43 And the Philistine H6430 said H559 unto David, H1732 Am I a dog, H3611 that thou comest H935 to me with staves? H4731 And the Philistine H6430 cursed H7043 David H1732 by his gods. H430
After H310 whom is the king H4428 of Israel H3478 come out? H3318 after H310 whom dost thou pursue? H7291 after H310 a dead H4191 dog, H3611 after H310 a H259 flea. H6550
Then was Abner H74 very H3966 wroth H2734 for the words H1697 of Ishbosheth, H378 and said, H559 Am I a dog's H3611 head, H7218 which against Judah H3063 do shew H6213 kindness H2617 this day H3117 unto the house H1004 of Saul H7586 thy father, H1 to his brethren, H251 and to his friends, H4828 and have not delivered H4672 thee into the hand H3027 of David, H1732 that thou chargest H6485 me to day H3117 with a fault H5771 concerning this woman? H802
And Hazael H2371 said, H559 But what, is thy servant H5650 a dog, H3611 that he should do H6213 this great H1419 thing? H1697 And Elisha H477 answered, H559 The LORD H3068 hath shewed H7200 me that thou shalt be king H4428 over Syria. H758
Then said H559 Abishai H52 the son H1121 of Zeruiah H6870 unto the king, H4428 Why should this dead H4191 dog H3611 curse H7043 my lord H113 the king? H4428 let me go over, H5674 I pray thee, and take off H5493 his head. H7218
Let people H5971 serve H5647 thee, and nations H3816 bow down H7812 to thee: be H1933 lord H1376 over thy brethren, H251 and let thy mother's H517 sons H1121 bow down H7812 to thee: cursed H779 be every one that curseth H779 thee, and blessed H1288 be he that blesseth H1288 thee.
Come H3212 now therefore, I pray thee, curse H779 me this people; H5971 for they are too mighty H6099 for me: peradventure I shall prevail, H3201 that we may smite H5221 them, and that I may drive them out H1644 of the land: H776 for I wot H3045 that he whom thou blessest H1288 is blessed, H1288 and he whom thou cursest H779 is cursed. H779
Behold, there is a people H5971 come out H3318 of Egypt, H4714 which covereth H3680 the face H5869 of the earth: H776 come H3212 now, curse H6895 me them; peradventure I shall be able H3201 to overcome H3898 them, and drive them out. H1644 And God H430 said H559 unto Balaam, H1109 Thou shalt not go H3212 with them; thou shalt not curse H779 the people: H5971 for they are blessed. H1288
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Samuel 17
Commentary on 1 Samuel 17 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 17
David is the man whom God now delights to honour, for he is a man after his own heart. We read in the foregoing chapter how, after he was anointed, Providence made him famous in the court; we read in this chapter how Providence made him much more famous in the camp, and, by both, not only marked him for a great man, but fitted him for the throne for which he was designed. In the court he was only Saul's physician; but in the camp Israel's champion; there he fairly fought, and beat Goliath of Gath. In the story observe,
1Sa 17:1-11
It was not long ago that the Philistines were soundly beaten, and put to the worse, before Israel, and they would have been totally routed if Saul's rashness had not prevented; but here we have them making head again. Observe,
1Sa 17:12-30
Forty days the two armies lay encamped facing one another, each advantageously posted, but neither forward to engage. Either they were parleying and treating of an accommodation or they were waiting for recruits; and perhaps there were frequent skirmishes between small detached parties. All this while, twice a day, morning and evening, did the insulting champion appear in the field and repeat his challenge, his own heart growing more and more proud for his not being answered and the people of Israel more and more timorous, while God designed hereby to ripen him for destruction and to make Israel's deliverance the more illustrious. All this while David is keeping his father's sheep, but at the end of forty days Providence brings him to the field to win and wear the laurel which no other Israelite dares venture for. We have in these verses,
1Sa 17:31-39
David is at length presented to Saul for his champion (v. 31) and he bravely undertakes to fight the Philistine (v. 32): Let no man's heart fail because of him. It would have reflected too much upon the valour of his prince if he had said, Let not thy heart fail; therefore he speaks generally: Let no man's heart fail. A little shepherd, come but this morning from keeping sheep, has more courage than all the mighty men of Israel, and encourages them. Thus does God often send good words to his Israel, and do great things for them, by the weak and foolish things of the world. David only desires a commission from Saul to go and fight with the Philistine, but says nothing to him of the reward he had proposed, because that was not the thing he was ambitious of, but only the honour of serving God and his country: nor would he seem to question Saul's generosity. Two things David had to do with Saul:-
1Sa 17:40-47
We are now coming near this famous combat, and have in these verses the preparations and remonstrances made on both sides.
1Sa 17:48-58
Here is,