1 SAMUEL 17
OPENS WITH DAVID AND GOLIATH
Verses 1-10 tells us The Philistine Goliath challenges Israel.
"Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle, and were gathered together at Sochoh, which belongs to Judah; they encamped between Sochoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and they encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array against the Philistines. The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. And he had bronze armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekels; and a shield-bearer went before him. Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, "Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us." And the Philistine said, "I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together."
The green, rolling hills surrounding the Valley of Elah still stand today, and witnessed one of the most remarkable battles in all the Bible. It began when the Philistines, constant enemies of Israel during this period, assembled their army on one mountain, and on another mountain stood the army of Israel.
In their army, the Philistines had one particularly impressive soldier, named Goliath. He was a large man (six cubits and a span can be anywhere from 8'5" to 9'2"), and he had armor and weapons to match his size.
DID YOU KNOW...Goliath was from Gath, and Joshua 11:22 says that a people known as the Anakim were still there in Joshua's day. That was some 400 years before this, but it shows how there may have continued to be men of unusually large size coming from the city of Gath.
Different sources give different estimates, but Goliath's armor and weapons together probably weighed somewhere between 150 and 200 pounds. This was a big man, and strong enough to carry and use these huge weapons.
Goliath issued a bold challenge to the army of Israel.
Verse 11 tells us the fear of Saul and all Israel.
"When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid."
Of course, that was Goliath's exact intention in issuing the challenge. The reason why he came out with full battle equipment and paraded in front of the Israelite army was because he wanted them to be dismayed and greatly afraid. Goliath was able to defeat the Israelites on FEAR alone.
In any contest, it's always useful to demoralize your opponent, and strike fear in their heart.
WHY?
FIRST, it may keep you from ever going to battle with them, because they are so afraid.
SECOND, if it does come to battle, they will fight with fear and apprehension, and so with your words, you've done a lot to win the battle before it even begins!
This, of course, is a significant strategy of the devil against us. We don't battle against flesh and blood enemies like Goliath, but we have our "spiritual Giants" to battle against. The devil has a heavy interest in making you DISMAYED AND GREATLY AFRAID before the battle ever begins.
Saul had special reason to be afraid. Goliath was the giant among the Philistines, and Saul was head and shoulder taller than other Israelite men (1 Samuel 9:2). Saul was the logical choice to square off against Goliath, and we can expect he knew others were EXPECTING HIM to fight Goliath.
WE REMEMBER...at one time, Saul was known as a fierce and successful military leader (1 Samuel 14:52). But that was before the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul (1 Samuel 16:14). As the Spirit of the LORD left Saul, so did his courage. It shouldn't surprise us that many filled with the Spirit of the LORD will have the courage to fight Goliath.
The Spirit of the LORD really can give us courage. When we are dismayed and greatly afraid, it isn't the work of the Spirit of the LORD. God wants to give us a HOLY BOLDNESS & COURAGE, not in ourselves, but in HIM.
Verses 12-15 tells us David, the youngest of eight brothers, splits his time between the palace and the pasture.
"Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse, and who had eight sons. And the man was old, advanced in years, in the days of Saul. The three oldest sons of Jesse had gone to follow Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. David was the youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul. But David occasionally went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem."
At this time, it seems that David was only called to the palace as needed, when Saul was afflicted by the distressing spirit.
DID YOU NOTICE...that David is said to be the youngest of eight sons of Jesse. Yet Psalm 89:27 calls David God's firstborn, demonstrating that "firstborn" is as much a title and a concept as a description of birth order.
Therefore, when Paul calls Jesus firstborn over all creation in Colossians 1:15, he isn't, as some WRONGLY TEACH, PREACH, AND BELIEVE Paul is saying that Jesus is a created being who had a beginning. He is simply pointing to the prominence and preeminence of Jesus.
Verses 16-21 tells us David brings gifts from home and comes into Israel's camp.
"And the Philistine drew near and presented himself forty days, morning and evening. Then Jesse said to his son David, "Take now for your brothers an ephah of this dried grain and these ten loaves, and run to your brothers at the camp. And carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers fare, and bring back news of them." Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle. For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army."
Day after day, Goliath would taunt and mock the armies of Israel, exposing them all (and especially Saul) as cowards who would run from a fight.
Significantly, forty days (or forty years) is used in the Scriptures rather consistently as a PERIOD OF JUDGMENT OR TESTING. .
This SCRIPTURE ALSO GIVES US A little observation shows the shepherd's heart of David. If he left the sheep to run an errand for his father, he made sure the sheep were still well taken care of.
This must have been the approximate scene for forty days. The armies would gather on each hillside, and scream and shout at each other across the valley. Goliath would make his parade and shout his insults, and after awhile the Israelites would slink away in shame.
Verses 22-24 tells us David sees Goliath make his arrogant challenge, and sees the fear of Israel's soldiers.
"And David left his supplies in the hand of the supply keeper, ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke according to the same words. So David heard them. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid."
There was not one man among them who would take on Goliath. Every one of them fled from him when Goliath came out.
Verses 25-27 tells us David hears of Saul's reward to the man who beats Goliath, but he speaks of God's honor.
"So the men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father's house exemption from taxes in Israel." Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, "What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" And the people answered him in this manner, saying, "So shall it be done for the man who kills him."
DO YOU NOTICE...The situation had become so desperate, the Saul needed to offer a bribe - a cash award, a princess, and a tax exemption - to induce someone, anyone to fight and win against Goliath.
It seems that David alone focused on the reputation of Israel and the honor of the living God.
This truly shows David to be a man after God's own heart. He cares about the things God cares about. He saw the problem in spiritual terms, not in material or fleshly terms.
YOU NOTICE THE DIFFERENCES IN PERSPECTIVES?
When the men of Israel said, "This man," David said, "This uncircumcised Philistine."
When the men of Israel said, "Surely he has come up to defy Israel," David said, "That he should defy the armies of the living God."
When the men of Israel said, "The man who kills him," David said, "The man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel."
David saw things from the LORD's perspective, but the men of Israel saw things only from man's perspective.
Verses 28-30 tells us David is misunderstood and falsely accused by his brother.
"Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was aroused against David, and he said, "Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle." And David said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause?" Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did."
David's words angered Eliab, and there were many reasons why:
FIRST...He was angry because he felt David was an insignificant, worthless person who had no right to speak up, especially with such bold words.
SECOND...He was angry because he felt he knew David's motivation, but he didn't really know David's heart.
THIRD....He was angry because he thought David was trying to provoke someone else into fighting Goliath just so that he could see a battle.
FOURTH...He was angry because David was right! When you are dismayed and greatly afraid or dreadfully afraid, the last thing in the world you want is someone telling you to be courageous.
There is no doubt that what his oldest brother Eliab said hurt him, but he would not let it hinder him.
What helped David to handle the hurt this way? He was more concerned with God's cause than with his own feelings
David's attitude is completely different than the other men of Israel, including King Saul. David is concerned with God's cause before everything.
BEFORE his own personal safety, BEFORE his own personal glory, BEFORE his only personal honor, he has a passionate concern for God's cause.
It stood the test of daily life. David was following the simple, humble instructions of his father. "Go take these things to you brothers," and he did just that. We often think that we must be delivered from the normal cares of life before we can be used of God. But God wants to use us in and through the normal cares of life.
When David was misunderstood and rebuked, publicly, by his own brother, probably amid the laughs of the other soldiers, he could have blown it. But he showed the strength of the armor of God in his life, and replied rightly. He didn't care about his glory or success, but only for the glory and success of the LORD's cause. Goliath was a dead man right then! This is where the battle was won! If Eliab's hurtful words can get David in the flesh, and out of the flow of the Spirit of the LORD, then David's strength is gone. But when David ruled his spirit and answered softly, he was more in step with the Spirit of the LORD than ever. You could start digging Goliath's grave right then!
Verses 31-32 tells us David's confident words become known to Saul.
"Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him. Then David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."
Now, these words of David are reported to Saul. It isn't as if David's words were all that bold. He never said, "Well, if I went out to fight against that Philistine, I would whip. He's nothing." David didn't talk like that, but he did at least stand up to Goliath. David didn't show a lot of backbone, but he showed a lot more than anyone else in Israel, so it was worth reporting to Saul.
Saul had waited a long time - at least 40 days - to hear someone say these words. But to hear them now, from the mouth of this boy, almost seemed like a cruel joke.
David's words to Saul almost make the matter worse, or youthful arrogance...but it wasn't; David really was trusting in God.
Verses 33-37 tells us David's training as a shepherd prepared him.
"And Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep his father's sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God." Moreover David said, "The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you!"
Saul thought David was disqualified because of his young age, size, and inexperience. This shows that Saul was looking at the battle purely in natural, outward terms.
Even if you are but a youth, God can really use you. But it's up to you. Don't expect God to use you just because you are a youth.
Saul essentially tells David, "He's been a soldier longer than you have been alive! How could you ever overcome him?" Again, this shows that Saul is only looking at the outward, not the spiritual dimensions of this battle.
God prepared David for this exact battle when David was a lowly shepherd. A lion would attack the lambs, and David would battle the lion. A bear would come against the sheep, and David would battle the bear. All along, God was preparing David to fight Goliath. How long did David prepare to fight Goliath? All of his life, up to that day.
This is generally God's pattern for preparation. He calls us to be faithful right where we are at, and then uses our faithfulness to accomplish greater things for Him. If David had run scared at the lion or the bear, he would never have been ready to fight Goliath now. But he had been faithful then, so he will be faithful now.
SPURGEON says it well, "I charge you, therefore, my beloved brethren and sisters, who know the Lord, be up and in earnest to slay your lions and your bears, that you may learn how to kill your Philistines: that is to say; - serve God with all your heart, and patiently bear the cross for his name's sake, so that when the time shall come for you to stand as a lone man for Christ, you may do it gloriously, and may bring honor to your divine Leader."
He will deliver me...
Do you believe it? Do you believe God will deliver you? God will deliver you. He has promised to get you to your destination: He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). God may deliver you from trials or deliver you in the midst of trials, but He will deliver you!
Verses 38-40 tells us David prepares to fight Goliath.
"So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, "I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them." So David took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine."
Saul was still in the natural, in the flesh, in the things that are merely outward. He figured that if this boy was going to beat Goliath, he would need the best armor in all Israel - the armor of the king.
Saul tried to put his armor on David, but it didn't work. It didn't work because Saul's armor did not physically fit David. Everything was too big, and David could not move well with Saul's armor. Also, it didn't work because Saul's armor did not spiritually fit David. Armor, military technology, or human wisdom would not win this battle. The LORD God of Israel would win this battle.
Often, people try to fight with another person's armor. They see God do something wonderful through someone else, and they try to copy it without really making it their own. This is never how God's work is most effectively done.
David did not face Goliath unarmed. He had much better armor than Saul's.
Saul had a bronze helmet, but David had the helmet of salvation (Ephesians 6:17).
Saul had a coat of mail, but David had a breastplate of righteousness (Ephesians 6:14).
Saul had a sword, but David had the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17).
David had the whole armor of God! (Ephesians 6:11).
So David took them off: David had to renounce Saul's armor. He had to vow, "I will not fight with man's armor. I will trust in the LORD and His armor instead." Often we want a safe "middle ground" where we try to wear both kinds of armor. But God wants us to trust in Him and Him alone.
David used the same things he had used before. These were the same tools he had used to kill the lion and the bear before. What God had used before, He would use again.
Why did David choose five stones? He only needed one to kill Goliath. Perhaps it was because Goliath had four brothers (1 Samuel 21:18-22).
And he drew near the Philistine: This is where it mattered. David could have said the bold words, renounced Saul's armor, trusted in God's armor, and gathered his shepherd's tools. But if he never went into the battle, what would it matter? Ultimately, David had the faith not just to talk, not just to renounce, not just to prepare, but to actually draw near the Philistine. That's real faith.
Verses 41-44 tells us Goliath curses David and his God.
"So the Philistine came, and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. So the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!"
Obviously, because of Goliath's size and experience, it was not a "fair" fight. But to add to even that, it was two against one! Goliath had an armor bearer with him.
The idea behind looked about is almost that Goliath had to look around to find David. David was so small compared to this man, that Goliath had a hard time even seeing him. But when he did see him, he disdained him. There was nothing - nothing - in David that struck fear or respect in Goliath's heart. Goliath felt insulted that the had even sent David! (Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks?)
When Goliath asked, "Am I a dog?" it was worse than it sounds. The Hebrew word for dog (kaleb) is used in passages like Deuteronomy 23:18 for male homosexual prostitutes.
If it hadn't been established before, it is certainly settled now. This is not a fair fight. It isn't Goliath and his armor bearer against David. It is Goliath and his armor bearer against David and the LORD God of Israel. The battle is over. Anyone with any spiritual understanding could finish the story from here.
Verses 45-47 tells us David, full of faith, replies to Goliath.
"Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands."
We can imagine Goliath's deep, deep, bass voice reverberating against the tall hills surrounding the Valley of Elah. It must have struck fear into the heart of every Israelite soldier, and probably even some of the Philistine soldiers! Then David answered with his young voice; perhaps even with his voice cracking. The Philistines would have laughed when they heard David practically screaming in his cracking voice, and the Israelites would have been mortified.
You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied: David makes a contrast between himself and Goliath, without giving credit to Goliath himself.
To say, "I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts" is to say, "I come as a representative of the LORD of hosts, the God who has heavenly armies at His command. I am a sent man, on a mission from God."
David was careful to say the LORD will deliver you into my hand. David was bold, but he was bold in God, not in himself. He knew that the battle belonged to the LORD.
This whole incident made David famous. But that was not why he did it. He did it for the fame and the glory of the LORD, not his own name. He wanted all the earth to know that there is a God in Israel.
At this point, it wasn't enough for all the earth to know that there is a God in Israel. Israel needed to know that there was a God in Israel! They needed to know it also! Saul and the rest of the soldiers of Israel thought that the LORD only could save with sword and spear. They didn't really believe that the battle is the LORD's. David was about to give them some living proof!
He will give you into our hands...
Again, notice David's humility. It isn't He will give you into my hands. David knows this was an "our" battle, but that he was fighting on behalf of all Israel. If they weren't trusting in the LORD, David would trust for them!
Verses 48-49 tells us David kills Goliath.
"So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hastened and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth."
What a scene! Goliath, enraged at David's boldness, drew near to quickly kill David. David didn't run away. He didn't hide. He didn't panic. He didn't drop to his knees and pray. Instead, David hastened and ran … to meet the Philistine.
David knew that it was the LORD's battle, and the LORD's victory, but that he had something he was supposed to do in the battle.
Many Christians struggle at this very point. Is God supposed to do it or am I supposed to do it? The answer is, "Yes!" God does it and we do it. Trust God, rely on Him, and then get to work and work as hard as you can! That is how we see the work of God accomplished.
He slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face: David had the calm hand and careful aim of someone who is really trusting in God. He used the sling - which was a leather strap with a pouch in the middle - to hurl a stone, killing Goliath.
The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face: Just as the Philistine god Dagon had fallen on his face before the LORD (1 Samuel 5:2-5), so now the worshipper of Dagon falls on his face, being struck in the forehead.
Verses 50-54 tells David beheads Goliath and Israel romps over the Philistines.
"So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Shaaraim, even as far as Gath and Ekron. Then the children of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their tents. And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent."
First, David made certain the job was dead. You can't mess around with sin or your spiritual enemies; you must kill them dead. Second, David used Goliath's own sword to cut off his head.
When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. Hadn't they agreed before (1 Samuel 17:9) that if their champion lost, they would surrender to Israel? But they didn't. We should never expect the devil to live up to his promises. But the soldiers of Israel pursued and defeated the Philistines. David's example had given them great courage and faith in the LORD.
David never read 1 Timothy 4:12, but he lived it: Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity." David led by example, and led Israel to a great victory.
David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent: Since it was many years later that Jerusalem was conquered (2 Samuel 5:6-10), it is likely that this means David eventually brought Goliath's head to Jerusalem. But David will use the sword of Goliath later (1 Samuel 21:9). David had some enduring reminders of God's great work.
Verses 55-58 tells us Saul meets a victorious David.
"When Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is this youth?" And Abner said, "As your soul lives, O king, I do not know." So the king said, "Inquire whose son this young man is." Then, as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. And Saul said to him, "Whose son are you, young man?" So David answered, "I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite."
Does this mean that Saul did not recognize David, even though David had played for Saul in the palace, to soothe the king when the distressing spirit came upon him (1 Samuel 16:14-23)?
Perhaps Saul did recognize David, and he was simply asking about David's family background (inquire whose son this young man is). After all, Saul had promised his daughter to the man who killed Goliath, and Saul wanted to know something about his future son-in-law.
It's possible that David's appearance changed during a time when he was away from Saul, so Saul didn't immediately recognize him. When Saul calls David a young man, the word means someone who is full grown, mature, and ready to marry.
David won a great victory, but not greater than the victory Jesus won on our behalf. David's victory over Goliath is a "picture in advance" of the victory Jesus won for us.
Both David and Jesus represented their people. Whatever happened to the representative would happen to God's people also.
Both David and Jesus fought the battle on ground that rightfully belonged to God's people, ground that they had lost.
Both David and Jesus fought when their enemy was able to dominate the people of God through fear and intimidation alone.
Both David and Jesus were sent to the battleground by their father (1 Samuel 17:17).
Both David and Jesus were scorned and rejected by their own brethren.
Both David and Jesus fought the battle without concern with human strategies or conventional wisdom.
Both David and Jesus won the battle, but saw that their enemies did not then give up willingly.
Both David and Jesus fought a battle where the victory was assured even before it started.