_A.M. 2941. B.C. 1063._ Goliath challenges the armies of Israel, 1 Samuel 17:1. David, coming into the camp, hears his challenge, 1 Samuel 17:12. Eliab chides David, whose words are related to Saul, 1 Samuel 17:28. David undertakes to fight Goliath, 1 Samuel 17:32. He rejects Saul's armour, and goe... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Philistines gathered together their armies_ Probably they had heard that Samuel had forsaken Saul, and that Saul himself was unfit for business. The enemies of the church are watchful to take all advantages, and they never have greater advantages than when her protectors have provoked God's Spi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Goliath of Gath_ For to this city the Anakims fled when Joshua rooted them out of the land of Canaan, Joshua 11:22. And here they propagated a race of giants; that is, people of great strength and stature. _Whose height was six cubits and a span_ At least nine feet nine inches. And this is not stra... [ Continue Reading ]
_He was armed with a coat of mail_ Made of plates of brass laid over one another like the scales of a fish. _Five thousand shekels of brass_ The common shekel contained a fourth part of an ounce; and so five thousand shekels made one thousand two hundred and fifty ounces, or seventy-eight pounds; wh... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let him come down to me_ That the battle may be decided by us two alone. _They were greatly afraid_ This may seem strange, considering the glorious promises of God, and their late experience of divine assistance. And where was Jonathan, who, in the last war, had so bravely engaged a whole army of t... [ Continue Reading ]
_David was the son of that Ephrathite_, &c. Being chosen of God to combat with Goliath, we are here informed of whom he was descended. _The man went among men_ Was accounted; _an old man_ Therefore he went not himself to the camp. _David was the youngest_ Being young, he was not put to the hardships... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesse said, Take now for thy brethren_, &c. He thought provisions might be scarce with them. But, having other sons at home with him, it was, no doubt, through a divine influence that he sent David from the sheep upon this errand. _Carry these ten cheeses unto the captain_ Whose favour might be ver... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fighting with the Philistines_ That is, in a posture and readiness to fight with them, as it is explained 1 Samuel 17:20, being drawn up in battle array. _In the valley of Elah_ Not, strictly speaking, _in_ the valley, but hard by it, on the side of the mountain, where they faced the Philistines, a... [ Continue Reading ]
_He came to the trench_ Probably the carriages wherewith the host was surrounded. _As the host was going forth to the fight_ Jesse little thought of sending his son to the camp just at that critical juncture. But the wise God orders the time and all the circumstances of affairs so as to serve the de... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold there came up the champion_ Although the armies stood ready to engage, yet the vanity of Goliath made him once more desirous that the matter might be determined by single combat, and to challenge the whole host of Israel to produce a man to fight with him. _And all the men of Israel fled fro... [ Continue Reading ]
_The king will make his father's house free_ Free from all those tributes and charges which either the court or the camp required. _Who is this uncircumcised Philistine?_ &c. Thus David expresses a high indignation that they, who were the servants of the living God, and fought under his banners, sho... [ Continue Reading ]
_He said, Why camest thou down hither?_ His passion made him forget that David came by his father's order, in obedience to him, and out of kindness to them. _With whom hast thou left those few sheep?_ Thus he intimates that David was fitter to look after sheep than to fight a giant. _I know thy prid... [ Continue Reading ]
_David said, Is there not a cause?_ Of my thus speaking? Is this giant invincible? Is our God unable to oppose him, and subdue him? However, David is not deterred from his undertaking by the hard words of Eliab. They that undertake public services must not think it strange if they be opposed by thos... [ Continue Reading ]
_He turned from him_ For, being secretly moved by God's Spirit to undertake the combat, he speaks with divers persons about it, that it might come to the king's ear.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let no man's heart fail him_, &c. it would have reflected upon his prince to say, _Let not thy heart fail;_ therefore he speaks in general terms, _Let no man's heart fail._ A young shepherd, come but this morning from keeping sheep, has more courage than all the mighty men of Israel! Thus doth God... [ Continue Reading ]
_There came a lion and a bear_ Not both together, but at different times. _I went out after him_ I pursued the beast. _When he arose against me_ Turned again upon me; _I caught him by his beard_ I had resolution and strength enough given me to close with him, and, catching him by the hair of his bea... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear_, &c. There is a remarkable, and never to be sufficiently admired modesty in this relation of David, which he concludes by attributing all he had done to the goodness and power of God. And he takes encouragement from the experience which he had already ha... [ Continue Reading ]
_Saul armed David with his armour_ Not that which he was wont to wear himself, for he was so tall it would not have fitted David, but with armour taken out of his armory. The Hebrew word מדיו, _madaiv_, however, here rendered armour, more properly signifies _his vestments_, or _his garments_, and is... [ Continue Reading ]
_David girded his sword upon his armour_ Literally, _above, upon his vestments. He assayed to go_ יאל ללכת, _joel lalecheth._ The learned translate these words different ways, but nearly to the same sense, _Voluit ire, tentavit ire, conatus est incedere;_ he _willed, wished, tried_, or _endeavoured... [ Continue Reading ]
_He took his staff_ His shepherd's staff. These arms in themselves were contemptible, yet chosen by David, because he had no skill to use other arms; because he had inward assurance of the victory, even by these weapons; and because such a conquest would be more honourable to God, and most shameful... [ Continue Reading ]
_He disdained him_ He had looked about, expecting to meet some tall, strong man; but when he saw what a mean figure he made with whom he was to engage, he despised him, and thought it below him to enter the lists with him, fearing that the contemptibleness of the champion with whom he contended woul... [ Continue Reading ]
_Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air_ It will be a tender and delicate feast for them. With such confidence did he presume on his success! Thus the security and presumption of fools destroy them. _Then said David, I come to thee in the name_, &c. By a commission from Him... [ Continue Reading ]
_This day will the Lord deliver thee into my hand_ He speaks with as much assurance as Goliath had done, but upon better grounds, confiding, not in his own strength, but in the divine omnipotence, and expecting, through it, certain victory, not only over Goliath, but over the whole army of the Phili... [ Continue Reading ]
_Saveth not with sword and spear_ That is, that he can save without these arms, and with the most contemptible weapons, and that he needs not human force to effect his designs. _For the battle is the Lord's_ The events of war are wholly in his power. _And he will give you into our hands_ David speak... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh_ Like a stalking mountain. Having nothing but victory in his thoughts, he marched in a stately manner, pompously covered over with armour, and fearing nothing. But David, being loaded with no armour, ran nimbly toward him, so far was he from fear! _David... [ Continue Reading ]
_David took his sword_ Hence it appears that David was not a little man, as many fancy, but a man of considerable bulk and strength, because he was able to manage a giant's sword. The stone threw him down to the earth, and bereaved him of sense and motion; but there remained some life in him, which... [ Continue Reading ]
_And brought it to Jerusalem_ After he had shown it to Saul, 1 Samuel 17:57, and exposed it to all the people, chap. 1 Samuel 18:6. Jerusalem was now become a noted city, which was the reason why he brought his head thither. Some think, however, that this is spoken of a future action, namely, that w... [ Continue Reading ]
_Whose son is this youth?_ It may, at first sight, appear strange that Saul should be represented here as not knowing who David was, when we have a relation in the foregoing chapter of his sending for him to court, being highly pleased with his behaviour, and much delighted with his music, making hi... [ Continue Reading ]