1 Samuel 17:45-55

45 And David said to Goliath, Thou comest to me with a sword and (a) spear, and (a) shield; but I come to thee in (the) name of the Lord of hosts, (the) God of the companies of Israel, to whom thou hast said reproof today.
46 And the Lord shall give thee in(to) mine hand, and I shall slay thee, and I shall take thine head from thee; and today I shall give the dead bodies of the tents of Philistines to the fowls of (the) heaven(s), and to the beasts of the earth (and today I shall give the dead bodies of the Philistine's host, or army, to the birds of the air, and to the beasts of the earth); (so) that all the earth (shall) know, that the Lord God is in Israel,
47 and that all this church know, that the Lord saveth not in sword neither in spear; for the battle is his, and he shall betake you into our hands. (and so that all this congregation shall know, that the Lord saveth not by sword or by spear; for the battle is his, and he shall deliver you into our hands.)
48 Therefore when the Philistine had risen (up), and came, and nighed against David (and came toward David), David hasted, and ran to (the) battle against the Philistine.
49 And David put his hand in his scrip, and he took out a stone, and he casted it with his sling, and led [it] about, and smote the Philistine in the forehead; and the stone was fastened in his forehead, and he felled down into his face on the earth. (And David put his hand into his bag, and he took out a stone, and he led it about, and threw it with his sling, and hit the Philistine in the forehead; and the stone stuck in his forehead, and he fell down on his face on the ground.)
50 And David had the mastery against the Philistine in a sling and a stone, and he killed the Philistine smitten. And when David had no sword in his hand, (And so David had the mastery against the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck down the Philistine, and killed him. And when David had no sword in his hand,)
51 he ran, and stood on the Philistine, and took (hold of) his sword; and David drew out the sword of his sheath, and killed him, and cut off his head (and David drew the sword out of its sheath, and killed him, and cut off his head). And the Philistines saw, that the strongest of them was dead, and they fled.
52 And the sons of Israel and of Judah rose up together, and cried [out], and pursued the Philistines, till the time they came into the valley, and unto the gate(s) of Ekron. And the wounded men of the Philistines fell down in the way of Shaaraim, and unto Gath, and unto Ekron (And the wounded men of the Philistines fell down on the way to Shaaraim, and unto Gath, and unto Ekron).
53 And the sons of Israel turned again, after that they had pursued the Philistines, and they assailed their tents. (And the Israelites returned, after that they had pursued the Philistines, and they looted their camp.)
54 Forsooth David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it into Jerusalem; soothly he putted his armours in the tabernacle of the Lord (but he put Goliath's arms, or his weapons, in his own tent).
55 Forsooth in that time in which Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, [the] prince of his chivalry, Abner, of what generation is this young man? And Abner said, King, thy soul liveth, I know not. (Now at the time when Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the leader of his cavalry, or his army, Abner, whose son is this young man? And Abner said, O king, as thy soul liveth, I do not know.)

1 Samuel 17:45-55 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.