1 Samuel 17:45-47

45 David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with a dagger, spear, and sword, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel's armies^[a]- you have defied Him.

46 Today, the Lord will hand you over to me. Today, I'll strike you down, cut your head off, and give the corpses^[b] of the Philistine camp to the birds of the sky and the creatures of the earth. Then all the world will know that Israel has a God,

47 and this whole assembly will know that it is not by sword or by spear that the Lord saves,^[c] for the battle is the Lord's.^[d] He will hand you over to us."

1 Samuel 17:45-47 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. 2 Ch 32:7-8
• [b]. LXX reads give your limbs and the limbs
• [c]. Hs 1:7
• [d]. Ex 14:13-14; Ps 33:16-22; 44:4-8