1 Samuel 17:39

39 Y ciñó David su espada sobre sus vestidos, y probó á andar, porque nunca había probado. Y dijo David á Saúl: Yo no puedo andar con esto, porque nunca lo practiqué. Y echando de sí David aquellas cosas,

1 Samuel 17:39 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 17:39

And David girded his, sword upon his armour
Which Saul also perhaps furnished him with:

and he assayed to go;
made an attempt, and had a mind to go thus accoutred; he at first showed an inclination to go in such an habit, but afterwards would not:

for he had not proved [it];
as warriors were wont to do; so Achilles did ^F9; he never made trial of such armour before, he had not been used to it, and knew not how to behave in it, or walk with it on him; it was an encumbrance to him: Abarbinel renders it, "but he had not proved [it]"; he would have gone with it but for that reason; the Targum is,

``because there was no miracle in them;''

because if he had made use of this, there would have been no appearance of a miracle in getting the victory over the Philistine, as was by using only a sling and stones:

and David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these, for I have not proved
[them];
he thought fit to acquaint Saul with it that he could not go thus accoutred, and his reason for it, lest he should be offended with him:

and David put them off him;
took off the helmet from his head, ungirt the sword upon his armour, and stripped himself of his coat of mail, and went forth entirely unarmed.

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 Homer. Iliad. 19. ver. 384, 385. so Theocrit. Idyll. 10. ver. 61.

1 Samuel 17:39 In-Context

37 Y añadió David: Jehová que me ha librado de las garras del león y de las garras del oso, él también me librará de la mano de este Filisteo. Y dijo Saúl á David: Ve, y Jehová sea contigo.

38 Y Saúl vistió á David de sus ropas, y puso sobre su cabeza un almete de acero, y armóle de coraza.

39 Y ciñó David su espada sobre sus vestidos, y probó á andar, porque nunca había probado. Y dijo David á Saúl: Yo no puedo andar con esto, porque nunca lo practiqué. Y echando de sí David aquellas cosas,

40 Tomó su cayado en su mano, y escogióse cinco piedras lisas del arroyo, y púsolas en el saco pastoril y en el zurrón que traía, y con su honda en su mano vase hacia el Filisteo.

41 Y el Filisteo venía andando y acercándose á David, y su escudero delante de él.