1 Samuel 21:9

9 et dixit sacerdos gladius Goliath Philisthei quem percussisti in valle Terebinthi est involutus pallio post ephod si istum vis tollere tolle neque enim est alius hic absque eo et ait David non est huic alter similis da mihi eum

1 Samuel 21:9 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 21:9

And the priest said, the sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom
thou slewest in the valley of Elah
See ( 1 Samuel 17:2 1 Samuel 17:51 ) ;

behold, it [is here] wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod;
the garment of the high priest, in which were the Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate, or the linen vestments of the priests; see ( 1 Samuel 22:18 ) ; which were laid up in a chamber for their use; and behind them the sword of Goliath was wrapped up in a linen cloth, and reserved as a monument of the goodness of God to Israel, and the salvation of them wrought by the hands of David, who slew Goliath with this his own sword, and brought it with him. The Targum understands this word, rendered "behind", not of the place where the sword was, but of the time when the priest said this, and paraphrases the words,

``after he had inquired for him by the ephod;''

see ( 1 Samuel 22:10 ) ;

if thou wilt take that, take [it];
as if he should say, it is not mine to give thee, but thou mayest take it if thou pleasest; none has a better right to it; it is what thou tookest from the Philistine, and may take it again for thy use if thou art so inclined; and thou must either take this or none:

for [there is] no other save that here;
in the tabernacle, nor even in the priest's house, nor in the city; for it was a city of priests, who did not wear swords:

and David said, [there is] none like that, give it me;
and which, as he was capable of wielding and making use of, as it is plain he was by cutting off Goliath's head with it; so it might serve to strengthen his faith in God, as often as he looked upon it, that he would keep and preserve him, and in due time deliver him out of the hands of Saul, and all his enemies.

1 Samuel 21:9 In-Context

7 erat autem ibi vir de servis Saul in die illa intus in tabernaculo Domini et nomen eius Doec Idumeus potentissimus pastorum Saul
8 dixit autem David ad Ahimelech si habes hic ad manum hastam aut gladium quia gladium meum et arma mea non tuli mecum sermo enim regis urguebat
9 et dixit sacerdos gladius Goliath Philisthei quem percussisti in valle Terebinthi est involutus pallio post ephod si istum vis tollere tolle neque enim est alius hic absque eo et ait David non est huic alter similis da mihi eum
10 surrexit itaque David et fugit in die illa a facie Saul et venit ad Achis regem Geth
11 dixeruntque ei servi Achis numquid non iste est David rex terrae nonne huic cantabant per choros dicentes percussit Saul mille et David decem milia
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.