1 Samuel 17:31-41

David Kills Goliath

31 When the words which David spoke were heard, they told them to Saul, and he sent for him.

32 David said to Saul, "¹Let no man's heart fail on account of him; ²your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."

33 Then Saul said to David, "³You 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 ⁴rescued 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, "⁵The 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, "⁶Go, and may the LORD be with you."

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 ⁷his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.

41 Then the Philistine came on and approached David, with the shield-bearer * in front of him.

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1 Samuel 17:31-41 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 17

This chapter relates how the armies of Israel, and of the Philistines, prepared for battle, and where, 1Sa 17:1-3, describes a champion of the Philistines, who defied the armies of Israel, 1Sa 17:4-11, 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, 1Sa 17:12-30, which being reported to Saul, David was sent for by him, and much discourse passed between them about it, 1Sa 17:31-37 when we are told the manner in which he engaged with the Philistine, and the victory he obtained over him, 1Sa 17:38-51 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, 1Sa 17:52-58.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 7

1. Deuteronomy 20:1-4
2. 1 Samuel 16:18
3. Numbers 13:31
4. Amos 3:12
5. 2 Corinthians 1:10; 2 Timothy 4:17, 18
6. 1 Samuel 20:13; 1 Chronicles 22:11, 16
7. Judges 20:16

Footnotes 5

[a]. Lit "before"
[b]. Lit "smote"
[c]. Lit "smote"
[d]. Lit "smitten"
[e]. Lit "off from himself"