1 Samuel 17:1-17

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 17:9

If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants ,.... For which it does not appear he had any commission or authority to say; nor did the Philistines think themselves obliged to abide by what he said, since, when he was slain, they did not yield themselves servants to the Israelites: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us ; to which terms also the Israelites did not consent; nor did David, who engaged with... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 17:10

And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day ,.... Or "reproach" F19 חרפתי "exprobravo". V. L. Pagninus, Montanus; "probro affeci", Tigurine version; "probro affecero", Junius & Tremellius. them; that is, should they not accept his challenge, and send down a man to fight with them, he should then upbraid them with cowardice; and now he disdained them, as if there was not a man among them that dared to encounter with him: give me a man that we may fight... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 17:11

When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine ,.... For they were delivered with such a tone and strength of voice, as to be heard very generally, at least by many, and which soon was reported through the whole army: they were dismayed, and greatly afraid ; which may seem strange, when there were so many valiant men among them, as Saul himself, who had behaved with so much courage against the Ammonites, Philistines, and Amalekites; but now the Spirit of God was departed... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 17:12

Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah , whose name was Jesse,.... Before made mention of, 1 Chronicles 16:1 . and he had eight sons ; seven only are mentioned, 1 Chronicles 2:13 one of them being, as is thought by some, a grandson, perhaps Jonadab the son of Shammah; or was a son by another woman, or died without children, as Jarchi, and therefore not mentioned: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul ; the phrase, "among men", either... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 17:13

And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle ,.... Either of their own accord, or rather at their father's motion, or however with his knowledge and consent, who because he could not go himself, willed them to go; and these were forward, and some of the foremost that followed Saul to the battle, being zealous and well disposed to defend their king and country: and the names of the three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 17:14

And David was the youngest ,.... For the sake of whom this account is given of Jesse and his family, and who after this makes a considerable figure in the camp and court of Saul: and the three eldest followed Saul ; as before related, and which is repeated, that it might be observed that they only of Jesse's sons followed Saul; not David particularly, but who was providentially sent to the army at the time the Philistine was defying it. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 17:15

But David went, and returned from Saul ,.... Or "from above Saul"; Josephus F21 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 8. sect. 2. says, the physicians of Saul advised to get a man to stand υπερ κεφαλνς , "over his head", and sing psalms and hymns to him; and Saul being recovered from his frenzy and melancholy, by means of David's music, he was dismissed from him, or had leave to go home, or he returned upon Saul's taking the field; though one would think, if he was now his armourbearer, he would have... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 17:16

And the Philistine drew near morning and evening ,.... Twice a day he came near the camp, within the hearing of it. The Jews F23 T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 42. 2. say, he took those seasons on purpose to disturb them in reading their "Shema", or "hear, O Israel", &c.; and saying their prayers morning and evening: and presented himself forty days ; Successively, before the armies of Israel, daring them to send down a man to fight with him, and reproaching them for their cowardice in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 17:17

And Jesse said unto David his son ,.... His youngest son, that was at home with him keeping sheep; he had three more at home, and who were elder than David, and yet he is directed by the providence of God to pick and send him on the following errand, there being work for him to do Jesse knew nothing of: take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn ; pointing to a quantity of it in a certain place; this was wheat or barley dried in a furnace or oven, and ground into meal, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 17:1

Now the Philistines gathered together - Calmet thinks that this war happened eight years after the anointing of David, and ten or twelve years after the war with the Amalekites. We have already seen that there was war between Saul and the Philistines all his days. See 1 Samuel 14:52 . Shochoh and Azekah - Places which lay to the south of Jerusalem and to the west of Bethlehem; about five leagues from the former. Ephes-dammim was somewhere in the vicinity, but it is not... read more

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