וַיַּאַסְפוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים אֶת־מַחֲנֵיהֶם לַמִּלְחָמָה וַיֵּאָסְפוּ שֹׂכֹה אֲשֶׁר לִיהוּדָה וַיַּחֲנוּ בֵּין־שׂוֹכֹה וּבֵין־עֲזֵקָה 17:1 בְּאֶפֶס דַּמִּים׃
1Sam. 17:1 Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to war, and they gathered at Socoh, which was Judah's, and camped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim.
וְשָׁאוּל וְאִישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶאֶסְפוּ וַיַּחֲנוּ בְּעֵמֶק הָאֵלָה וַיַּעַרְכוּ מִלְחָמָה לִקְרַאת פְּלִשְׁתִּים׃ 17:2
1Sam. 17:2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together and camped in the valley of Elah, and set themselves in battle array to encounter the Philistines.
וּפְלִשְׁתִּים עֹמְדִים אֶל־הָהָר מִזֶּה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל עֹמְדִים אֶל־הָהָר מִזֶּה וְהַגַּיְא בֵּינֵיהֶם׃ 17:3
1Sam. 17:3 And the Philistines were standing against the mountain on one side while Israel was standing against the mountain on the other side, with the valley between them.
וַיֵּצֵא אִישׁ־הַבֵּנַיִם מִמַּחֲנוֹת פְּלִשְׁתִּים גָּלְיָת שְׁמוֹ מִגַּת גָּבְהוֹ שֵׁשׁ אַמּוֹת וָזָרֶת׃ 17:4
1Sam. 17:4 And a champion emerged from the armies of the Philistines, Goliath his name, from Gath, his height six cubits and a span.
Goliath’s height would be about 9 feet five inches.
וְכוֹבַע נְחֹשֶׁת עַל־רֹאשׁוֹ וְשִׁרְיוֹן קַשְׂקַשִּׂים הוּא לָבוּשׁ וּמִשְׁקַל הַשִּׁרְיוֹן חֲמֵשֶׁת־אֲלָפִים שְׁקָלִים 17:5 נְחֹשֶׁת׃
1Sam. 17:5 And a helmet of brass was on his head, and he was wearing a breastplate of mail, and the weight of the breastplate was five thousand shekels of brass.
וּמִצְחַת נְחֹשֶׁת עַל־רַגְלָיו וְכִידוֹן נְחֹשֶׁת בֵּין כְּתֵפָיו׃ 17:6
1Sam. 17:6 And shin pieces of brass were on his legs, and a spear of brass between his shoulders.
וְחָץ) [וְעֵץ] חֲנִיתוֹ כִּמְנוֹר אֹרְגִים וְלַהֶבֶת חֲנִיתוֹ שֵׁשׁ־מֵאוֹת שְׁקָלִים בַּרְזֶל וְנֹשֵׂא הַצִּנָּה הֹלֵךְ לְפָנָיו׃ 17:7
1Sam. 17:7 And the stock of his javelin was like a beam of weavers, and the head of his javelin was six hundred shekels of iron, and the bearer of the shield went before him.
The first word contains a spelling error. The correction appears in the brackets. The word in error means primarily arrow. The corrected word can mean wood, stalk, stock, etc. This is a rather unusual spelling error. The letter replacing the wrong one has little or no resemblance to the original.
וַיַּעֲמֹד וַיִּקְרָא אֶל־מַעַרְכֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם לָמָּה תֵצְאוּ לַעֲרֹךְ מִלְחָמָה הֲלוֹא אָנֹכִי הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי 17:8 וְאַתֶּם עֲבָדִים לְשָׁאוּל בְּרוּ־לָכֶם אִישׁ וְיֵרֵד אֵלָי׃
1Sam. 17:8 And he stood and shouted to the army of Israel and said to them, “Why would you come out to be in battle array? Am I not the Philistine and you servants of Saul's? Choose for yourselves a man and let him come down to me.”
אִם־יוּכַל לְהִלָּחֵם אִתִּי וְהִכָּנִי וְהָיִינוּ לָכֶם לַעֲבָדִים וְאִם־אֲנִי אוּכַל־לוֹ וְהִכִּיתִיו וִהְיִיתֶם לָנוּ לַעֲבָדִים 17:9 וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֹתָנוּ׃
1Sam. 17:9 “If he will be able to fight me and kill me, then we will be for servants for you. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you will be for servants for us and serve us.”
וַיֹּאמֶר הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי אֲנִי חֵרַפְתִּי אֶת־מַעַרְכוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה תְּנוּ־לִי אִישׁ וְנִלָּחֲמָה יָחַד׃ 17:10
1Sam. 17:10 And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give a man to me and we will fight together.”
וַיִּשְׁמַע שָׁאוּל וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי הָאֵלֶּה וַיֵּחַתּוּ וַיִּרְאוּ מְאֹד׃ 17:11
1Sam. 17:11 When Saul heard, and all Israel, those words of the Philistine, then they were discouraged and very afraid.
וְדָוִד בֶּן־אִישׁ אֶפְרָתִי הַזֶּה מִבֵּית לֶחֶם יְהוּדָה וּשְׁמוֹ יִשַׁי וְלוֹ שְׁמֹנָה בָנִים וְהָאִישׁ בִּימֵי שָׁאוּל זָקֵן 17:12 בָּא בַאֲנָשִׁים׃
1Sam. 17:12 Now David was the son of an Ephrathite that was from Beth-lehem of Judah and his name was Jesse, and eight sons were his, and in the days of Saul the man was indeed old among men. [Return to Mica. 5:1]
This is strange. David had been introduced in the last chapter. He was anointed by Samuel, and he came to Saul to play for him. Yet it seems that he is being newly introduced here again. It is almost as if the two chapters were written by different scribes, perhaps simultaneously or at a distance and they hadn’t consulted together. Another possibility, although slim, is that the events of this chapter transpired before those of the previous one.
וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁלֹשֶׁת בְּנֵי־יִשַׁי הַגְּדֹלִים הָלְכוּ אַחֲרֵי־שָׁאוּל לַמִּלְחָמָה וְשֵׁם שְׁלֹשֶׁת בָּנָיו אֲשֶׁר הָלְכוּ 17:13 בַּמִּלְחָמָה אֱלִיאָב הַבְּכוֹר וּמִשְׁנֵהוּ אֲבִינָדָב וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁי שַׁמָּה׃
1Sam. 17:13 And the three oldest sons of Jesse had gone away. They followed after Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons who went into the battle were Eliab, the first born, and his second Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
וְדָוִד הוּא הַקָּטָן וּשְׁלֹשָׁה הַגְּדֹלִים הָלְכוּ אַחֲרֵי שָׁאוּל׃ 17:14
1Sam. 17:14 And David, he was the youngest, and the three oldest followed after Saul.
וְדָוִד הֹלֵךְ וָשָׁב מֵעַל שָׁאוּל לִרְעוֹת אֶת־צֹאן אָבִיו בֵּית־לָחֶם׃ 17:15
1Sam. 17:15 Now David had gone and returned from Saul to feed the sheep of his father in Beth-lehem.
This is even stranger. Here the narrative of the last chapter is acknowledged. So why did David have to be reintroduced in v. 17:12 above? Was it merely to inform us that Jesse was old?
וַיִּגַּשׁ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי הַשְׁכֵּם וְהַעֲרֵב וַיִּתְיַצֵּב אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם׃ 17:16
1Sam. 17:16 And the Philistine came near every morning and evening and stationed himself forty days.
וַיֹּאמֶר יִשַׁי לְדָוִד בְּנוֹ קַח־נָא לְאַחֶיךָ אֵיפַת הַקָּלִיא הַזֶּה וַעֲשָׂרָה לֶחֶם הַזֶּה וְהָרֵץ הַמַּחֲנֶה לְאַחֶיךָ׃ 17:17
1Sam. 17:17 And Jesse said to David, his son, “Take now this ephah of parched corn and these ten loaves to your brothers and bring them quickly to the camp of your brothers.”
וְאֵת עֲשֶׂרֶת חֲרִצֵי הֶחָלָב הָאֵלֶּה תָּבִיא לְשַׂר־הָאָלֶף וְאֶת־אַחֶיךָ תִּפְקֹד לְשָׁלוֹם וְאֶת־עֲרֻבָּתָם 17:18
תִּקָּח׃
1Sam. 17:18 “And you shall bring these ten cuts of cheese to the captain of a thousand. And you shall commit your brothers to peace, and you shall take their pledge.”
וְשָׁאוּל וְהֵמָּה וְכָל־אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעֵמֶק הָאֵלָה נִלְחָמִים עִם־פְּלִשְׁתִּים׃ 17:19
1Sam. 17:19 “And Saul and they and all the men of Israel are in the valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines.”
וַיַּשְׁכֵּם דָּוִד בַּבֹּקֶר וַיִּטֹּשׁ אֶת־הַצֹּאן עַל־שֹׁמֵר וַיִּשָּׂא וַיֵּלֶךְ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּהוּ יִשָׁי וַיָּבֹא הַמַּעְגָּלָה וְהַחַיִל 17:20 הַיֹּצֵא אֶל־הַמַּעֲרָכָה וְהֵרֵעוּ בַּמִּלְחָמָה׃
1Sam. 17:20 Then David rose up early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and he carried and went as Jesse had commanded him, and he reached the barricade and the army that had come forth to the fight, as they shouted for the battle.
וַתַּעֲרֹךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וּפְלִשְׁתִּים מַעֲרָכָה לִקְרַאת מַעֲרָכָה׃ 17:21
1Sam. 17:21 And Israel was set in array with the Philistines, army against army.
וַיִּטֹּשׁ דָּוִד אֶת־הַכֵּלִים מֵעָלָיו עַל־יַד שׁוֹמֵר הַכֵּלִים וַיָּרָץ הַמַּעֲרָכָה וַיָּבֹא וַיִּשְׁאַל לְאֶחָיו לְשָׁלוֹם׃ 17:22
1Sam. 17:22 And David let the things fall from him upon the hand of the keeper of baggage and ran to the army and came and gave greetings to his brothers for peace.
וְהוּא מְדַבֵּר עִמָּם וְהִנֵּה אִישׁ הַבֵּנַיִם עוֹלֶה גָּלְיָת הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי שְׁמוֹ מִגַּת (מִמַּעַרוֹת) [מִמַּעַרְכוֹת 17:23
פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיְדַבֵּר כַּדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וַיִּשְׁמַע דָּוִד׃
1Sam. 17:23 As he was talking with them, then behold, the champion came up, Goliath, the Philistine, his name, from Gath, from the armies of the Philistines and spoke according to those words, and David heard.
Another spelling error, this time a letter entirely missing from the word in the parentheses. The correct word appears after the right bracket.
וְכֹל אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּרְאוֹתָם אֶת־הָאִישׁ וַיָּנֻסוּ מִפָּנָיו וַיִּירְאוּ מְאֹד׃ 17:24
1Sam. 17:24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, then they fled from his presence, as they were very afraid.
וַיֹּאמֶר אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל הַרְּאִיתֶם הָאִישׁ הָעֹלֶה הַזֶּה כִּי לְחָרֵף אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל עֹלֶה וְהָיָה הָאִיש 17:25
אֲשֶׁר־יַכֶּנּוּ יַעְשְׁרֶנּוּ הַמֶּלֶךְ עֹשֶׁר גָּדֹול וְאֶת־בִּתֹּו יִתֶּן־לֹו וְאֵת בֵּית אָבִיו יַעֲשֶׂה חָפְשִׁי בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל׃
1Sam. 17:25 And each man of Israel said, “Have you seen this man coming up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. But it shall be that the man who kills him, the king shall give him great riches, and he will give his daughter to him, and he will make the house of his father free of taxes in Israel.”
וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל־הָאֲנָשִׁים הָעֹמְדִים עִמּוֹ לֵאמֹר מַה־יֵּעָשֶׂה לָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יַכֶּה אֶת־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי הַלָּז 17:26 וְהֵסִיר חֶרְפָּה מֵעַל יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי מִי הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי הֶעָרֵל הַזֶּה כִּי חֵרֵף מַעַרְכוֹת אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים׃
1Sam. 17:26 And David spoke to the men standing with him saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes the shame from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he has defied the armies of the living God?”
וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ הָעָם כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה לֵאמֹר כֹּה יֵעָשֶׂה לָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יַכֶּנּוּ׃ 17:27
1Sam. 17:27 And the people responded to him about the same matter saying, “Thus shall it be done for the man who kills him.”
וַיִּשְׁמַע אֱלִיאָב אָחִיו הַגָּדוֹל בְּדַבְּרוֹ אֶל־הָאֲנָשִׁים וַיִּחַר־אַף אֱלִיאָב בְּדָוִד וַיֹּאמֶר לָמָּה־זֶּה יָרַדְתָּ 17:28 וְעַל־מִי נָטַשְׁתָּ מְעַט הַצֹּאן הָהֵנָּה בַּמִּדְבָּר אֲנִי יָדַעְתִּי אֶת־זְדֹנְךָ וְאֵת רֹעַ לְבָבֶךָ כִּי לְמַעַן רְאוֹת הַמִּלְחָמָה יָרָדְתָּ׃
1Sam. 17:28 And Eliab, his oldest brother, heard of his speaking to the men, and Eliab became angry with David and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom did you leave off those few sheep in the pasture? I have known your presumptuousness and the naughtiness of your heart, for you have come down in order to see the battle.”
וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד מֶה עָשִׂיתִי עָתָּה הֲלוֹא דָּבָר הוּא׃ 17:29
1Sam. 17:29 And David said, “What have I done Now? Was it not a word?”
וַיִּסֹּב מֵאֶצְלוֹ אֶל־מוּל אַחֵר וַיֹּאמֶר כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה וַיְשִׁבֻהוּ הָעָם דָּבָר כַּדָּבָר הָרִאשׁוֹן׃ 17:30
1Sam. 17:30 Then he turned away from being near him to another face, and said similar words. And the people answered him words like the first words.
וַיְּשָּׁמְעוּ הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר דָּוִד וַיַּגִּדוּ לִפְנֵי־שָׁאוּל וַיִּקָּחֵהוּ׃ 17:31
1Sam. 17:31 When they heard the words that David had spoken, then they reported before Saul, and they brought him.
וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל־שָׁאוּל אַל־יִפֹּל לֵב־אָדָם עָלָיו עַבְדְּךָ יֵלֵךְ וְנִלְחַם עִם־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי הַזֶּה׃ 17:32
1Sam. 17:32 And David said to Saul, “Let the heart of man not fail over him. Your servant will go and fight this Philistine.”
וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל־דָּוִד לֹא תוּכַל לָלֶכֶת אֶל־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי הַזֶּה לְהִלָּחֵם עִמּוֹ כִּי־נַעַר אַתָּה וְהוּא אִישׁ 17:33 מִלְחָמָה מִנְּעֻרָיו׃
1Sam. 17:33 And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go to this Philistine to fight with him, for you are a youth and he is a man of war from his youth.”
וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל־שָׁאוּל רֹעֶה הָיָה עַבְדְּךָ לְאָבִיו בַּצֹּאן וּבָא הָאֲרִי וְאֶת־הַדּוֹב וְנָשָׂא שֶׂה מֵהָעֵדֶר׃ 17:34
1Sam. 17:34 Then David said to Saul, “Your servant has been a shepherd for his father with the flock; when a lion or a bear came and took a sheep from the flock,
וְיָצָאתִי אַחֲרָיו וְהִכִּתִיו וְהִצַּלְתִּי מִפִּיו וַיָּקָם עָלַי וְהֶחֱזַקְתִּי בִּזְקָנוֹ וְהִכִּתִיו וַהֲמִיתִּיו׃ 17:35
1Sam. 17:35 then I would go out after him and smite him and snatch from his mouth. When he would rise up against me, then I would grab him by his beard and smite and slay him.”
גַּם אֶת־הָאֲרִי גַּם־הַדּוֹב הִכָּה עַבְדֶּךָ וְהָיָה הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי הֶעָרֵל הַזֶּה כְּאַחַד מֵהֶם כִּי חֵרֵף מַעַרְכֹת 17:36 אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים׃
1Sam. 17:36 “Your servant has smitten both the lion and the bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.”
וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר הִצִּלַנִי מִיַּד הָאֲרִי וּמִיַּד הַדֹּב הוּא יַצִּילֵנִי מִיַּד הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי הַזֶּה וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל 17:37 אֶל־דָּוִד לֵךְ וַיהוָה יִהְיֶה עִמָּךְ׃
1Sam. 17:37 And David said, “It was 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 let the Lord be with you.”
וַיַּלְבֵּשׁ שָׁאוּל אֶת־דָּוִד מַדָּיו וְנָתַן קוֹבַע נְחֹשֶׁת עַל־רֹאשׁוֹ וַיַּלְבֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ שִׁרְיוֹן׃ 17:38
1Sam. 17:38 And Saul put his armor on David and put a helmet of brass on his head and put a coat of mail on him.
וַיַּחְגֹּר דָּוִד אֶת־חַרְבּוֹ מֵעַל לְמַדָּיו וַיֹּאֶל לָלֶכֶת כִּי לֹא־נִסָּה וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל־שָׁאוּל לֹא אוּכַל לָלֶכֶת 17:39 בָּאֵלֶּה כִּי לֹא נִסִּיתִי וַיְסִרֵם דָּוִד מֵעָלָיו׃
1Sam. 17:39 And David girded his sword on top of his armor, and began to go, but he had not tested. And David said to Saul, “I am not able to go with these, for I had not tested.” And David removed them from himself.
וַיִּקַּח מַקְלוֹ בְּיָדוֹ וַיִּבְחַר־לוֹ חֲמִשָּׁה חַלֻּקֵי־אֲבָנִים מִן־הַנַּחַל וַיָּשֶׂם אֹתָם בִּכְלִי הָרֹעִים אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ 17:40 וּבַיַּלְקוּט וְקַלְּעוֹ בְיָדוֹ וַיִּגַּשׁ אֶל־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי׃
1Sam. 17:40 And he took his staff in his hand and selected for himself five smooth stones from the brook and put them with the things of shepherds that were his and into the bag, and his sling was in his hand as he came near to the Philistine.
וַיֵּלֶךְ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי הֹלֵךְ וְקָרֵב אֶל־דָּוִד וְהָאִישׁ נֹשֵׂא הַצִּנָּה לְפָנָיו׃ 17:41
1Sam. 17:41 And the Philistine approached, coming closer and closer to David, with the man bearing the shield before him.
וַיַּבֵּט הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי וַיִּרְאֶה אֶת־דָּוִד וַיִּבְזֵהוּ כִּי־הָיָה נַעַר וְאַדְמֹנִי עִם־יְפֵה מַרְאֶה׃ 17:42
1Sam. 17:42 When the Philistine looked and saw David, then he had disdain for him, for he was a youth, and ruddy, with beauty of countenance.
וַיֹּאמֶר הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי אֶל־דָּוִד הֲכֶלֶב אָנֹכִי כִּי־אַתָּה בָא־אֵלַי בַּמַּקְלוֹת וַיְקַלֵּל הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי אֶת־דָּוִד בֵּאלֹהָיו׃ 17:43
1Sam. 17:43 And the Philistine said to David, “A dog am I, that you come to me with staves?” And the Philistine cursed David by his god.
וַיֹּאמֶר הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי אֶל־דָּוִד לְכָה אֵלַי וְאֶתְּנָה אֶת־בְּשָׂרְךָ לְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּלְבֶהֱמַת הַשָּׂדֶה׃ 17:44
1Sam. 17:44 And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me and I will give your flesh to the fowl of the air and to the beasts of the field.”
וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי אַתָּה בָּא אֵלַי בְּחֶרֶב וּבַחֲנִית וּבְכִידוֹן וְאָנֹכִי בָא־אֵלֶיךָ בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה 17:45 צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵי מַעַרְכוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר חֵרַפְתָּ׃
1Sam. 17:45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You have come to me with sword and with spear and with javelin, but I have come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, God of the armies of Israel, Whom you have defied.”
הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְסַגֶּרְךָ יְהוָה בְּיָדִי וְהִכִּיתִךָ וַהֲסִרֹתִי אֶת־רֹאשְׁךָ מֵעָלֶיךָ וְנָתַתִּי פֶּגֶר מַחֲנֵה פְלִשְׁתִּים 17:46
הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה לְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּלְחַיַּת הָאָרֶץ וְיֵדְעוּ כָּל־הָאָרֶץ כִּי יֵשׁ אֱלֹהִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל׃
1Sam. 17:46 “The Lord shall deliver you into my hand this day, as I will smite you and remove your head from off of you, and give the carcass of the camp of the Philistines this day to the fowl of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, and all the earth will know that there is a God of Israel's,
וְיֵדְעוּ כָּל־הַקָּהָל הַזֶּה כִּי־לֹא בְּחֶרֶב וּבַחֲנִית יְהוֹשִׁיעַ יְהוָה כִּי לַיהוָה הַמִּלְחָמָה וְנָתַן אֶתְכֶם בְּיָדֵנוּ׃ 17:47
1Sam. 17:47 and all this assembly will know that the Lord does not save by sword or by spear, for to the Lord is the battle, so He will deliver you into our hand.”
וְהָיָה כִּי־קָם הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיִּקְרַב לִקְרַאת דָּוִד וַיְמַהֵר דָּוִד וַיָּרָץ הַמַּעֲרָכָה לִקְרַאת הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי׃ 17:48
1Sam. 17:48 And it happened that the Philistine arose and came and approached to meet David, and David hastened and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine,
וַיִּשְׁלַח דָּוִד אֶת־יָדוֹ אֶל־הַכֶּלִי וַיִּקַּח מִשָּׁם אֶבֶן וַיְקַלַּע וַיַּךְ אֶת־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי אֶל־מִצְחוֹ וַתִּטְבַּע הָאֶבֶן 17:49 בְּמִצְחוֹ וַיִּפֹּל עַל־פָּנָיו אָרְצָה׃
1Sam. 17:49 and David put his hand to the bag and took from there a stone and slung and struck the Philistine in his forehead, and the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.
I wonder, does any one else see this episode as prophetic? To me it represents the ongoing conflict between the Muslim world and Israel. And although the deck appears to be stacked heavily against Israel, Israel wins handily. Hallelujah!
וַיֶּחֱזַק דָּוִד מִן־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי בַּקֶּלַע וּבָאֶבֶן וַיַּךְ אֶת־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי וַיְמִיתֵהוּ וְחֶרֶב אֵין בְּיַד־דָּוִד׃ 17:50
1Sam. 17:50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone and he smote the Philistine and slew him, yet there was no sword in the hand of David.
וַיָּרָץ דָּוִד וַיַּעֲמֹד אֶל־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי וַיִּקַּח אֶת־חַרְבּוֹ וַיִּשְׁלְפָהּ מִתַּעְרָהּ וַיְמֹתְתֵהוּ וַיִּכְרָת־בָּהּ אֶת־רֹאשׁוֹ 17:51 וַיִּרְאוּ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּים כִּי־מֵת גִּבּוֹרָם וַיָּנֻסוּ׃
1Sam. 17:51 Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and withdrew it from its sheath and slew him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their mighty man was dead, then they fled.
It is presumably Goliath’s sword that David withdrew, unless he had continued to carry the sword he had donned earlier (v. 17:39). But why did he slay the giant twice, once with the sling (v. 17:50) and once with the sword? Is this another sign of haste by the scribe? Or is it instead an assuring indication by the scribe that Goliath was indeed dead?
וַיָּקֻמוּ אַנְשֵׁי יִשְׂרָאֵל וִיהוּדָה וַיָּרִעוּ וַיִּרְדְּפוּ אֶת־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּים עַד־בּוֹאֲךָ גַיְא וְעַד שַׁעֲרֵי עֶקְרוֹן וַיִּפְּלוּ 17:52 חַלְלֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים בְּדֶרֶךְ שַׁעֲרַיִם וְעַד־גַּת וְעַד־עֶקְרוֹן׃
1Sam. 17:52 Then the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted and pursued the Philistines as far as your coming to Gai and as far as the gates of Ekron. And the slain of the Philistines fell on the way to Shaaraim and all the way to Gath and all the way to Ekron.
וַיָּשֻׁבוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִדְּלֹק אַחֲרֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיָּשֹׁסּוּ אֶת־מַחֲנֵיהֶם׃ 17:53
1Sam. 17:53 Then the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines and plundered their camp.
וַיִּקַּח דָּוִד אֶת־רֹאשׁ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי וַיְבִאֵהוּ יְרוּשָׁלִָם וְאֶת־כֵּלָיו שָׂם בְּאָהֳלוֹ׃ 17:54
1Sam. 17:54 And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.
וְכִרְאוֹת שָׁאוּל אֶת־דָּוִד יֹצֵא לִקְרַאת הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי אָמַר אֶל־אַבְנֵר שַׂר הַצָּבָא בֶּן־מִי־זֶה הַנַּעַר אַבְנֵר 17:55 וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְנֵר חֵי־נַפְשְׁךָ הַמֶּלֶךְ אִם־יָדָעְתִּי׃
1Sam. 17:55 And Saul, while watching David go forth to meet the Philistine, said to Abner, captain of the host, “Whose son is this youth, Abner? And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, nor do I know.”
Another strange verse. Here it seems that Saul doesn’t know David, doesn’t remember that he gave him his armor (v.17:38), and has never seen him. See also v. 17:58 below. Now it seems as if two different scribes wrote portions of this chapter. Is that possible? Hardly likely! Was this book written in haste, leaving no time for proof reading? Is that why there are more than the typical number of errors? That could be the answer to this mystery.
וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁאַל אַתָּה בֶּן־מִי־זֶה הָעָלֶם׃ 17:56
1Sam. 17:56 And the king said, “You ask whose son is this young man.”
וּכְשׁוּב דָּוִד מֵהַכּוֹת אֶת־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי וַיִּקַּח אֹתוֹ אַבְנֵר וַיְבִאֵהוּ לִפְנֵי שָׁאוּל וְרֹאשׁ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי בְּיָדוֹ׃ 17:57
1Sam. 17:57 And when David returned from slaying the Philistine, then Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.
וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו שָׁאוּל בֶּן־מִי אַתָּה הַנָּעַר וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד בֶּן־עַבְדְּךָ יִשַׁי בֵּית הַלַּחְמִי׃ 17:58
1Sam. 17:58 And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” And David answered, “The son of your servant, Jesse, the Beth-lehemite.
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