1 Samuel 17:6

6 et ocreas aereas habebat in cruribus et clypeus aereus tegebat umeros eius

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


FOOTNOTES:

F11 Hesiod. Scutum Herc. ver. 122.
F12 Vid. Hostii Monomach. David & Goliath, c. 5.

1 Samuel 17:6 In-Context

4 et egressus est vir spurius de castris Philisthinorum nomine Goliath de Geth altitudinis sex cubitorum et palmo
5 et cassis aerea super caput eius et lorica hamata induebatur porro pondus loricae eius quinque milia siclorum aeris
6 et ocreas aereas habebat in cruribus et clypeus aereus tegebat umeros eius
7 hastile autem hastae eius erat quasi liciatorium texentium ipsum autem ferrum hastae eius sescentos siclos habebat ferri et armiger eius antecedebat eum
8 stansque clamabat adversum falangas Israhel et dicebat eis quare venitis parati ad proelium numquid ego non sum Philistheus et vos servi Saul eligite ex vobis virum et descendat ad singulare certamen
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.