12 And David 'is' son of this Ephrathite of Beth-Lehem-Judah, whose name 'is' Jesse, and he hath eight sons, and the man in the days of Saul hath become aged among men; 13 and the three eldest sons of Jesse go, they have gone after Saul to battle; and the name of his three sons who have gone into battle 'are' Eliab the first-born, and his second Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 And David is the youngest, and the three eldest have gone after Saul, 15 and David is going and returning from Saul, to feed the flock of his father at Beth-Lehem. 16 And the Philistine draweth nigh, morning and evening, and stationeth himself forty days. 17 And Jesse saith to David his son, 'Take, I pray thee, to thy brethren, an ephah of this roasted 'corn', and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren; 18 and these ten cuttings of the cheese thou dost take in to the head of the thousand, and thy brethren thou dost inspect for welfare, and their pledge dost receive.' 19 And Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel 'are' in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 20 And David riseth early in the morning, and leaveth the flock to a keeper, and lifteth up, and goeth, as Jesse commanded him, and he cometh in to the path, and to the force which is going out unto the rank, and they have shouted for battle; 21 and Israel and the Philistines set in array rank to meet rank. 22 And David letteth down the goods from off him on the hand of a keeper of the goods, and runneth into the rank, and cometh and asketh of his brethren of welfare. 23 And he is speaking with them, and lo, a man of the duellists is coming up, Goliath the Philistine 'is' his name, of Gath, out of the ranks of the Philistines, and he speaketh according to those words, and David heareth; 24 and all the men of Israel when they see the man flee from his presence, and are greatly afraid. 25 And the men of Israel say, 'Have ye seen this man who is coming up? for, to reproach Israel he is coming up, and it hath been—the man who smiteth him, the king doth enrich him with great riches, and his daughter he doth give to him, and his father's house doth make free in Israel.' 26 And David speaketh unto the men who are standing by him, saying, 'What is done to the man who smiteth this Philistine, and hath turned aside reproach from Israel? for who 'is' this uncircumcised Philistine that he hath reproached the ranks of the living God?' 27 And the people speak to him according to this word, saying, 'Thus it is done to the man who smiteth him.' 28 And Eliab, his eldest brother, heareth when he speaketh unto the men, and the anger of Eliab burneth against David, and he saith, 'Why 'is' this—thou hast come down! and to whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I have known thy pride, and the evil of thy heart—for, to see the battle thou hast come down.' 29 And David saith, 'What have I done now? is it not a word?' 30 And he turneth round from him unto another, and saith according to this word, and the people return him word as the first word.
31 And the words which David hath spoken are heard, and they declare before Saul, and he receiveth him; 32 and David saith unto Saul, 'Let no man's heart fall because of him, thy servant doth go, and hath fought with this Philistine.' 33 And Saul saith unto David, 'Thou art not able to go unto this Philistine, to fight with him, for a youth thou 'art', and he a man of war from his youth.' 34 And David saith unto Saul, 'A shepherd hath thy servant been to his father among the sheep, and the lion hath come—and the bear—and hath taken away a sheep out of the drove, 35 and I have gone out after him, and smitten him, and delivered out of his mouth, and he riseth against me, and I have taken hold on his beard, and smitten him, and put him to death. 36 Both the lion and the bear hath thy servant smitten, and this uncircumcised Philistine hath been as one of them, for he hath reproached the ranks of the living God.' 37 And David saith, 'Jehovah, who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He doth deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.' And Saul saith unto David, 'Go, and Jehovah is with thee.' 38 And Saul clotheth David with his long robe, and hath put a helmet of brass on his head, and doth clothe him with a coat of mail. 39 And David girded his sword above his long robe, and beginneth to go, for he hath not tried 'it'; and David saith unto Saul, 'I am not able to go with these, for I had not tried;' and David turneth them aside from off him.
40 And he taketh his staff in his hand, and chooseth for him five smooth stones from the brook, and putteth them in the shepherds' habiliments that he hath, even in the scrip, and his sling 'is' in his hand, and he draweth nigh unto the Philistine. 41 And the Philistine goeth on, going and drawing near unto David, and the man bearing the buckler 'is' before him, 42 and the Philistine looketh attentively, and seeth David, and despiseth him, for he was a youth, and ruddy, with a fair appearance. 43 And the Philistine saith unto David, 'Am I a dog that thou art coming unto me with staves?' and the Philistine revileth David by his gods, 44 and the Philistine saith unto David, 'Come unto me, and I give thy flesh to the fowl of the heavens, and to the beast of the field.' 45 And David saith unto the Philistine, 'Thou art coming unto me with sword, and with spear, and with buckler, and I am coming unto thee in the name of Jehovah of Hosts, God of the ranks of Israel, which thou hast reproached. 46 This day doth Jehovah shut thee up into my hand—and I have smitten thee, and turned aside thy head from off thee, and given the carcase of the camp of the Philistines this day to the fowl of the heavens, and to the beast of the earth, and all the earth do know that God is for Israel. 47 and all this assembly do know that not by sword and by spear doth Jehovah save, that the battle 'is' Jehovah's, and He hath given you into our hand.'
48 And it hath come to pass, that the Philistine hath risen, and goeth, and draweth near to meet David, and David hasteth and runneth to the rank to meet the Philistine, 49 and David putteth forth his hand unto the vessel, and taketh thence a stone, and slingeth, and smiteth the Philistine on his forehead, and the stone sinketh into his forehead, and he falleth on his face to the earth. 50 And David is stronger than the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smiteth the Philistine, and putteth him to death, and there is no sword in the hand of David, 51 and David runneth and standeth over the Philistine, and taketh his sword, and draweth it out of its sheath, and putteth him to death, and cutteth off with it his head; and the Philistines see that their hero 'is' dead, and flee. 52 And the men of Israel rise—also Judah—and shout, and pursue the Philistines till thou enter the valley, and unto the gates of Ekron, and the wounded of the Philistines fall in the way of Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron, 53 and the sons of Israel turn back from burning after the Philistines, and spoil their camps. 54 And David taketh the head of the Philistine, and bringeth it in to Jerusalem, and his weapons he hath put in his own tent. 55 And when Saul seeth David going out to meet the Philistine, he hath said unto Abner, head of the host, 'Whose son 'is' this—the youth, Abner?' and Abner saith, 'Thy soul liveth, O king, I have not known.' 56 And the king saith, 'Ask thou whose son this 'is'—the young man.' 57 And when David turneth back from smiting the Philistine, then Abner taketh him and bringeth him in before Saul, and the head of the Philistine in his hand; 58 and Saul saith unto him, 'Whose son 'art' thou, O youth?' and David saith, 'Son of thy servant Jesse, the Beth-Lehemite.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Samuel 17:12-58
Commentary on 1 Samuel 17:12-30
(Read 1 Samuel 17:12-30)
Jesse little thought of sending his son to the army at that critical juncture; but the wise God orders actions and affairs, so as to serve his designs. In times of general formality and lukewarmness, every degree of zeal which implies readiness to go further, or to venture more in the cause of God than others, will be blamed as pride and ambition, and by none more than by near relations, like Eliab, or negligent superiors. It was a trial of David's meekness, patience, and constancy. He had right and reason on his side, and did not render railing for railing; with a soft answer he turned away his brother's wrath. This conquest of his own passion was more honourable than that of Goliath. Those who undertake great and public services, must not think it strange if they are spoken ill of, and opposed by those from whom they expect support and assistance. They must humbly go on with their work, in the face not only of enemies' threats, but of friends' slights and suspicions.
Commentary on 1 Samuel 17:31-39
(Read 1 Samuel 17:31-39)
A shepherd lad, come the same morning from keeping sheep, had more courage than all the mighty men of Israel. Thus God often sends good words to his Israel, and does great things for them, by the weak and foolish things of the world. As he had answered his brother's passion with meekness, so David answered Saul's fear with faith. When David kept sheep, he proved himself very careful and tender of his flock. This reminds us of Christ, the good Shepherd, who not only ventured, but laid down his life for the sheep. Our experience ought to encourage us to trust in God, and be bold in the way of duty. He that has delivered, does and will continue to do so. David gained leave to fight the Philistine. Not being used to such armour as Saul put upon him, he was not satisfied to go in that manner; this was from the Lord, that it might more plainly appear he fought and conquered in faith, and that the victory was from Him who works by the feeblest and most despised means and instruments. It is not to be inquired how excellent any thing is, but how proper. Let Saul's coat be ever so rich, and his armour ever so strong, what is David the better if they fit him not? But faith, prayer, truth, and righteousness; the whole armour of God, and the mind that was in Christ; are equally needful for all the servants of the Lord, whatever may be their work.
Commentary on 1 Samuel 17:40-47
(Read 1 Samuel 17:40-47)
The security and presumption of fools destroy them. Nothing can excel the humility, faith, and piety which appear in David's words. He expressed his assured expectation of success; he gloried in his mean appearance and arms, that the victory might be ascribed to the Lord alone.
Commentary on 1 Samuel 17:48-58
(Read 1 Samuel 17:48-58)
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 often is the Christian foiled through an evil heart of unbelief!