1 Samuel 17:12-31

12-31. By many critics this passage has been regarded as an interpolation, chiefly for the following reasons:

(1.) It is wanting in the Vatican Codex of the Septuagint. But if it were wanting in every copy of the Septuagint, this alone would be no sufficient reason for its rejection; for it can be shown that the translators of that version sometimes made omissions and additions at pleasure.

(2.) After what had been written in 1 Samuel 16:1-12, the statements here made (1 Samuel 17:12-14) respecting David’s father and brothers are superfluous, and indicate a different authorship. But such repetition and fulness of detail, especially in matters of genealogy, is characteristic of Hebrew historical composition; and as this victory over Goliath was David’s first bold, though unintentional, step towards the throne, and instrumental in securing for him the affections of the people, it would be unfair criticism to make this minuteness of detail an argument against the genuineness of the passage.

(3.) Eliab’s behaviour towards David, 1 Samuel 17:28, is unaccountable and unlikely after he had seen his brother anointed by the hand of Samuel. But this objection assumes that Eliab clearly understood that by Samuel’s anointing of David he designated him as the future king of Israel an assumption that has no foundation in the sacred record. See note on 1 Samuel 16:13. The honour conferred by Samuel on Jesse’s youngest son made him, like Joseph, the object of his brothers’ jealousy, and Eliab’s angry words were but a single outburst of that jealousy.

(4.) According to 1 Samuel 16:21, David was Saul’s armourbearer, and we would naturally expect to find him acting as such in this battle with the Philistines; but, according to 1 Samuel 17:15 of this section, he had retired from Saul’s court and resumed the care of his father’s sheep at Beth-lehem. But surely this is no contradiction. There is no necessity for regarding his appointment as armourbearer as any thing more than an honorary title and office which he never exercised. Joab had ten armourbearers, (2 Samuel 18:15,) and Saul perhaps had many more.

Other minor objections based upon particular expressions will be duly noticed in notes on the passages to which they pertain.