1SA 17

1 Samuel 17:40

WEB

He took his staff in his hand, and chose for himself five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag which he had. His sling was in his hand; and he came near to the Philistine.

BSB

And David took his staff in his hand, selected five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag. And with his sling in hand, he approached the Philistine.

KJV

And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

Matthew Henry

Verses 40–47

1 Samuel 17:40–47

We are now coming near this famous combat, and have in these verses the preparations and remonstrances made on both sides.

I. The preparations made on both sides for the encounter. The Philistine was already fixed, as he had been daily for the last forty days. Well might he go with his armour, for he had sufficiently proved it. Only we are told (Sa1 17:41) that he came on and drew near, a signal, it is likely, being given that his challenge was accepted, and, as if he distrusted his helmet and coat of mail, a man went before him, carrying his shield, for his own hands were full with his sword and spear, Sa1 17:45. But what arms and ammunition is David furnished with? Truly none but what he brought with him as a shepherd; no breastplate, nor corselet, but his plain shepherd's coat; no spear, but his staff; no sword nor bow, but his sling; no quiver, but his scrip; nor any arrows, but, instead of them, five smooth stones picked up out of the brook, Sa1 17:40. By this it appeared that his confidence was purely in the power of God, and not in any sufficiency of his own, and that now at length he who put it into his heart to fight the Philistine put it into his head with what weapons to do it.

II. The conference which precedes the encounter, in which observe,

1. How very proud Goliath was, (1.) With what scorn he looked upon his adversary, Sa1 17:42. He 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 disdained him, thought it below him to enter the lists with him, fearing that the contemptibleness of the champion he contended with would lessen the glory of his victory. He took notice of his person, that he was but a youth, not come to his strength, ruddy and of a fair countenance, fitter to accompany the virgins of Israel in their dances (if mixed dancing was then in use) than to lead on the men of Israel in their battles. He took notice of his array with great indignation (Sa1 17:43): "Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? Dost thou think to beat me as easily as thou dost thy shepherd's dog?" (2.) With what confidence he presumed upon his success. He cursed David by his gods, imprecating the impotent vengeance of his idols against him, thinking these fire-balls thrown about him would secure his success: and therefore, in confidence of that, he darts his grimaces, as if threatening words would kill (Sa1 17:44): "Come to me, and I will give thy flesh to the fowls of the air, it will be a tender and delicate feast for them." Thus the security and presumption of fools destroy them.

2. How very pious David was. His speech savours nothing of ostentation, but God is all in all in it, Sa1 17:45-47. (1.) He derives his authority from God: "I come to thee by warrant and commission from heaven, in the name of the Lord, who has called me to and anointed me for this undertaking, who, by his universal providence, is the Lord of hosts, of all hosts, and therefore has power to do what he pleases, and, by the special grace of his covenant, is the God of the armies of Israel, and therefore has engaged and will employ his power for their protection, and against thee who hast impiously defied them." The name of God David relied on, as Goliath did on his sword and spear. See Psa 20:7; Psa 118:10, Psa 118:11. (2.) He depends for success upon God, Sa1 17:46. David speaks with as much assurance as Goliath had done, but upon better ground; it is his faith that says, "This day will the Lord deliver thee into my hand, and not only thy carcase, but the carcases of the host of the Philistines, shall be given to the birds and beasts of prey." (3.) He devotes the praise and glory of all to God. He did not, like Goliath, seek his own honour, but the honour of God, not doubting but by the success of this action, [1.] All the world should be made to know that there is a God, and that the God of Israel is the one only living and true God, and all other pretended deities are vanity and a lie. [2.] All Israel (whom he calls not this army, but this assembly, or church, because they were now religiously attending the goings of their God and King, as they used to do in the sanctuary) shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear (Sa1 17:47), but can, when he pleases, save without either and against both, Psa 46:9. David addresses himself to this combat rather as a priest that was going to offer a sacrifice to the justice of God than as a soldier that was going to engage an enemy of his country.

Cross-references: 1Sam 17:41 · 1Sam 17:45 · 1Sam 17:40 · 1Sam 17:42 · 1Sam 17:43 · 1Sam 17:44 · Ps 20:7 · Ps 118:10 · Ps 118:11 · 1Sam 17:46 · 1Sam 17:47 · Ps 46:9

Hebrew interlinear

ל֣וֹloprep + suffix · pronominal · 3rd · masc · sing
ל֛וֹloprep + suffix · pronominal · 3rd · masc · sing

H3947

לָקַחlâqach/law-kakh'/

v — take

Derivation: a primitive root;

to take (in the widest variety of applications)

KJV: accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, × many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.

לָקַח

vb — take

לָקַח 965 vb. take

Qal

1. take, take in hand

2. take and carry along with oneself

3.

a. take from, or out of

b. take, carry away

c. take away from, so as to deprive of

d. esp. take away life

4. take to or for a person

5. take up, upon = put upon

6. = fetch

7. take = lead, conduct (with or without contact)

8. take = capture, seize

9. take = carry off

10. in phr. take vengeance

Niph.

1. be captured, of ark

2. be taken away, removed

3. be taken, brought unto

Pu.

1. be taken from, out of

2. = be stolen from

3. be taken captive

4. be taken away, removed

Hoph.

1. be taken, brought unto

2. be taken out of

3. be taken away from

Hithp. lit. fire taking hold of itself, of lightning

H4731

מַקֵּלmaqqêl/mak-kale/

n-m — shoot, stick

Derivation: or (feminine) מַקְּלָה; from an unused root meaning apparently to germinate;

a shoot, i.e. stick (with leaves on, or for walking, striking, guiding, divining)

KJV: rod, (hand-)staff.

מַקֵּל

n.m — rod

מַקֵּל n.m. rod, staff

1. branch of tree as rod, stick, used by Jacob in breeding his flocks

2. staff, used in journeying

3. wand of diviner

H3027

יָדyâd/yawd/

n-f — hand, open, power, means, direction, closed

Derivation: a primitive word;

a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from 3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote [as follows]

KJV: ( be) able, × about, armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, × bounty, broad, (broken-) handed, × by, charge, coast, consecrate, creditor, custody, debt, dominion, × enough, fellowship, force, × from, hand(-staves, -y work), × he, himself, × in, labour, large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, × mine, ministry, near, × of, × order, ordinance, × our, parts, pain, power, × presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, swear, terror, × thee, × by them, × themselves, × thine own, × thou, through, × throwing, thumb, times, × to, × under, × us, × wait on, (way-) side, where, wide, × with (him, me, you), work, yield, × yourselves.

יָד

n.f — hand

יָד 1604 n.f. hand

1. hand

2. Fig. = strength, power

3. Fig. = side

4. יָד is used in various special, technical senses:—

a. sign, monument

b. part, fractional part or share

c. time, repetition

d. axle-trees

e. stays, supports for laver

f. tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle

g. a (beckoning) hand

5. יַד with prep.

H977

בָּחַרbâchar/baw-khar'/

v — try, select

Derivation: a primitive root;

properly, to try, i.e. (by implication) select

KJV: acceptable, appoint, choose (choice), excellent, join, be rather, require.

בָּחַר

vb — choose

בָּחַר vb. choose

Qal

1. with בְּ,

a. divine choice

b. man’s choice

2. with אֲשֶׁר:

a. divine choice

b. man’s choice

3. with acc. & לְ, choose some one or something for

4. with acc. and מִן, choose, select from

5. acc.

a. divine choice

b. man’s choice

6. with עַל, for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction

7. with לְ of acc. chosen

8. test, try

Niph. to be chosen

Pu. chosen, selected

H2568

חָמֵשׁchâmêsh/khaw-maysh'/

n — five

Derivation: masculine חֲמִשָּׁה; a primitive numeral;

five

KJV: fif(-teen), fifth, five (× apiece).

חָמֵשׁ

n.m — five

חָמֵשׁ, חֲמִשָּׁה 342 n.m. and f. five

H2512

חַלֻּקchalluq/khal-look'/

n-m — smooth

Derivation: from 2505;

smooth

KJV: smooth.

חַלֻּק

adj — smooth

[חַלֻּק] adj. smooth, only pl. cstr. 1 S 17:40

H68

אֶבֶןʼeben/eh'-ben/

n-f — stone

Derivation: from the root of 1129 through the meaning to build;

a stone

KJV: carbuncle, mason, plummet, (chalk-, hail-, head-, sling-) stone(-ny), (divers) weight(-s).

אֶ֫בֶן

n.f — stone

אֶ֫בֶן 274 n.f. stone

1. in natural state

2. stone, as material

3. precious stone, gen. with modifying word

4. stone containing metal, = ore

5. a weight, as orig. stone

6. plummet

7. objects like stone

8. in sim. (mostly poet.) of sinking in water

9. In topogr. terms

H4480

מִןmin/min/

prep — part, from, out of

Derivation: or מִנִּי; or מִנֵּי; (constructive plural) (Isaiah 30:11); for 4482;

properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses

KJV: above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, × neither, × nor, (out) of, over, since, × then, through, × whether, with.

מִן־

prep — out of

מִן־, and מִ, before יְ, prep. expressing the idea of separation, hence out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not

1. with verbs expressing (or implying) separation or removal

a. from, against

b. מן also, without a verb of similar significance, sometimes expresses the idea of separation, away from, far from

c. of position, off, on the side of, on

2. Out of, Gk. ἐκ, Lat. ex

3. Partitively

4. Of time

a. as marking the terminus a quo, the anterior limit of a continuous period from, since

b. as marking the period immediately succeeding the limit after

c. towards, to

5. (וְעַד) עַדמִן from … even to

6. In comparisons, beyond, above

7. מן is prefixed to an infin.:

a. with causal force, from, on account of, through

b. after verbs implying restraint, prevention, cessation, etc.

c. with a temporal force, since, after

8. Once as a conj. before a finite verb. that

9. In compounds:

מֵן

n. [m.] — portion

[מֵן] n. [m.] portion

H5158

נַחַלnachal/nakh'-al/

n-m — stream, torrent, valley, shaft

Derivation: or (feminine) נַחְלָה; (Psalm 124:4), or נַחֲלָה; (Ezekiel 47:19; Ezekiel 48:28), from 5157 in its original sense;

a stream, especially a winter torrent; (by implication) a (narrow) valley (in which a brook runs); also a shaft (of a mine)

KJV: brook, flood, river, stream, valley.

נַ֫חַל

n.m — torrent

נַ֫חַל n.m. torrent, torrent-valley, wady

נַ֫חַל

n.[m.] — palm-tree

[נַ֫חַל] n.[m.] perh. palm-tree;—only pl. abs., Nu 24:6

H7760

שׂוּםsûwm/soom/

v — put

Derivation: or שִׂים; a primitive root;

to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)

KJV: × any wise, appoint, bring, call (a name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider, convey, determine, disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out), mark, name, × on, ordain, order, paint, place, preserve, purpose, put (on), regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set (on, up), shew, stedfastly, take, × tell, tread down, (over-)turn, × wholly, work.

שׂוּם

vb — put

שׂוּם, שִׂים 582 vb. put, place, set

Qal

1.

a. put, set, in a place

b. put something upon

c. put, lay, set

d. put, c. בֵּין

2. set, direct

3.

a. set, ordain, in a place

b. set, establish a law, statute

c. set, found a nation

d. set, appoint (as ruler, official)

e. set, constitute, make

f. set, determine, fix, bounds

4.

a. set, station, at a post

b. put in position, sacred bread, sword, staves, bars

c. set up altars

d. = plant, wheat

e. set, fix (countenance)

5.

a. make a thing, or pers. (acc.), for, transform into

b. make, constitute

c. work, bring to pass

d. appoint, give

e. set, fix (countenance)

Hiph. I will make him for a sign

Hoph. there was set before him

שׂוּמָה

n. f — token of unluckiness

שׂוּמָה perhaps n. f. token of unluckiness, scowl;—2 S 13:32

H853

אֵתʼêth/ayth/

prt — self, even, namely

Derivation: apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity;

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

KJV: [as such unrepresented in English].

אֵת

mark of the accusative

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

H3627

כְּלִיkᵉlîy/kel-ee'/

n-m — prepared, apparatus

Derivation: from 3615;

something prepared, i.e. any apparatus (as an implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon)

KJV: armour(-bearer), artillery, bag, carriage, furnish, furniture, instrument, jewel, that is made of, × one from another, that which pertaineth, pot, psaltery, sack, stuff, thing, tool, vessel, ware, weapon, whatsoever.

כְּלִי

n.m — article

כְּלִי 324 n.m. article, utensil, vessel

H7462

רָעָהrâʻâh/raw-aw'/

v — tend, pasture, graze, rule, associate

Derivation: a primitive root;

to tend a flock; i.e. pasture it; intransitively, to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to rule; by extension, to associate with (as a friend)

KJV: × break, companion, keep company with, devour, eat up, evil entreat, feed, use as a friend, make friendship with, herdman, keep (sheep) (-er), pastor, shearing house, shepherd, wander, waste.

בֵּית־עֵ֫קֶד הָרֹעִים

n.pr.loc — shearing house

בֵּית־עֵ֫קֶד הָרֹעִים perh. n.pr.loc. (binding-house of the shepherds) 2 K 10:12

רָעָה

vb. denom — be a special friend

[רָעָה] vb. denom. Pi. be a special friend;—Ju 14:20

רָעָה

vb — associate with

[רָעָה] vb. prob. associate with

Qal cherish faithfulness

Hithp. do not make companionship with a bad-tempered man

רָעָה

vb — pasture

רָעָה 167 vb. pasture, tend, graze

Qal

1. trans.

2. intrans.

Niph. poss.

Hiph. v.

H834

אֲשֶׁרʼăsher/ash-er'/

r — who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

Derivation: a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number);

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.

KJV: × after, × alike, as (soon as), because, × every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), × if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), × though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.

אֲשֶׁר

part. of relation — who

אֲשֶׁר part. of relation A sign of relation, bringing the clause introduced by it into relation with an antecedent clause.

בַאֲשֶׁר

adv — in which

בַאֲשֶׁר

a. in (that) which

b. adv. in (the place) where

c. conj. in that, inasmuch as

d. on account of whom?

כַּאֲשֶׁר

conj — according as

כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when

1. according to that which, according as, as

2. with a causal force, in so far as, since

3. with a temporal force, when

מֵאֲשֶׁר

adv — who

מֵאֲשֶׁר

a. from (or than) that which

b. adv. from (the place) where

c. conj. from (the fact) that …, since

H3219

יַלְקוּטyalqûwṭ/yal-koot'/

n-m — travelling pouch

Derivation: from 3950;

a travelling pouch (as if for gleanings)

KJV: scrip.

יַלְקוּט

n.[m.] — receptacle

יַלְקוּט n.[m.] receptacle, wallet(?) (prop. collector)—only in 1 S 17:40

H7050

קֶלַעqelaʻ/keh'-lah/

n-m — sling, screen, valve

Derivation: from 7049;

a sling; also a (door) screen (as if slung across), or the valve (of the door) itself

KJV: hanging, leaf, sling.

קֶ֫לַע

n.[m.] — curtain

[קֶ֫לַע] 15 n.[m.] curtain, hanging (P)

קֶ֫לַע

n.[m.] — sling

קֶ֫לַע n.[m.] sling

H5066

נָגַשׁnâgash/naw-gash'/

v — be, come, bring, near, lie with, attack, worship, present, adduce, stand back

Derivation: a primitive root;

to be or come (causatively, bring) near (for any purpose); euphemistically, to lie with a woman; as an enemy, to attack; religious to worship; causatively, to present; figuratively, to adduce an argument; by reversal, to stand back

KJV: (make to) approach (nigh), bring (forth, hither, near), (cause to) come (hither, near, nigh), give place, go hard (up), (be, draw, go) near (nigh), offer, overtake, present, put, stand.

נָגַשׁ

vb — draw near

[נָגַשׁ] 125 vb. draw near, approach

Qal draw near or come near

Niph. draw near

Hiph. cause to approach, bring near, bring

Hoph. thy feet have not been brought near (put into) fetters; it (impers.) is offered to my name

Hithp. draw near!

H413

אֵלʼêl/ale/

prep — near, with, among, to

Derivation: (but only used in the shortened constructive form אֶל ); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e.

near, with or among; often in general, to

KJV: about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, × hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).

אֶל

prep — motion to

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).

1. of motion to or unto a person or place

2. Where the limit is actually entered, into

3. Of direction towards anything

4. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

5. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

6. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

7. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

8. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

9. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

H6430

פְּלִשְׁתִּיPᵉlishtîy/pel-ish-tee'/

a — Pelishtite

Derivation: patrial from 6429;

a Pelishtite or inhabitant of Pelesheth

KJV: Philistine.

פְּלִשְׁתִּי

adj.gent — Philistine

פְּלִשְׁתִּי 288 adj.gent. Philistine

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