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Texts -- 1 Samuel 17:1-5 (NET)

Context
David Kills Goliath
17:1 The Philistines gathered their troops for battle . They assembled at Socoh in Judah . They camped in Ephes Dammim , between Socoh and Azekah . 17:2 Saul and the Israelite army assembled and camped in the valley of Elah , where they arranged their battle lines to fight against the Philistines . 17:3 The Philistines were standing on one hill , and the Israelites on another hill , with the valley between them. 17:4 Then a champion came out from the camp of the Philistines . His name was Goliath ; he was from Gath . He was close to seven feet tall . 17:5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and was wearing scale body armor . The weight of his bronze body armor was five thousand shekels .

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • David

    [ebd] beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother's name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25. As to his personal ...
    [isbe] DAVID - da'-vid (dawidh, or dawidh, "beloved"; Daueid, also in New Testament, Dauid, Dabid; see Thayer's Lexicon): I. NAME AND GENEALOGY II. EARLY YEARS 1. Shepherd 2. Slinger 3. Harpist 4. Poet 5. Psalmist 6. Tribesman III....
    [nave] DAVID 1. King of Israel. Genealogy of, Ruth 4:18-22; 1 Sam. 16:11; 17:12; 1 Chr. 2:3-15; Matt. 1:1-6; Luke 3:31-38. A shepherd, 1 Sam. 16:11. Kills a lion and a bear, 1 Sam. 17:34-36. Anointed king, while a youth, by the ...

  • Philistines

    [ebd] (Gen. 10:14, R.V.; but in A.V., "Philistim"), a tribe allied to the Phoenicians. They were a branch of the primitive race which spread over the whole district of the Lebanon and the valley of the Jordan, and Crete and other ...
    [isbe] PHILISTINES - fi-lis'-tinz, fil'-is-tinz, fil'-is-tinz (pelishtim; Phulistieim, allophuloi): I. OLD TESTAMENT NOTICES 1. Race and Origin 2. Religion 3. Individual Philistines Mentioned 4. Title of Ruler and Circumcision 5. H...
    [smith] (immigrants), The origin of the Philistines is nowhere expressly stated in the Bible; but as the prophets describe them as "the Philistines-from Caphtor," (Amos 9:7) and "the remnant of the maritime district of Caphtor" (Jere...
    [nave] PHILISTINES Descendants of Mizraim, Gen. 10:14; 1 Chr. 1:12; Jer. 47:4; Amos 9:7. Called Cherethites, 1 Sam. 30:14-16; Ezek. 25:16; Zeph. 2:5; Casluhim, Gen. 10:14; 1 Chr. 1:12; Caphtorim, Jer. 47:4; Amos 9:7. Territory of...

  • ELHANAN

    [ebd] whom God has graciously bestowed. (1.) A warrior of the time of David famed for his exploits. In the Authorized Version (2 Sam. 21:19) it is recorded that "Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of...
    [isbe] ELHANAN - el-ha'-nan ('elchanan, "whom God gave"): (1) A great warrior in the army of David who slew a Philistine giant. There is a discrepancy between 2 Sam 21:19 and 1 Ch 20:5. In the former passage we read, "And there was...

  • Goliath

    [ebd] great. (1.) A famous giant of Gath, who for forty days openly defied the armies of Israel, but was at length slain by David with a stone from a sling (1 Sam. 17:4). He was probably descended from the Rephaim who found refuge...
    [isbe] GOLIATH - go-li'-ath (golyath; Goliath): (1) The giant of Gath, and champion of the Philistine army (1 Sam 17:4-23; 21:9; 22:10; 2 Sam 21:19; 1 Ch 20:5 ff). He defied the armies of Israel, challenging anyone to meet him in s...
    [smith] (splendor), a famous giant of Gath, who "morning and evening for forty days" defied the armies of Israel. (1 Samuel 17:1) ... (B.C. 1063.) He was possibly descended from the old Rephaim [GIANTS], of whom a scattered remnan...
    [nave] GOLIATH, a giant champion of Gath. Defied armies of Israel and is slain by David, 1 Sam. 17; 21:9; 22:10. His sons, 2 Sam. 21:15-22; 1 Chr. 20:4-8.

  • Saul

    [ebd] asked for. (1.) A king of Edom (Gen. 36:37, 38); called Shaul in 1 Chr. 1:48. (2.) The son of Kish (probably his only son, and a child of prayer, "asked for"), of the tribe of Benjamin, the first king of the Jewish nation. T...
    [isbe] SAUL - sol (sha'ul; Saoul): (1) The first king of Israel. I. EARLY HISTORY 1. Name and Meaning 2. Genealogy 3. Home and Station 4. Sources for Life 5. Election as King 6. Reasons for It II. REIGN AND FALL 1. His First Action...
    [nave] SAUL 1. Called also Shaul. King of Edom, Gen. 36:37, 38; 1 Chr. 1:48, 49. 2. King of Israel. A Benjamite, son of Kish, 1 Sam. 9:1, 2. Sons of, 1 Chr. 8:33. His personal appearance, 1 Sam. 9:2; 10:23. Made king of Israel,...

  • SAMUEL, BOOKS OF

    [isbe] SAMUEL, BOOKS OF - || I. PLACE OF THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL IN THE HEBREW CANON II. CONTENTS OF THE BOOKS AND PERIOD OF TIME COVERED BY THE HISTORY III. SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS 1. Life of Samuel (1 Samuel 1 through 15) 2. Reign and D...

  • Boasting

    [nave] BOASTING. Prov. 20:14; 25:14; 27:1; Isa. 10:15; Jer. 9:23; Rom. 1:30; Jas. 3:5; 4:16. Of evil, Psa. 52:1. Instances of Goliath, 1 Sam. 17. Ben Hadad, 1 Kin. 20:10. Seacherib, 2 Kin. 18:19; Isa. 10:8-15. The disciples,...

  • JAARE-OREGIM

    [isbe] JAARE-OREGIM - ja'-a-re-or'-e-jim, -or'e-gim (ya`are'oreghim): In 2 Sam 21:19, given as the name of a Bethlehemite, father of Elhanan, who is said to have slain Goliath the Gittite (compare 1 Sam 17). The name is not likely ...

  • JESSE

    [isbe] JESSE - jes'-e (yishay, meaning doubtful; according to Gesenius it = "wealthy"; Olshausen, Gram., sections 277 f, conjectures yesh yah, "Yahweh exists"; Wellhausen (1 Sam 14:49) explains it as 'abhishay (see ABISHAI); Iessai...

  • WAR; WARFARE

    [isbe] WAR; WARFARE - wor, wor'-far (milchamah, 'anshe m., "men of war," "soldiers"; polemos, polemein, strateuesthai, stratia): 1. Religious Significance 2. Preliminaries 3. Operations of War 4. Strategy 5. Important Requisites 6....

  • Suffering

    [nave] SUFFERING Alleviation of Job 22:29; Isa. 58:6, 7, 10; Matt. 25:34-45; Luke 10:30-37; Phil. 2:1, 2; 1 Tim. 5:10; Jas. 5:13-15 For Christ Acts 9:16; Rom. 8:17-23, 26; 1 Cor. 4:12, 13; 2 Cor. 1:7; 2 Cor. 4:11-18; Phil. 1:29;...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • Gath

    [ebd] a wine-vat, one of the five royal cities of the Philistines (Josh. 13:3) on which the ark brought calamity (1 Sam. 5:8, 9; 6:17). It was famous also as being the birthplace or residence of Goliath (1 Sam. 17:4). David fled f...
    [isbe] GATH - gath (gath; Septuagint Geth, "winepress"): One of the five chief cities of the Philistines (Josh 13:3; 1 Sam 6:17). It was a walled town (2 Ch 26:6) and was not taken by Joshua, and, although many conflicts took place...
    [smith] (a wine press), one of the five royal cities of the Philistines; (Joshua 13:3; 1 Samuel 6:17) and the native place of the giant Goliath. (1 Samuel 17:4,23) It probably stood upon the conspicuous hill now called Tell-es-...
    [nave] GATH One of the five chief cities of the Philistines, Josh. 13:3; 1 Sam. 6:17; Amos 6:2; Mic. 1:10. Anakim, a race of giants, inhabitants of, Josh. 11:22. Goliath dwelt in, 1 Sam. 17:4; 1 Chr. 20:5-8. Obed-edom belonged t...

  • PALESTINE, 2

    [isbe] PALESTINE, 2 - III. Palestine in the Historic Books of the Old Testament. 1. Book of Joshua: Joshua is the great geographical book of the Old Testament; and the large majority of the 600 names of places, rivers and mountains...

  • Ephes-dammim

    [ebd] boundary of blood, a place in the tribe of Judah where the Philistines encamped when David fought with Goliath (1 Sam. 17:1). It was probably so called as having been the scene of frequent sanguinary conflicts between Israel...
    [isbe] EPHES-DAMMIM - e-fes-dam'-im ('ephec dammim): Some spot between Socoh and Azekah (1 Sam 17:1) where the Philistines were encamped; called in 1 Ch 11:13, "Pas-dammin." Ephes" end of" or "boundary" and the whole word may mean ...
    [nave] EPHES-DAMMIM, a place in Judah, 1 Sam. 17:1.

  • Azekah

    [isbe] AZEKAH - a-ze'-ka `azekah: A town of some importance in the Shephelah of Judah mentioned (Josh 15:35) next to Socoh. In Josh 10:10 the defeated kings of the Arnorites are described as flying before Joshua "by the way of the ...
    [smith] (dugover), a town of Judah, with dependent villages, lying in the Shefelah or rich agricultural plain. It is most clearly defined as being near Shochoh, (1 Samuel 17:1) but its position has not yet been recognized.
    [nave] AZEKAH, a town of Judah, Josh. 10:10, 11; 15:35; 1 Sam. 17:1; 2 Chr. 11:9; Neh. 11:30; Jer. 34:7.

  • Elah

    [ebd] terebinth or oak. (1.) Valley of, where the Israelites were encamped when David killed Goliath (1 Sam. 17:2, 19). It was near Shochoh of Judah and Azekah (17:1). It is the modern Wady es-Sunt, i.e., "valley of the acacia." "...
    [nave] ELAH 1. A valley where David killed Goliath, 1 Sam. 17:2, 19; 21:9. 2. An Edomite duke, Gen. 36:41; 1 Chr. 1:51. 3. Son of Caleb, 1 Chr. 4:15. 4. Father of Shimei, 1 Kin. 4:18. 5. Son and successor of Baasha, king of Isr...

  • Socoh

    [smith] the name of two towns in the tribe of Judah. In the district of the Shefelah. (Joshua 15:35; 1 Samuel 17:1; 2 Chronicles 11:7; 8:18) In the time of Eusebius it bore the name of Socchoth, and lay between eight and nine ...
    [nave] SOCOH 1. Called also Shocho, Shochoh, Shoco, Sochoh. A city of Judah, Josh. 15:35; 1 Sam. 17:1. One of Solomon's commissaries in, 1 Kin. 4:10. Rebuilt and fortified by Rehoboam, 2 Chr. 11:7. Taken by Philistines, 2 Chr. 2...

  • COPPER

    [ebd] derived from the Greek kupros (the island of Cyprus), called "Cyprian brass," occurs only in the Authorized Version in Ezra 8:27. Elsewhere the Hebrew word (nehosheth) is improperly rendered "brass," and sometimes "steel" (2...
    [smith] Heb. nechosheth , in the Authorized Version always rendered "brass," except in (Ezra 8:27) and Jere 15:12 It was almost exclusively used by the ancients for common purposes, and for every kind of instrument, as chains, pillar...

  • Pas-dammim

    [ebd] the border of blood = Ephes-dammim (q.v.), between Shochoh and Azekah (1 Sam. 17:1; 1 Chr. 11:13).
    [nave] PAS-DAMMIM A battle between David and the Philistines, fought at, 1 Chr. 11:13. Called Ephes-dammim in 1 Sam. 17:1.
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • Statements in the Book of Samuel imply that someone who had witnessed at least some of the events recorded wrote it. However the original writer must have written most of it after Samuel's death (i.e., -1 Sam. 25-2 Sam. 24) a...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • I. Eli and Samuel chs. 1-3A. The change from barrenness to fertility 1:1-2:101. Hannah's condition 1:1-82. Hannah's vow 1:9-183. Hannah's obedience 1:19-284. Hannah's song 2:1-10B. The contrast between Samuel and Eli's sons 2...
  • The basic theme in Samuel, that blessing, and in particular fertility of all kinds, follows from faithful commitment to God's revealed will, continues in this section. However another major motif now becomes more prominent. W...
  • The exciting story of David and Goliath illustrates what it was that God saw in David's heart that led Him to choose David for the position of king. It also shows how and why others in Israel began to notice David. David foug...
  • The Elah Valley is an S-shaped valley just south of the Sorek Valley. It runs east and west parallel to it. Socoh stood to the east and Azekah to the west. Archaeologists have not yet located Ephes-dammim. Gath was 7 miles to...
  • God used a humble weapon to give His people a great victory in response to one person's faith. This is another instance of God bringing blessing to and through a person who committed himself to simply believing and obeying Go...
  • Earlier the writer narrated Saul's anointing, military success, and the popular reaction to him (chs. 10-11). Now he followed the same pattern by recording David's anointing, military success, and the popular reaction to him ...
  • The writer's attention focused next on Saul's activities. He used the literary device of focusing on David, then on Saul, then on David, etc. He used the same technique in chapters 1-3 with Samuel and Eli's sons to contrast S...
  • Samuel's death and the mention of Saul's commendable removal of mediums and spiritists prepare for what follows (cf. Lev. 19:3; Deut. 18:11). Mediums are people who communicate with the dead, and spiritists are those who comm...
  • Ackroyd, Peter R. The First Book of Samuel. Cambridge Bible Commentary on the New English Bible series. Cambridge, Eng.: University Press, 1971._____. "The Verb Love--'Aheb in the David-Jonathan Narratives--A Footnote."Vetus ...
  • Students of David's lament over Saul and Jonathan's deaths have called it the Song of the Bow (cf. v. 22).10Many people in Judah learned and sang it (v. 18). The Book of Jasher (v. 18) is no longer extant (cf. Josh. 10:13)."H...
  • Travelers can visit the pool of Gibeon today. It lies about three miles northwest of Gibeah."The pool is a cylindrical shaft thirty-seven feet in diameter and thirty-five feet deep. Its five-feet-wide spiral stairway, which w...
  • Chapters 9-20 contrast with chapters 2-8 in that this later section is negative whereas the earlier one was positive. It records failure; the former records success. Compare the similar narrative of Saul's triumphs (1 Sam. 7-...
  • This record emphasizes the supernatural character of the victories David was able to enjoy because God fought for him by using various men in his army."The lists of heroes and heroic exploits that frame the poetic centre-piec...
  • Samaria's conqueror, Shalmaneser V, died in 722 B.C. shortly after his conquest. His successor, Sargon II (722-705 B.C.), carried out the deportation of the Israelites. The king who followed him was Sennacherib (705-681 B.C.,...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • 1 Samuel 17:32-51The scene of David's victory has been identified in the present Wady Es-Sunt, which still possesses one of the terebinth-trees which gave it its name of Elah.' At that point it is about a quarter of a mile wi...
  • Saul meant to honor as well as to secure David by dressing him in his own royal attire, and by encumbering him by the help of sword and helmet. And David was willing to be so fitted out, for it is no part of the courage of fa...
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