60 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And David girded his, sword upon his armour,.... Which Saul also perhaps furnished him with: and he assayed to go; made an attempt, and had a mind to go thus accoutred; he at first showed an inclination to go in such an habit, but afterwards would not: for he had not proved [it]; as warriors were wont to do; so Achilles did (i); he never made...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he took his staff in his hand,.... His shepherd's staff, which he used in keeping his father's sheep, and chose rather to appear in the habit of a shepherd than of a soldier: and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook; which ran in the valley, which became smooth by lying in the water running over them; and which being smooth were...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Philistine came on, and drew near unto David,.... By slow paces, because of the weight of his armour, and bulk of his body, yet with a haughty air, and a proud gait: and the man that bare the shield [went] before him; [See comments on 1 Samuel 17:7].
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him,.... He looked about for his antagonist, to take a view of him, what sort of a man he was, expecting to see one much like himself; but observing a puny young man, he despised him in his heart, and perhaps looked upon it as an affront to him to send such a man to fight with him:...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Philistine said unto David, [am] I a dog?.... Truly David did not think him much better, because of his impudence, impurity, and barking blasphemy against God, and the armies of Israel; the Targum is, "am I a despised dog?'' verily he was by David: that thou comest to me with staves? or with a staff, the plural for the singular, to beat...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Philistine said to David, come to me,.... He seems to have stood still, disdaining: to take another step towards such a pitiful combatant, and therefore bids him come up to him, and he would soon dispatch him; unless he said this, because David was light and nimble, and he heavy and unwieldy because of his bigness, and the burden of armour...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then said David to the Philistine,.... In answer to the contempt he held him in, and to the threatening words he gave him: thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield; the word for "shield" is not the same with that so rendered, 1 Samuel 17:41; which his armourbearer carried before him, but with that translated a "target",...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hands,.... Of which he was assured by divine inspiration, by the impulse of the Spirit of God upon him; or otherwise he could not have expressed himself with such certainty, and have given the particulars of what he should do, as in the following clauses: and I will smite thee, and take thine head from...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And all this assembly shall know,.... The congregation of Israel, and church of the living God, great part of which were now gathered together, and were spectators of this wonderful event: that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear; that is, by outward means and instruments, by arms and armed men; he does not save by them only, or by them...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose,.... Or prepared for the encounter, and was in all probability in great wrath and fury at hearing what David said, and which hastened him to it: and came and drew nigh to meet David; as fast as his unwieldy body, and heavy load of armour on him, would admit of: that David hasted and ran toward the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And David put his hand in his bag,.... The shepherd's scrip, in which he had put the five stones he took out of the brook: and took thence a stone; and put it into his sling he had in his hand: and slang [it], and smote the Philistine in his forehead; it is made a difficulty of how he should smite him on his forehead, when he had a helmet of brass...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone,.... And with them only, without any other warlike weapon: and smote the Philistine, and slew him; smote him with the stone, which brought him to the ground, and then slew him with his own sword, as afterwards related: but [there was] no sword in the hand of David; when he...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Therefore David ran and stood upon the Philistine,.... Upon his carcass, as it lay prostrate on the ground, and trampled on him, in just contempt of him who had defied, reproached, and despised the armies of Israel: and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof; which no doubt was a very large one, and required a good deal of strength...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the men of Israel and of Judah arose,.... From their encampment and entrenchment, or they prepared for a pursuit: and shouted, and pursued the Philistines; shouted when they first set out, and continued shouting as they pursued, to animate their own troops, and terrify the enemy: until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron; which...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines,.... The remainder that escaped having got into their fortified cities: and they spoiled their tents; which they left in their camp, all their armour, goods, money, and provisions, they found there, they seized upon as their prey and booty; these they did not stay to meddle...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem,.... After he had been introduced with it to Saul, and when he had passed through various cities in Israel, carrying the head in triumph; where he was congratulated by the women, who came out singing and dancing, and speaking highly in his commendation and praise: why he...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine,.... Set out to meet him, and engage with him, as he might from the side of the mountain, where he was encamped: he said unto Abner, the captain of the host; his own cousin, whom he had raised to this high post in the army, 1 Samuel 14:50; Abner, whose son [is] this youth? it is thought...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the king said, inquire thou whose son the stripling [is]. Still the question is the same, being very desirous of knowing of what family he was, for the reason before given, [See comments on 1 Samuel 17:55].
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine,.... Carrying his head in triumph, and no doubt accompanied with the acclamations of the people: Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with the head of the Philistine in his hand; to give an answer to the king's question concerning him, who could best do it himself; and that Saul...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Saul said unto him, whose son [art] thou, [thou] young man?.... Still the question was such as did not necessarily imply ignorance of his person, but of his family: and David answered, I [am] the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite; which doubtless refreshed the memory of Saul, and he quickly called to mind who he was. This interview was...