1 Samuel 17:34

_AND DAVID SAID UNTO SAUL, THY SERVANT KEPT HIS FATHER'S SHEEP, AND THERE CAME A LION, AND A BEAR, AND TOOK A LAMB OUT OF THE FLOCK:_ David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep. The purport of the reply was that, though a raw and undisciplined youth, he was not untried in deeds of valour, and agility, and strength. THERE CAME A LION, AND A BEAR. The lion which anciently infested Palestine and the whole of Western Asia (Jeremiah 49:19; Zechariah 11:3) is thought to have been the Persian variety, which is described by Olivier ('Egyptian Sepulchres and Syrian Shrines') as neither so fierce nor so powerful as its African congener, and as prone to capture its prey rather by cunning than by violence. On laying hold of a sheep, he makes off with it with the ut

31-39 A shepherd lad, come the same morning from keeping sheep, had more courage than all the mighty men of Israel. Thus God often sends good words to his Israel, and does great things for them, by the weak and foolish things of the world. As he had answered his brother's passion with meekness, so David answered Saul's fear with faith. When David kept sheep, he proved himself very careful and tender of his flock. This reminds us of Christ, the good Shepherd, who not only ventured, but laid down his life for the sheep. Our experience ought to encourage us to trust in God, and be bold in the way of duty. He that has delivered, does and will continue to do so. David gained leave to fight the Philistine. Not being used to such armour as Saul put upon him, he was not satisfied to go in that manner; this was from the Lord, that it might more plainly appear he fought and conquered in faith, an...

Verse 1 Samuel 17:34. _THY SERVANT KEPT HIS FATHER'S SHEEP_] He found it necessary to give Saul the _reasons_ why he undertook this combat; and why he expected to be victorious. 1. I have _courage_ to undertake it, and _strength_ to perform it. 2. Both have been tried in a very signal manner: (1.) A _lion_ came upon my flock, and seized a lamb; I ran after him, he attacked me, I seized hold of him by his shaggy locks, smote and slew him, and delivered the lamb. (2.) A _bear_ came in the same way, and I attacked and slew him. 3. This, with whom I am to fight, is a _Philistine_, an _uncircumcised_ man; one who is an enemy to God: God therefore will not be on his side. On that ground I have nothing to fear. 4. He has defied the armies of the Lord; and has in effect defied Jehovah himself: therefore the b

The narrative does not make it certain whether the lion and the bear came on one and the same, or on two different occasions. If it was on one occasion, the probability would be that the bear, having seized a lamb and carrying it off, a lion appeared to dispute the prize with the bear, or with David after he had taken it from the bear, and that David killed first one and then the other....

EXPOSITION 1 SAMUEL 17:20-9 HE CAME TO THE TRENCH. More probably the barricade, or outer circle of defence for their camp, made of their wagons (see on 1 Samuel 10:22). Strictly the word means a _wagon track, _but the primary meaning of the verb is _to be round. _This was the shape of camps in old time, and they were protected against surprise by having the wagons and baggage placed round them. The word occurs again in 1 Samuel 26:5, 1 Samuel 26:7. The latter part of the verse is literally, "And he came to the circle of the wagons, and to the host that was goi

AND DAVID SAID UNTO SAUL,.... In answer to his objection of inability to encounter with one so superior to him; and this answer is founded on experience and facts, and shows that he was not so weak and inexpert as Saul took him to be: THY SERVANT KEPT HIS FATHER'S SHEEP; which he was not ashamed to own, and especially as it furnished him with an stance of his courage, bravery, and success, and which would be convincing to Saul: AND THERE CAME A LION AND A BEAR, AND TOOK A LAMB OUT OF THE FLOCK; not that they came together; though Kimchi so interprets it, "a lion with a bear"; but these are creatures that do not use to go together; and besides, both could not be said with propriety to take one and the same lamb out of the flock: to which may be added, that David in 1 Samuel 17:35 speaks only of one, out of whose mouth he took the lamb; wherefore the

2. DAVID AND GOLIATH CHAPTER 17 _ 1. Goliath of Gath, the Philistine (1 Samuel 17:1)_ 2. David's errand and inquiry (1 Samuel 17:12) 3. David's offer to fight Goliath (1 Samuel 17:31) 4. David's victory (1 Samuel 17:41) 5. Saul's inquiry (1 Samuel 17:55) Modern critics are practically unanimous in regarding the story of this chapter as unhistorical. One of the leading arguments they advance is the statement found in...

1 SAMUEL 17:1 TO 1 SAMUEL 18:5. DAVID AND GOLIATH (E, with additione by R). In this section two narratives seem to have been interwoven. For the sake of convenience, we may denote one set of passages by (A), and the other by (B), thus: (A) 1 Samuel 17:1; 1 Samuel 17:32. (B) 1 Samuel 17:12; 1 Samuel 17:55 to 1 Samuel 18:5. The (B) passages, together w

KEPT. was keeping. Compare 1 Samuel 16:11. HIS. Some codices, quoted in the Massorah, read "my". AND. Note the Figure of speech _Polysyndeton_ (App-6) in verses: 1 Samuel 17:34....

David volunteers to fight Goliath 32. _And David said unto Saul_ According to the Sept. text this stands in close and appropriate connexion with 1 Samuel 17:11: in the Heb. text David's offer certainly follows very abruptly on his introduction to Saul....