1 Samuel 17:47

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.

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 always; he can save as well without them as with them: for the battle is the Lord's; it is under his direction; the issue and event of it depend on his will, and are owing to him; or, as the Targum,"from the Lord is the victory of wars,''it is he that gives it to whom he pleases: and he will give you into our hands; not only this Philistine into the hands of David, but the army of them into the hands of the Israelites; David knew, and was assured of this by the Lord, and it was on this he relied, and was what animated him to engage with this champion in the manner he did.

1 Samuel 17:47 . Saveth not with sword and spear — That is, that he can save without these arms, and with the most contemptible weapons, and that he needs not human force to effect his designs. For the battle is the Lord’s — The events of war are wholly in his power. And he will give you into our hands — David speaks thus confidently, because he was assured of success, by particular inspiration. How great is the difference between the speech of Goliath and that of David! The former consists of the vain- glorious boasting words of a man proudly confiding in his own strength, and thinking of nothing but his own glory. The words of the latter, although expressing an equal assurance of victory, are humble and modest, attributing nothing to himself, but all to the power and goodness of God; building his hopes upon, and rejoicing in, the honour that would accrue to God from his success, instead of puffing himself up with the glory that would arise to himself therefrom.

47 . the Lord saveth not with sword and spear , &c.] A lesson which is needed at all times, when men are tempted to fall down and worship brute force. It is a leading thought in Hannah’s song ( 1 Samuel 2:1-10 ); cp. also 1 Samuel 14:6 ; Psalm 44:6-7 ; Hosea 1:7 ; Zechariah 4:6 ; 1 Corinthians 1:27-28 . 1 Samuel 17:47

(47) For the battle is the Lord’s . . . —Although we possess no special ode or psalm composed by David on the occasion of this mortal combat, in which, owing to his sure trust in Jehovah, he won his never-to-be-forgotten victory, yet in many of the compositions attributed to him in the Psalter we find memories of this, his first great triumph. So in Psalm 44:6-8 we read— “I will not trust in my bow, Neither shall my sword save me. In God we boast all the day long, And praise thy Name for ever.” And in Psalm 33:16-20, “There is no king saved by the multitude of an host, A mighty man is not delivered by much strength.” * * * * * “Our soul waiteth for the Lord, He is our help and our shield.”

That the Lord saveth not with sword and spear, i.e. that he can save without these arms, and with the most contemptible weapons, such as mine seem to thee. The battle is the Lord’s, i.e. the events of war are wholly in his power, to give success to whom and by what means he pleaseth. He will give you into our hands: David speaks thus confidently, because he was assured of it by a particular inspiration from God.

42-47. the Philistine said … said David to the Philistine—When the two champions met, they generally made each of them a speech, and sometimes recited some verses, filled with allusions and epithets of the most opprobrious kind, hurling contempt and defiance at one another. This kind of abusive dialogue is common among the Arab combatants still. David's speech, however, presents a striking contrast to the usual strain of these invectives. It was full of pious trust, and to God he ascribed all the glory of the triumph he anticipated.

David answered this defiance with bold, believing courage: "Thou comest to me with sword, and javelin, and lance; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Saboath, the God of the ranks of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will Jehovah deliver thee into my hand; and I shall smite thee, and cut off thine head, and give the corpse of the army of the Philistines to the birds this day ... And all the world shall learn that Israel hath a God; and this whole assembly shall discover that Jehovah bringeth deliverance (victory) not by sword and spear: for war belongeth to Jehovah, and He will give you into our hand." Whilst Goliath boasted of his strength, David founded his own assurance of victory upon the Almighty God of Israel, whom the Philistine had defied. פּגר is to be taken collectively. לישׂראל אלהים ישׁ does not mean "God is for Israel," but "Israel hath a God," so that Elohim is of course used here in a pregnant sense. This God is Jehovah; war is his, i.e., He is the Lord of war, who has both war and its results in His power.

[Bible] 17:40. And he took his staff, which he had always in his hands: and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them into the shepherd's scrip, which he had with him, and he took a sling in his hand, and went forth against the Philistine. 17:41. And the Philistine came on, and drew nigh against David, and his armourbearer went before him. 17:42. And when the Philistine looked, and beheld David, he despised him. For he was a young man, ruddy, and of a comely countenance. 17:43. And the Philistine said to David: Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with a staff? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 17:44. And he said to David: Come to me, and I will give thy flesh to the birds of the air, and to the beasts of the earth. 17:45. And David said to the Philistine: Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, which thou hast defied. 17:46. This day, and the Lord will deliver thee into my hand, and I will slay thee, and take away thy head from thee: and I will give the carcasses of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air, and to the beasts of the earth: that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 17:47. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for it is his battle, and he will deliver you into our hands. 17:48. And when the Philistine arose, and was coming, and drew nigh to meet David, David made haste, and ran to the fight to meet the Philistine. 17:49. And he put his hand into his scrip, and took a stone, and cast it with the sling, and fetching it about, struck the Philistine in the forehead, and he fell on his face upon the earth. 17:50. And David prevailed over the Philistine, with a sling and a stone, and he struck, and slew the Philistine. And as David had no sword in his hand,

that God , the only true God, is for Israel ; or on Israel’s side, and against you. Or, that Israel hath a God , a God indeed, one who is able to help them, and not such an impotent idol as you serve. ## 1 Samuel 17:47 That the Lord saveth not with sword and spear, i.e. that he can save without these arms, and with the most contemptible weapons, such as mine seem to thee. ## The battle is the Lord ’ s, i.e. the events of war are wholly in his power, to give success to whom and by what means he pleaseth. ## He will give you into our hands: David speaks thus confidently, because he was assured of it by a particular inspiration from God. 1 Samuel 17:48 No text from Poole on this verse. 1 Samuel 17:49 Either, 1. The stone pierced through his helmet; which such stones being slung would not seldom do; as even Diodorus Siculus relates. Or, 2. The stone might get in through one of those holes which are left in helmets, that he that wears it may see his way, and how to direct his blows. Or rather, 3. The proud giant had lift up that part of his helmet which covered his forehead; and that in contempt of David and his weapons, and by the singular direction of God’s providence. 1 Samuel 17:50 No text from Poole on this verse. No text from Poole on this verse. ## 1 Samuel 17:51 David took his sword; hence it appears that David was not a little man, as many fancy; but a man of considerable bulk and strength, because he was able to manage a giant’s sword; which also he did, both here and below, 1Sa_21:9.