1 Samuel 17:43

43 He said, "Do you think I am a dog, that you come at me with a stick?" He used his gods' names to curse David.

1 Samuel 17:43 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 17:43

And the Philistine said unto David, [am] I a dog?
&c.] 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 17:43 In-Context

41 At the same time, the Philistine was coming closer to David. The man who held his shield walked in front of him.

42 When Goliath looked at David and saw that he was only a boy, tanned and handsome, he looked down on David with disgust.

43 He said, "Do you think I am a dog, that you come at me with a stick?" He used his gods' names to curse David.

44 He said to David, "Come here. I'll feed your body to the birds of the air and the wild animals!"

45 But David said to him, "You come to me using a sword and two spears. But I come to you in the name of the Lord All-Powerful, the God of the armies of Israel! You have spoken against him.