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Commentary on 1 Samuel 17 verses 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,
I. How they defied Israel with their armies, Sa1 17:1. They made a descent upon the Israelites' country, and possessed themselves, as it should seem, of some part of it, for they encamped in a place which belonged to Judah. Israel's ground would never have been footing for Philistine-armies if Israel had been faithful to their God. The Philistines (it is probable) had heard that Samuel had fallen out with Saul and forsaken him, and no longer assisted and advised him, and that Saul had grown melancholy and unfit for business, and this news encouraged them to make this attempt for the retrieving of the credit they had lately lost. The enemies of the church are watchful to take all advantages, and they never have greater advantages than when her protectors have provoked God's Spirit and prophets to leave them. Saul mustered his forces, and faced them, Sa1 17:2, Sa1 17:3. And here we must take notice, 1. That the evil spirit, for the present, had left Saul, Sa1 16:23. David's harp having given him some relief, perhaps the alarms and affairs of the war prevented the return of the distemper. Business is a good antidote against melancholy. Let the mind have something without to fasten on and employ itself about, and it will be the less in danger of preying upon itself. God, in mercy to Israel, suspended the judgment for a while; for how distracted must the affairs of the public have been if at this juncture the prince had been distracted! 2. That David for the present had returned to Bethlehem, and had left the court, Sa1 17:15. When Saul had no further occasion to use him for the relief of his distemper, though, being anointed, he had a very good private reason, and, having a grant of the place of Saul's armour-bearer, he had a very plausible pretence to have continued his attendance, as a retainer to the court, yet he went home to Bethlehem, and returned to keep his father's sheep; this was a rare instance, in a young man that stood so fair for preferment, of humility and affection to his parents. He knew better than most do how to come down again after he had begun to rise, and strangely preferred the retirements of the pastoral life before all the pleasures and gaieties of the court. None more fit for honour than he, nor that deserved it better, and yet none more dead to it.
II. How they defied Israel with their champion Goliath, whom they were almost as proud of as he was of himself, hoping by him to recover their reputation and dominion. Perhaps the army of the Israelites was superior in number and strength to that of the Philistines, which made the Philistines decline a battle, and stand at bay with them, desiring rather to put the issue upon a single combat, in which, having such a champion, they hoped to gain the victory. Now concerning this champion observe,
1.His prodigious size. He was of the sons of Anak, who at Gath kept their ground in Joshua's time (Jos 11:22), and kept up a race of giants there, of which Goliath was one, and, it is probable, one of the largest. He was in height six cubits and a span, v. 4. They learned bishop Cumberland has made it out that the scripture-cubit was above twenty-one inches (above three inches more than our half-yard) and a span was half a cubit, by which computation Goliath wanted but eight inches of four yard in height, eleven feet and four inches, a monstrous stature, and which made him very formidable, especially if he had strength and spirit proportionable.
2.His armour. Art, as well as nature, made him terrible. He was well furnished with defensive armour (Sa1 17:5, Sa1 17:6): A helmet of brass on his head, a coat of mail, made of brass plates laid over one another, like the scales of a fish; and, because his legs would lie most within the reach of an ordinary man, he wore brass boots, and had a large corselet of brass about his neck. The coat is said to weigh 5000 shekels, and a shekel was half an ounce avoirdupois, a vast weight for a man to carry, all the other parts of his armour being proportionable. But some think it should be translated, not the weight of the coat, but the value of it, was 5000 shekels; so much it cost. His offensive weapons were extraordinary, of which his spear only is here described, Sa1 17:7. It was like a weaver's beam. His arm could manage that which an ordinary man could scarcely heave. His shield only, which was the lightest of all his accoutrements, was carried before him by his esquire, probably for state; for he that was clad in brass little needed a shield.
3.His challenge. The Philistines having chosen him for their champion, to save themselves from the hazard of battle, he here throws down the gauntlet, and bids defiance to the armies of Israel, Sa1 17:8-10. He came into the valley that lay between the camps, and, his voice probably being as much stronger than other people's as his arm was, he cried so as to make them all hear him, Give me a man, that we may fight together. He looked upon himself with admiration, because he was so much taller and stronger than all about him; his heart (says bishop Hall) nothing but a lump of proud flesh. He looked upon Israel with disdain, because they had none among them of such a monstrous bulk, and defies them to find a man among them bold enough to enter the list with him. (1.) He upbraids them with their folly in drawing an army together: "Why have you come to set the battle in array? How dare you oppose the mighty Philistines?" Or, "Why should the two armies engage, when the controversy may be sooner decided, with only the expense of one life and the hazard of another?" (2.) He offers to put the war entirely upon the issue of the duel he proposes: "If your champion kill me, we will be your servants; if I kill him, you shall be ours." This, says bishop Patrick, was only a bravado, for no nation would be willing thus to venture its all upon the success of one man, nor is it justifiable; notwithstanding Goliath's stipulation here, when he was killed the Philistines did not stand to his word, nor submit themselves as servants to Israel. When he boasts, I am a Philistine, and you are servants to Saul, he would have it thought a great piece of condescension in him, who was a chief ruler, to enter the lists with an Israelite; for he looked on them as no better than slaves. The Chaldee paraphrase brings him in boasting that he was the man that had killed Hophni and Phinehas and taken the ark prisoner, but that the Philistines had never given him so much as the command of a regiment in recompence of his services, whereas Saul had been made king for his services: "Let him therefore take up the challenge."
4.The terror this struck upon Israel: Saul and his army were greatly afraid, Sa1 17:11. The people would not have been dismayed but that they observed Saul's courage failed him; and it is not to be expected that, if the leader be a coward, the followers should be bold. We found before, when the Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul (Sa1 11:6), none could be more daring nor forward to answer the challenge of Nahash the Ammonite, but now that the Spirit of the Lord had departed from him even the big looks and big words of a single Philistine make him change colour. But where was Jonathan all this while? Why did not he accept the challenge, who, in the last war, had so bravely engaged a whole army of Philistines? Doubtless he did not feel himself stirred up of God to it, as he did in the former case. As the best, so the bravest men, are no more than what God makes them. Jonathan must now sit still, because the honour of engaging Goliath is reserved for David. In great and good actions, the wind of the Spirit blows when and where he listeth. Now the pious Israelites lament their king's breach with Samuel.
In my discourse I showed that Goliath was protected by the power of his weapons and the strength of a full set of armor, whereas David had none of that panoply. But he was fortified by his faith.Goliath had the external protection of his glittering breastplate and shield; David shone from within with the grace of the Spirit. This is why a boy prevailed over a man, this is why the one wearing no armor conquered the one fully armed, this is why the shepherd’s hand crushed and destroyed the bronze weapons of war.
Yet there stands Goliath, monstrous in his pride, swollen with his earthly power, confident that he can do everything by himself, with his head, hands and entire body clad in much bronze, having his own armor bearer behind him who, though he does not himself fight, nevertheless furnishes this Goliath with all kinds of aid in bronze and iron. And it is not surprising if Scripture, foreseeing our present situation, comments appropriately when it says, “The Philistines were standing on top of the mountain on this side,” since the individual who is attacking the [Pelagian] heresy is now being banished from the church, while the heretic is found to be nourished at its very breast! Because of this, it is so stated by the Holy Spirit that on the other side Israel was standing, while on this side, the enemy. And such is often the way. For even King David, who was always the righteous father toward his unrighteous son, having laid aside his royal robes, was forced to flee from Jerusalem, whereupon the tyrant Absalom immediately entered. There now stands Goliath—oh, what sorrow!—on this side, that is, within the church; and he not only stands but even offers challenges. And at the same time, over the course of many days, he reproaches holy Israel for its well-known fear of God.
And a man went out from above... named Goliath, etc. This notable man is the devil, who, daily going out from the camps of the Philistines, that is, from the hearts of the impious to rebel against God, does not cease to provoke the pious. And rightly he is called Goliath, that is, revealed or transmigrating. For he had long been hidden from mortals, seemingly in vain troubling Saul and the men of Israel; in vain boasting in the minds of the depraved, as in the camps of the Philistines, that he was the strongest; but now, through the diligence of the boy David, he is revealed to them, who can say: For we are not ignorant of his thoughts. Long pridefully inhabiting the hearts of the wretched, he is now transmigrated through the same strong hand, that is, the Lord Savior, who said: Now is the judgment of this world, now the prince of this world will be cast out (John XII). Or certainly, he is rightly called transmigrating because he transmigrated from angelic happiness to hell through pride. But if we wish to understand him who transmigrates others, that is, transfers them from place to place, in an active sense, the name should be referred to him; because he strives to transmigrate all his followers from the land of promise to the land of perdition, from life to death. He is well described as being six cubits and a palm high, because he who boasts to be similar to the Most High, promises to preach perfect works and a blessed end through his philosophers. For God made the world in six days and rested on the seventh; and he established for mortals through the law six days of work, the seventh of rest. Indeed, Ezekiel saw in the hand of the man measuring the new city, a reed of six cubits and a palm; because the Lord measures the perfection of work in His chosen ones, as if in six cubits; and He contemplates the hope of eternal rest, which will be completed in the future, as if the part of the seventh. Therefore, what the Lord truly exhibits, the devil falsely promises. The height of Goliath, comparable to the Lord's measure, is asserted to fall. His city also, Gath, which is interpreted as "press," aptly shows the multitude of the wicked, namely the devil’s city, always practiced in the torments of the good in the world. It is also worth informing those unaware that he is a bastard, who is generated by an ignoble father but a noble mother; just as conversely, one generated by a noble father, but an ignoble mother, is customarily known.
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SUMMARY
This verse vividly introduces Goliath, the formidable Philistine champion from Gath, whose extraordinary height of "six cubits and a span" immediately establishes him as a colossal and intimidating figure. His emergence sets the stage for the epic confrontation with Israel, highlighting the seemingly insurmountable human odds against God's people and preparing the reader for a dramatic display of divine power through an unexpected hero.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The description of Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:4 employs several powerful literary devices to achieve its dramatic effect. Hyperbole is evident in the exaggerated portrayal of Goliath's height, which, regardless of the exact translation of cubits and spans, is clearly intended to convey an almost superhuman stature, far exceeding that of ordinary men. This extreme description serves to magnify the threat and the seemingly insurmountable odds facing Israel. The verse also utilizes Foreshadowing, as Goliath's immense size and intimidating presence implicitly foreshadow the magnitude of the victory that is to come, a victory that will clearly demonstrate God's power rather than human might. Furthermore, Goliath functions as a powerful Symbol of overwhelming, humanly insurmountable obstacles, whether physical, spiritual, or emotional. His introduction sets up a stark Contrast with the eventual hero, David, who is described as young and small, thereby highlighting the divine nature of the triumph that will follow and emphasizing God's ability to use the weak to confound the strong.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The introduction of Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:4 is not merely a historical detail; it is a profound theological statement. Goliath embodies the overwhelming spiritual and physical challenges that confront God's people, serving as a tangible representation of the forces arrayed against them. His immense stature and intimidating presence are designed to instill fear and demonstrate the futility of human strength in the face of such an adversary. This sets the stage for a crucial theological truth: true victory does not come through human might, military prowess, or impressive stature, but through reliance on God's power. The narrative implicitly asks, "Who can stand against such a foe?" and the answer, revealed through David, is "Only one empowered by the Lord." Goliath's introduction thus highlights the necessity of divine intervention and faith over fear, preparing the reader for a demonstration of God's ability to use the humble and the weak to overcome the seemingly invincible, thereby bringing glory to His name alone.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Goliath's introduction serves as a powerful reminder that in life, we often encounter "giants"—challenges, fears, or adversaries that appear overwhelmingly large, intimidating, and insurmountable. These "Goliaths" can manifest as chronic illness, financial ruin, relational conflict, spiritual oppression, or deep-seated anxieties that paralyze us with fear, much like Goliath paralyzed the Israelite army. This verse compels us to acknowledge the sheer magnitude of these obstacles, recognizing that some battles are indeed too great for our own strength, wisdom, or resources to overcome. However, the subsequent narrative, set in motion by Goliath's challenge, teaches us that the very purpose of such overwhelming odds is often to reveal the surpassing power of God. Our "Goliaths" are not meant to defeat us, but to drive us to a deeper reliance on the Lord, who delights in using the weak and the unexpected to confound the strong and demonstrate His glory. This verse invites us to confront our own giants, not with despair, but with the understanding that their very size magnifies the power of the God who fights for us, transforming our fear into faith and our weakness into an opportunity for divine strength to be perfected.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
How tall was Goliath really?
Answer: The King James Version states Goliath's height as "six cubits and a span." The exact modern equivalent of this measurement is debated due to variations in the length of a "cubit" in ancient times. An average cubit was typically between 18 and 21 inches, and a span was about half a cubit (roughly 9 inches). Using an 18-inch cubit, Goliath's height would be approximately 9 feet 9 inches (6 * 18 + 9). If a longer cubit (e.g., 21 inches) is used, he would be even taller, around 11 feet 3 inches. However, the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament) records his height as "four cubits and a span," which would be closer to 6 feet 9 inches. While the precise measurement is uncertain and may have been exaggerated for dramatic effect, the consistent message across all traditions is that Goliath was exceptionally tall and a truly formidable individual, far exceeding the average height of men in that era, making him an incredibly intimidating opponent for the Israelite army and causing them great dismay (1 Samuel 17:11).
Why is Goliath's origin from Gath important?
Answer: Goliath's origin from Gath is significant for several reasons. Gath was one of the five principal cities of the Philistines, a powerful and often hostile people group to Israel. More importantly, Gath was historically associated with the Anakim, a race of giants or unusually large individuals mentioned in various Old Testament texts (e.g., Deuteronomy 2:10-11 and Joshua 11:21-22). This connection to the Anakim lineage further emphasizes Goliath's extraordinary, almost mythical, stature and strength. It reinforces the idea that he was not just a large man, but potentially a descendant of a renowned race of formidable warriors, making him an even more terrifying and seemingly unconquerable foe in the eyes of the Israelites, thereby magnifying the scale of the challenge he presented.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Goliath, the formidable champion of the Philistines, stands as a powerful Old Testament type of the ultimate enemy of God's people: sin, death, and the demonic powers that hold humanity captive. His overwhelming stature and the paralyzing fear he instilled in Israel perfectly illustrate the human inability to overcome these spiritual "giants" through natural strength or military might. Just as Goliath challenged Israel to single combat, so too did the forces of evil present an insurmountable challenge to humanity, demanding a champion who could decisively defeat them. This champion is Jesus Christ. He is the true and ultimate "man of the interspace," who stepped out between God and humanity, not to engage in a duel of physical prowess, but to confront and defeat the powers of darkness through His sacrificial death and resurrection. Unlike Goliath, who relied on armor and human strength, Christ conquered through humility, obedience, and the power of God, disarming the spiritual rulers and authorities and triumphing over them by the cross (Colossians 2:15). He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), the one who, through His own death, destroyed him who has the power of death, that is, the devil (Hebrews 2:14-15). David's victory over Goliath, achieved not by sword or spear but by faith and a simple stone, foreshadows Christ's ultimate victory over the grave, securing eternal triumph for all who believe, declaring that death is swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).