Shmuel Alef 17:6

6 And he had mitzchah (greaves, i.e., leg plate armor) of nechoshet upon his legs, and a kidron (javelin) of nechoshet [slung] between his shoulders.

Shmuel Alef 17:6 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 17:6

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 Iolaus ^F11 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 pounds ^F12

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 Hesiod. Scutum Herc. ver. 122.
F12 Vid. Hostii Monomach. David & Goliath, c. 5.

Shmuel Alef 17:6 In-Context

4 And there went out an Ish HaBenayim [i.e., a middleman champion whose single combat saves the day and decides the victor] out of the machanot of the Pelishtim, shmo Golyat (Goliath), of Gat, whose height was shesh cubits and a span.

5 And he had a kova (helmet) of nechoshet upon his rosh, and he was wearing a coat of mail armor; and the weight of the coat of armor was five thousand shekels of nechoshet.

6 And he had mitzchah (greaves, i.e., leg plate armor) of nechoshet upon his legs, and a kidron (javelin) of nechoshet [slung] between his shoulders.

7 And the khetz (shaft) of his khanit (spear) was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s blade weighed six hundred barzel (iron) shekels; and the no’se tzinnah (great shield bearer) walked ahead of him.

8 And he stood and cried out unto the ma’arkhot Yisroel (ranks of Israel), and said unto them, Why are ye come out to line up for milchamah? Am not I a Philistine, and ye avadim of Sha’ul? Choose you an ish for you, and let him come down to me.