17:4-7When they had first approached the Promise Land, most of the Israelites had been afraid to enter because of the giants living there (Numbers 13:32, 33). King Og of Bashan needed a bed over 13 feet long (Deuteronomy 3:11). Now Goliath, over nine feet tall, taunted Israel’s soldiers and appeared invincible to them. Saul, the tallest of the Israelites, may have been especially worried because he was obviously the best match for Goliath. In God’s eyes, however, Goliath was no different than anyone else.
Life Application Study Bible1 SamuelChapter 17
1 Samuel 17
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 436, 437, 438, 439, 440
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171 Samuel 17
2. David and Goliath
Goliath Challenges the Israelites
1The Philistines now mustered their army for battle and camped between Socoh in Judah and Azekah at Ephes-dammim. 2Saul countered by gathering his Israelite troops near the valley of Elah. 3So the Philistines and Israelites faced each other on opposite hills, with the valley between them. 4Then Goliath, a Philistine champion from Gath, came out of the Philistine ranks to face the forces of Israel. He was over nine feet* tall! SHe wore a bronze helmet, and his bronze 16:14 Or an evil spirit; also in 16:15, 16, 23. 17:4 Hebrew 6 cubits and 1 span [which totals about 9.75 feet or 3 meters]; Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version read 4 cubits and 1 span [which totals about 6.75 feet or 2 meters]. coat of mail weighed 125 pounds. 5He also wore bronze leg armor, and he carried a bronze javelin on his shoulder. 7The shaft of his spear was as heavy and thick as a weaver's beam, tipped with an iron spearhead that weighed 15 pounds.* His armor bearer walked ahead of him carrying a shield. 8Goliath stood and shouted a taunt across to the Israelites. “Why are you ail coming out to fight?” he called. “I am the Philistine champion, but you are only the servants of Saul. Choose one man to come down here and fight me! 9If he kills me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves! 10I defy the armies of Israel today! Send me a man who will fight me!” 11When Saul and the Israelites heard this, they were terrified and deeply shaken.
Jesse Sends David to Saul’s Camp
1212Now David was the son of aman named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. Jesse was an old man at that time, and he had eight sons. 3Jesse’s three oldest sons—Eliab, Abinadab, and Shimea*—had already joined Saul’s army to fight the Philistines. 14David was the youngest son. David's three oldest brothers stayed with Saul’s army, 1Sput David went back and forth so he could help his father with the sheep in Bethlehem. 16For forty days, every morning and evening, the Philistine champion strutted in front of the Israelite army. 17One day Jesse said to David, “Take this basket* of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread, and carry thern quickly to your brothers. 18And give these ten cuts of cheese to their captain. See how your brothers are getting along, and bring back a report on how they are doing.*” 19David’s brothers were with Saul and the Israelite army at the valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines. 20So David left the sheep with another shepherd and set out early the next morning with the gifts, as Jesse had directed him. He arrived at the camp just.as the Israelite army was leaving for the battlefield with shouts and battle cries. 21Soon the Israelite and Philistine forces stood facing each other, army against army. 22David left his things with the keeper of supplies and hurried out to the ranks to greet his brothers. 3As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, came out from the Philistine ranks. Then David heard him shout his usual taunt to the army of Israel. 24As soon as the Israelite army saw him, they began to run away in fright. 25“Have you seen the giant?” the men asked. “He comes out each day to defy Israel. The king has offered a huge reward to anyone who kills him. He will give that man one of his daughters for a wife, and the man’s entire family will be exempted from paying taxes!” 26David asked the soldiers standing nearby, “What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?” 27And these men gave David the same reply. They said, “ Yes, that is the reward for killing him.” 28But when David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. “What are you doing around here anyway?” he demanded. “What about those few sheep you're supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!” 29” What have I done now?” David replied. “I was only asking a question!” 30He walked over to some others and asked them the same thing and received the same answer. 31Then David's question was reported to King Saul, and the king sent for him.
David Kills Goliath
3232“Don‘t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I'll go fight him!” 33"Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You're only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.” 34But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, 351 go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. [f the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and clubit to death. 36I have done this to both lions and bears, and I'll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! 37The LORD who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the LORD be with you!” 38Then Saul gave David his own armor—a bronze helmet and a coat of mail. 39David put it on, strapped the sword over it, and took a step or two to see what it was like, for he had never worn such things before. “I can't go in these,” he protested to Saul. “I’m not used to them.” So David took them off again. 40He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine. 41Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, 42sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy. 43“Am Ia dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me witha stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods. 44“Come over here, and I'll give yout flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled. 45David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven's Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46Today the LORD will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! 47And everyone assembled here 17:47 will know that the LORD rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This isthe LORD'S 2 Chr 14:11; 20:15 Ps 44:6 battle, and he will give you to us!” foe te 48As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. 49Reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground. 50So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no $750. 4g sword. 51Then David ran over and pulled Goliath's sword from its sheath. David used it to kill him and cut off his head.
Israel Routs the Philistines
When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they turned and ran. 52Then the ree 11, 36 men of Israel and Judah gave a great shout of triumph and rushed after the Philistines, chasing them as far as Gath* and the gates of Ekron. The bodies of the dead and wounded Philistines were strewn all along the road from Shaaraim, as far as Gath and Ekron. 53Then the Israelite army returned and plundered the deserted Philistine camp. 54(David took the Philistine’s head to Jerusalem, but he stored the man’s armor in his own tent.) 55s Saul watched David go out to fight the Philistine, he asked Abner, the commander of his army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?” “T really don’t know,” Abner declared. 56“ Well, find out who he is!” the king told him. 57As soon as David returned from killing Goliath, Abner brought him to Saul with the Philistine’s head still in his hand. 58“ Tell me about your father, young man,” Saul said. And David replied, “His name is Jesse, and we live in Bethlehem.” 3. David and Jonathan become friends
Textual footnotes
- a variant spelling of Shimea; compare + Chr 2:13; 20:7.
- 17:5 Hebrew 5,000 shekeis [57 kilograms].
- 17:7 Hebrew 600 shekels [6.8 kilograms].
- 17:13 Hebrew Shammah,
- 17:18 Hebrew and take their pledge.
Life Application Notes 9 notes
17:9An army often avoided the high cost of battle by pitting its strongest warrior against the strongest warrior of the enemy. This avoided great bloodshed because the winner of the fight was considered the winner of the battle. Goliath had the definite advantage against David from a human standpoint. But Goliath didn’t realize that in fighting David, he also had to fight God.
17:16Why would this go on for 40 days without one side attacking the other? They were camped on opposite sides of a valley with steep walls. Whoever would rush down the valley and up the steep cliffs would be at a disadvantage at the beginning of the battle and probably suffer great casualties. Each side was waiting for the other to attack first.
17:17Hebrew ephah [20 quarts or 22 liters].
17:26What a difference perspective can make. Most of the onlookers saw only a giant. David, however, saw a mortal man defying almighty God. Goliath was a target too big to miss. He knew he would not be alone when he faced Goliath; God would fight with him. He tooked at his situation from God's point of view. Who or what are the “giants” you are facing? Viewing impossible situations from God's point of view helps us put giant problems in perspective. Once we see clearly, we can fight more effectively.
17:28-32Criticism couldn’t stop David. While the rest of the army stood around, he knew the importance of taking action. With God to fight for him, there was no reason to wait. People may try to discourage you with negative comments or mockery, but continue to do what you know is right. By doing what is right, you will be pleasing God, whose opinion matters most. “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!”
17:48-49David was able to move faster than Goliath because David carried no heavy weapons or armor. David was an expert marksman with a sling, and as he advanced on Goliath, he stayed out of range of Goliath’s huge weapons. What made David effective, however, was more than his ability with a sling; it was his courage and his faith in God. To fight like David we need David's kind of fearlessness. David had grown strong in his confidence by trusting God when he had encountered wild animals while guarding his father’s sheep (17:34-37). When you face towering problems, recall how God has helped you in the past. Take heart because God gives you strength. Use the skills God has already given you and move forward.
17:52As in some Greek manuscripts; Hebrew reads a valley. cymbals is uncertain.
17:55-58Although David had played his harp many times
Charts, profiles & sidebars from the printed pages
Personality profile · page 437
Goliath was a giant with an attitude. As champion of the Philistines, he immobilized an entire army of Israelites by challenging one of them to duel with him. He made them forget they had an absolute champion in the LORD their God. it took a bold shepherd boy named David to remind them all they were the armies of the living God. Goliath was a problem to be faced on his terms but not with his weapons. Goliath’s strengths were so obvious (size, armor, arrogance) that others missed his vulnerability. For Goliath had a glaring weakness that never occurred to him until David’s stone struck him down. When David was given Goliath’s kind of weapons, David quickly concluded he couldn’t even function—much less fight—with those tools. Goliath’s strengths would have been David’s handicaps. Armor plating and heavy weapons were of little use to the shepherd boy. David went with the two weapons he knew he could rely on: his trust in God and his shepherd's sling. When others looked at Goliath, they saw an opponent too powerful to defeat; when David looked at Goliath, he saw a target too big to miss! David had armor to match Goliath’s, but it was invisible. He was spiritually equipped. Ephesians 6:10—18 describes in detail the resources that God places at our disposal. How unfortunate that we face our world each day on its terms.and too often try to wield its weapons. God’s weapons are not as obvious, but they never fail us! How much of your spiritual armor are you wearing today?
Strengths and accomplishments
• Designated champion of the Philistine army
• Heid the entire army of Israel at bay by intimidation and derision
• Recognized as a giant in his day
Weaknesses and mistakes
• Defied the armies of the living God
• Failed to take David seriously
Lessons from his life
• Strengths often conceal weaknesses © God will not be mocked
• God transforms strength into weakness and weakness into strength
• God equips those who trust him with spiritual armor
Vitai statistics
• Where: Gath
• Occupation: Soldier
• Relatives: At least one brother
• Contemporaries: Saul, Jonathan, David
“Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26).
Key verse
His story is told in 1 Samuel 17.
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Study feature · page 438
DAVID AND GOLIATH = The armies of Israel and Philistia faced each other across the vailey of Elah. David arrived from Bethlehem and offered to fight the giant Goliath. After David defeated Goliath, the Israelite army chased the Philistines to Ekron and Gath (Goliath’s hometown).
Personality profile · page 439
When we think of David, we think: shepherd, poet, giant-killer, king, ancestor of Jesus—in short, one of the greatest men in the Old Testament. But alongside that list stands another: betrayer, liar, adulterer, murderer. The first list gives qualities we all might like to have; the second, qualities that might be true of any one of us. The Bible makes no effort to hide David's failures. Yet he is remembered and respected for his heart for God. Knowing how much more we share in David’s failures than in his greatness, we should be curious to find out what made God refer to David as “a man after my own heart” (Acts 13:22), David, more than anything else, had an unchangeable belief in the faithful and forgiving nature of God. He was a man who lived with great zest. He sinned, but he was quick to confess his sins. His confessions were from the heart, and his repentance was genuine. David never took God’s forgiveness lightly or his blessing for granted. In return, God never held back from David either his forgiveness or the consequences of his actions. David experienced the joy of forgiveness even when he had to suffer the consequences of his sins. We tend to get these two reversed. Too often we would rather avoid the consequences than experience forgiveness. Another big difference between us and David is that while he sinned greatly, he did not sin repeatedly. He learned from his mistakes because he accepted the suffering they brought. Often we don't seem to learn from our mistakes or the consequences that result from those mistakes. What changes would it take for God to find this kind of obedience in you?
© Greatest king of Israel
• Ancestor of Jesus Christ
• Listed in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11
• Aman described by God himself as a man after his own heart
Strengths and accomplishments
• Committed adultery with Bathsheba
• Arranged the murder of Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband
• Directly disobeyed God in taking a census of the people
• Did not deal decisively with the sins of his children
Weaknesses and mistakes
• Willingness to honestly admit our mistakes is the first step in dealing with them
• Forgiveness does not remove the consequences of sin
• God greatly desires our complete trust and worship
Lessons from his life
Vital statistics
• Where: Bethlehem, Jerusalem
• Occupations: Shepherd, musician, poet, soldier, king
• Relatives: Father: Jesse. Wives: included Michal, Ahinoam, Bathsheba, Abigail. Sons: included Absalom, Amnon, Solomon, Adonijah. Daughters: included Tamar.
• Contemporaries: Saul, Jonathan, Samuel, Nathan
Key verses “For you are God, O Sovereign LORD. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant. And now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you have spoken, and when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign LORD, it is an eternal blessing!” (2 Samuel 7:28, 29). His story is told in 1 Samuel 16—1 Kings 2. He is also mentioned in Amos 6:5; Matthew 1:1, 6; 22:43-45; Luke 1:32; Acts 13:22; Romans 1:3; Hebrews 11:32.
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Study feature · page 440
in front of Saul, Saul’s question to Abner seems to show he didn’t know David very well. Perhaps, since David was scheduled to marry Saul’s daughter if he was successful (17:25), Saul wanted to know more about his family. Or possibly Saut’s unstable mental condition (16:14) may have prevented him from recognizing David. 48:1-4 When David and Jonathan met, they became close friends at once. Their friendship is one of the deepest and closest recorded in the Bible: (1) They based their friendship on commitment to God, not just each other; (2) they let nothing come between them, not even career or family problems, (3) they drew closer together when their friendship was tested; (4) they remained friends to the end. Jonathan, the prince of Israel, later realized that David, and not he, would be the next king (23:17). But that did not weaken his love tor David. Jonathan would much rather lose the throne of Israel than tose his closest friend.
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