1 Samuel 17:49

_AND DAVID PUT HIS HAND IN HIS BAG, AND TOOK THENCE A STONE, AND SLANG IT, AND SMOTE THE PHILISTINE IN HIS FOREHEAD, THAT THE STONE SUNK INTO HIS FOREHEAD; AND HE FELL UPON HIS FACE TO THE EARTH._ Smote the Philistine in his forehead - at the opening for the eyes. That was the only exposed part of his body....

48-58 See how frail and uncertain life is, even when a man thinks himself best fortified; how quickly, how easily, and by how small a matter, the passage may be opened for life to go out, and death to enter! Let not the strong man glory in his strength, nor the armed man in his armour. God resists the proud, and pours contempt on those who defy him and his people. No one ever hardened his heart against God and prospered. The history is recorded, that all may exert themselves for the honour of God, and the support of his cause, with bold and unshaken reliance on him. There is one conflict in which all the followers of the Lamb are, and must be engaged; one enemy, more formidable than Goliath, still challenges the armies of Israel. But "resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Go forth to battle with the faith of David, and the powers of darkness shall not stand against you. But how o...

Verse 1 Samuel 17:49. _SMOTE THE PHILISTINE IN HIS FOREHEAD_] Except his _face_, Goliath was everywhere covered over with strong armour. Either he had no _beaver_ to his helmet, or it was lifted up so as to expose his forehead; but it does not appear that the ancient helmets had any covering for the face. The _Septuagint_ however supposes that the stone passed through the helmet, and sank into his forehead: Και διεδυ ὁ λιθος δια της περικεφαλαιας εις το μετωπον αυτου, "and the stone passed through his helmet, and sank into his skull." To some this has appeared perfectly improbable; but we are assured by ancient writers that scarcely any thing could resist the force of the _sling_. _Diodorus Siculus_, lib. v., c. 18, p. 287, edit. _Bipont_, says "The Baleares, in time of war, sling greater stones than any other people, and with such

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 PUT HIS HAND IN HIS BAG,.... The shepherd's scrip, in which he had put the five stones he took out of the brook: AND TOOK THENCE A STONE; and put it into his sling he had in his hand: AND SLANG [IT], AND SMOTE THE PHILISTINE IN HIS FOREHEAD; it is made a difficulty of how he should smite him on his forehead, when he had a helmet of brass upon his head, 1 Samuel 17:5; in answer to this Kimchi observes, that some say, that when David said he would give his flesh to the fowls of the air, at the mention of that he looked upwards, and what was upon his forehead fell backwards, and then David slung and smote him; or he might put back his helmet to talk with David, and hear and be heard the better; and having nothing to fear from an unarmed man, might neglect to put it forward again; or there might be some open space left in the helmet for him to lo

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

The victory of faith. The flight of the Philistines 41. This verse is not found in the Sept. (B)....

_David Slays Goliath._ 1 Samuel 17:38-54 38 And Saul armed David with his armor, and he put a helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. 39 And David girded his sword upon his armor, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved _it._ And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved _them._ And David put them off him. 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. 41 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield _went_ before him. 42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was _but_ a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance....

DAVID SLAYS GOLIATH 1 Samuel 17:1 to 1 Samuel 18:5 is evidently taken from a different document from 1 Samuel 16:14. In 1 Samuel 16:14; David is a man of war, and skilful in speech, and an expert harper, and has already become Saul's musician and armourbearer. In 1 Samuel 17 he is still a shepherd lad, who is personally unknown to Saul. LXX tries to get rid of the difficulty by omitting several vv., but the attempt is not altogether successful....