Skip to Content
Commentary Library

1 Samuel 17:6

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Read in KJV Bible Reader

And he had greaves of brass upon his legs,.... Which were a sort of boots, or leg harnesses, which covered the thighs and legs down to the heels; such as Iolaus (k) and the Grecians usually wore, as described by Homer; which are supposed to be double the weight of the helmet, reckoned at fifteen pounds, so that these must weigh thirty pounds of avoirdupois weight:

and a target of brass between his shoulders; the Targum is,

"a spear or shield of brass, which came out of the helmet, and a weight of brass upon his shoulders.''

Jarchi says the same, and that it was in the form of a spear to defend the neck from the sword; it seems to be a corslet of brass, worn between the helmet and the coat of mail for the defence of the neck, supposed to weigh thirty pounds (l)

(k) Hesiod. Scutum Herc. ver. 122. (l) Vid. Hostii Monomach. David & Goliath, c. 5.

Other commentaries on this verse

All commentaries on this verse

Other commentaries on this chapter