1 Samuel 17:28-37

Saul Sends David to Meet Goliath. 1 Samuel 17:28-37

28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

30 And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.
31 And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.

32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.
33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

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:
35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
37 David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.

11.

What was the attitude of his brother Eliab? 1 Samuel 17:28-29

David's eldest brother was greatly enraged at his talking courageously among the men, and he reproved David. It was his opinion that David was not contented with his lowly calling, but that he aspired to lofty things and took great delight in watching the bloodshed. The eagerness of a lad to see the battle needs no comment; the boys among Mohammed's followers at Medina wept when they were pronounced too young to go to war. Eliab was charging his brother with the very things of which he was guiltypresumption and wickedness of heart. David showed his purpose all the more by calmly answering his brother as he had formerly answered the other men.

12.

What were David's first words to Saul? 1 Samuel 17:32

When David was brought into the presence of Saul, he said, Let no man's heart fail on his account: thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. To Saul's objection that he was a mere youth and the Philistine was a man of war from his youth up, David replied that as a shepherd he had taken a sheep out of the jaws of a lion and a bear and had also slain them both. David's courage rested upon his confident belief that the living God would not let His people be defied by the heathen with impunity. Saul then desired for him the help of the Lord in carrying out his resolution and commanded him to put on his own armor. David began to accept the preferred equipment, but he was not accustomed to such paraphernalia. He returned the armor to Saul and went forth armed only with his trustworthy sling and his dauntless faith in God.

13.

Why did David call Goliath an uncircumcised Philistine? 1 Samuel 17:36

The covenant of circumcision was made with Abraham before Isaac was born. This covenant extended to Ishmael, Abraham's son by Hagar. It also extended to Abraham's descendants through Keturah, including such people as Midianites. Philistines were descendants of Ham, the brother of Shem. Shem was the ancestor of Abraham's descendants, but the Hamitic line had received no covenant of circumcision. The Philistines were direct descendants of Cush (Genesis 10:8-14). To call a man an uncircumcised Philistine was to cast reflection upon his heritage. An uncircumcised Philistine was not under the covenant of God. He could not expect the spiritual blessings from God. It was as odious an epithet as David could think of to hurl at Goliath.

14.

What was Saul's final decision? 1 Samuel 17:37

Saul's final decision was that David should challenge Goliath. He raised objections about it, but was finally convinced that in the desperate situation there was no one else to meet the challenge. As he sent David forth, he pronounced a heartfelt blessing upon him: Go, and the Lord be with thee. No better prayer could be offered for one being sent on a dangerous mission.