1 Samuel 17
1 The armies of the Israelites and Philistines being ready to battle,
4 Goliath challenges a combat.
12 David, sent by his father to visit his brethren, takes the challenge.
28 Eliab chides him.
30 He is brought to Saul;
32 shews the reason of his confidence;
38 and slays the giant.
55 Saul takes notice of David.
gathered ....... assembled <0622> [gathered.]
Socoh .......... Socoh <07755> [Shochoh.]
[Socoh.]
[Shoco.]
[Shocho. Azekah.]
Ephes Dammim <0658> [Ephes-dammim. or, the coast of Dammim.]
[Pas-dammim.]
valley <06010> [the valley.]
arranged ... battle lines <06186 04421> [set the battle in array. Heb. ranged the battle.]
Goliath <01555> [Goliath.]
Gath <01661> [of Gath.]
tall <01363> [whose height.]
seven feet <0520 08337> [six cubits.]
According to Bp. Cumberland's calculation, the height of Goliath was about eleven feet ten inches; but Parkhurst estimating the ordinary cubit at seventeen inches and a half, calculates that he was nine feet six inches high. Few instances can be produced of men who can be compared with him. Pliny says, "The tallest man that hath been seen in our days was one name Gabara, who, in the days of Claudius, the late Emperor, was brought out of Arabia: he was nine feet nine inches." Josephus mentions a Jew, named Eleazar, whom Vitellius sent to Rome, who was seven cubits, or ten feet two inches high. Becanus saw a man near ten feet, and a woman that was full ten feet. And, to mention no more, a man of the name of John Middleton, born at Hale, near Warrington, in Lancashire, in the reign of James the First, was more than nine feet high. Dr. Plott, in his history of Staffordshire, says, that "his hand, from the carpus to the end of the middle finger, was seventeen inches, his palms eight inches and a half broad, and his whole height was nine feet three inches; wanting but six inches of the height of Goliath of Gath."
wearing <03847> [armed. Heb. clothed.]
bronze ......... bronze javelin <05178 03591> [target of brass. or, gorget.]
<06086> [the staff.]
servants ... Saul <07586 05650> [servants to Saul.]
serve <05647> [and serve us.]
defy <02778> [I defy.]
Give .... man <05414 0376> [give me.]
upset <02865> [dismayed.]
David <01732> [David.]
<0376> [Ephrathite.]
son ............. eight sons <01121 08083> [eight sons.]
names <08034> [the names.]
Shammah <08048> [Shammah.]
[Shimeah.]
youngest <06996> [the youngest.]
back <07725> [returned.]
forty days <03117 0705> [forty days.]
Take ... brothers .................... brothers <03947 0251> [Take now.]
roasted grain .... ten <07039 06235> [parched corn.]
take <0935> [carry.]
cheese <02461> [cheeses. Heb. cheeses of milk.]
officer <0505> [their thousand. Heb. a thousand. look.]
valley <06010> [the valley.]
Dr. Richardson says, that in about twenty minutes, in an easterly direction, form the cave of St. John, (which is about two hours or six miles, in a westerly direction, from Jerusalem,) they came to the valley of Elah; which position seems to agree with that of Shochoh and Azekah. He describes it as "a small valley, and the place of the encampment is pointed out where it narrows into a broad, deep ravine; part of it was in crop, and part of it was under the plough, which was drawn by a couple of oxen. A small stream, which had shrunk almost under its stony bed, passes through it from east to west, from which we are informed that David chose out five smooth stones, and hasted and ran to meet the haughty champion of Gath. A well of water under the bank, with a few olive trees above, on the north side of the valley, are said to mark the spot of the shepherd's triumph over his boasting antagonist. Saul and his men probably occupied the side of the valley which is nearest to Jerusalem, on which the ground is higher and more rugged than on the other side."
entrusted ... flock <06629 05203> [left the sheep.]
camp <04570> [trench. or, place of the carriage.]
battle lines <04634> [fight. or, battle array, or place of fight.]
cargo ....... supply <03627> [his carriage. Heb. the vessels from upon him. saluted his brethren. Heb. asked his brethren of peace.]
<0428> [according.]
presence <06440> [him. Heb. his face.]
very <03966> [sore.]
king <04428> [the king.]
Israel ................. Israel ............................... exempt ...... Israel <03478 02670> [free in Israel.]
humiliation <02781> [reproach.]
uncircumcised <06189> [uncircumcised.]
defies <02778> [defy.]
done <06213> [So shall it.]
Eliab ........ he ... angry <0639 0446> [Eliab's anger.]
entrust <05203> [with.]
familiar <03045> [I know.]
question ....... same answer <01697> [manner. Heb. word.]
overheard ....... called <03947> [sent for him. Heb. took him.]
The preceding twenty verses, from the 12th to the 31st inclusive, the 41st, and from the 54th to the end of this chapter, with the five first verses and the 9th, 10th, 11th, 17th, 18th, and 19th, of ch. 18, are all wanting in the Vatican copy of the LXX.; and they are supposed by Dr. Kennicott, and others, to be an interpolation. But, as Bp. Horsley observes, it appears, from many circumstances of the story, that David's combat with Goliath was many years prior to Saul's madness, and David's introduction to him as a musician. In the first place, David was quite a youth when he engaged with Goliath, (ver. 33, 42:) when introduced to Saul he was of full age, (ch. 16:18.) Again, this combat was his first appearance in public life, and his first military exploit, (ver. 36, 38, 39:) when introduced as a musician, he was a man of established character, and a man of war (ch. 16:18.) Now the just conclusion is, that the last ten verses of ch. 16 have been misplaced; their true place being between the ninth and tenth verses of ch. 18. Let them be removed there, and the whole apparent disorder will be removed.
anyone <0120> [Let.]
servant <05650> [thy.]
able <03201> [Thou art not.]
[for thou are but.]
sheep <07716> [lamb. or, kid.]
strike ... down ... rescue .................... strike .... kill <05221 05337 04191> [smote him.]
uncircumcised <06189> [this.]
defied <02778> [seeing.]
Lord ............................ Lord <03068> [The Lord.]
<03212> [Go.]
clothed David ..... fighting attire ............ put <03847 01732 04055> [armed David with his armour. Heb. clothed David with his clothes.]
removed <05493> [put them off.]
staff <04731> [staff.]
stream <05158> [brook. or, valley. bag. Heb. vessel.]
despised <0959> [disdained.]
boy <05288> [a youth.]
dog <03611> [Am.]
cursed <07043> [cursed.]
give <03212 05414> [Come to me.]
give <05414> [I will give.]
Parallel instances of vaunting occur in some writers of a more recent date:--The conspirators against the emperor Maximinus having slain him, his son, and several of his best friends, threw out their bodies to be devoured by dogs and the fowls of the air. This custom appears to have been frequently threatened; and, however shocking to human feelings, was often carried into effect.
coming ............. coming <0935> [Thou comest.]
name <08034> [in the name.]
defied <02778> [defied.]
Lord <03068> [will the Lord.]
deliver ..... hand <05462 03027> [deliver thee. Heb. shut thee up.]
off ... head <05493 07218> [take thine.]
corpses <06297> [carcases.]
land ..... land <0776> [all the earth.]
sword ....... saves <03467 02719> [saveth not.]
battle <04421> [the battle.]
him ... David quickly <01732 04116> [David hasted.]
striking <05221> [smote.]
David prevailed .................... David <01732 02388> [So David prevailed.]
The tradition of the combat between David and Goliath, in which the latter was killed, is preserved among the Arabs; for he is mentioned in the Koran, where he is called Galut or Jalut. The Arabs also call the dynasty of the Philistine kings, who reigned in Palestine when the Hebrews came there, Galutiah, or Jalutiah. Achmed Al Fassi says, "Those kings were as well known by the name of Jalaut, as the ancient kings of Egypt by that of Pharaoh. David killed the Jalaut who reigned in his time, and entirely rooted out the Philistines, the rest of whom fled into Africa, and from them descended the Brebers or Berbers, who inhabit the coast of Barbary." It is remarkable that the Berbers themselves should acknowledge their descent from the Philistines. "The name Goliath, which they pronounce Sghi…lud, is very common among the Brebers, and the history of the champion of the Philistines is very well known to the Moors. When children quarrel, and the bigger one challenges the smaller to fight the latter answers, 'Who will fight with you? {Enta men ulid Sgi…lud.} You are of the race of Golaith.' The Jews who dwell among them, on the mountains, all call them Philistines."
sword <02719> [but there was.]
sword <02719> [his sword.]
cut off <03772> [cut off.]
ran away <05127> [fled.]
Israel <03478 0582> [the men of Israel.]
valley <01516> [valley.]
looted <08155> [they spoiled.]
took ... head <03947 07218> [took the head.]
son <01121> [whose son.]
head <07218> [the head.]
son ........... son <01121> [Whose son.]
To account for the apparent inconsistency of Saul not knowing David, see the Note at the end of ver. 31.
son ........... son <01121> [I am the son.]
