defeated both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised P'lishti will be like one of them, because he has challenged the armies of the living God."

1 Samuel 17:36 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 17:36

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 them ^F8.

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.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 See Halicot Olam, p. 177.

1 Samuel 17:36 In-Context

34 David answered Sha'ul, "Your servant used to guard his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear would come and grab a lamb from the flock,

35 I would go after it, hit it, and snatch the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned on me, I would catch it by the jaw, smack it and kill it.

36 Your servant has defeated both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised P'lishti will be like one of them, because he has challenged the armies of the living God."

37 Then David said, "ADONAI, who rescued me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will rescue me from the paw of this P'lishti!" Sha'ul said to David, "Go; may ADONAI be with you."

38 Sha'ul dressed David in his own armor - he put a bronze helmet on his head and gave him armor plate to wear.