1 Samuel 17:40

_AND HE TOOK HIS STAFF IN HIS HAND, AND CHOSE HIM FIVE SMOOTH STONES OUT OF THE BROOK, AND PUT THEM IN A SHEPHERD'S BAG WHICH HE HAD, EVEN IN A SCRIP; AND HIS SLING WAS IN HIS HAND: AND HE DREW NEAR TO THE PHILISTINE._ He took his staff in his hand, х_ MAQLOW_ (H4731)] - his shoot, rod, staff (cf. Genesis 32:2; Exodus 12:2). [Septuagint, elabe teen bakteerian, he took the stick.] AND CHOSE HIM FIVE SMOOTH STONES, х_ WAYIBCHAR_ (H977) _ LOW_ (H3807a)] - and selected for himself five smooth stones; i:e., smoothed by the action of the water. OUT OF THE BROOK, х_ MIN_ (H4480) _ HANACHAL_ ...

40-47 The security and presumption of fools destroy them. Nothing can excel the humility, faith, and piety which appear in David's words. He expressed his assured expectation of success; he gloried in his mean appearance and arms, that the victory might be ascribed to the Lord alone....

Verse 1 Samuel 17:40. _HE TOOK HIS STAFF_] What we would call his _crook_. _FIVE SMOOTH STONES_] 1. Had they been _rough_ or _angular_, they would not have passed easily through the air, and their asperities would, in the course of their passage, have given them a _false_ _direction_. 2. Had they not been _smooth_, they could not have been readily despatched from the _sling_. _A SHEPHERD'S BAG_] That in which he generally carried his provisions while keeping the sheep in the open country. _AND HIS SLING_] The sling, both among the Greeks and Hebrews, has been a powerful offensive weapon. See what has been said on Judges 20:16. It is composed of _two strings_

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 HE TOOK HIS STAFF IN HIS HAND,.... His shepherd's staff, which he used in keeping his father's sheep, and chose rather to appear in the habit of a shepherd than of a soldier: AND CHOSE HIM FIVE SMOOTH STONES OUT OF THE BROOK; which ran in the valley, which became smooth by lying in the water running over them; and which being smooth were fitter for his purpose, being the more easily cast out of the sling; though De Dieu is of opinion that these were parts or pieces of stones, cleft ones, which were rough and rugged, and which would more easily and firmly be fixed in the forehead of the Philistine: AND PUT THEM IN A SHEPHERD'S BAG WHICH HE HAD, EVEN IN A SCRIP; in which he had been wont to put things he needed for the good of the flock, and was such as travellers put their food in; and this might also be the use of it with shepherds; but, according to the Ethiopic interpreters k, it...

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

STAFF. club, one of the three equipments of the Eastern shepherd: crook for the sheep's help, club for sheep's defence, and the bag for himself....

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....

FIVE SMOOTH STONES— Bishop Patrick thinks that this should rather be rendered _five cleft_ or _rough stones;_ as he thinks such would have been most fit for his purpose. But _smooth stones_ would have entered more easily into the forehead, would have less obstacles in passing through the air, and were much more proper to reach the mark, when thrown from a sling....