1 Samuel 17:6

6 on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back.

1 Samuel 17:6 in Other Translations

6 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders.

6 And he had bronze armor on his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders.

6 He also wore bronze leg armor, and he carried a bronze javelin on his shoulder.

6 He wore bronze shin guards and carried a bronze sword.

6 There was bronze armor on his shins, and a bronze sword was slung between his shoulders.

1 Samuel 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.

1 Samuel 17:6 In-Context

4 A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span.

5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels ;

6 on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back.

7 His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.

8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me.

Cross References

• 1. ver 45; 1 Samuel 18:10