1 Samuel 17:43

43 Et le Philistin dit à David: Suis-je un chien que tu viennes contre moi avec des bâtons? Et le Philistin maudit David par ses dieux.

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 Le Philistin vint aussi, et s'approcha de David; et l'homme qui portait son bouclier marchait devant lui.
42 Alors le Philistin regarda, et vit David, et le méprisa; car c'était un jeune homme, blond et beau de visage.
43 Et le Philistin dit à David: Suis-je un chien que tu viennes contre moi avec des bâtons? Et le Philistin maudit David par ses dieux.
44 Le Philistin dit encore à David: Viens vers moi, et je donnerai ta chair aux oiseaux du ciel et aux bêtes des champs.
45 Et David répondit au Philistin: Tu viens contre moi avec l'épée, la lance et le javelot; mais moi, je viens contre toi au nom de l'Éternel des armées, du Dieu des armées d'Israël, que tu as insultées.
The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.