1 Samuel 17
OGCA DIGEST OF CHAPTER 17
Goliath’s challenge. Once again Israel and Philistia were at war. On this occasion, the battle was pitched farther south; and the battlefield was in the land belonging to the tribe of Judah. The conflict reached a stalemate when a champion, Goliath, came out to challenge the best to be found in the armies of Israel. No champion was found at first in the camp of Saul.
David hears Goliath’s challenge. When Saul went to battle, David returned to his father’s house in Bethlehem. Since Jesse’s three oldest sons were in Saul’s army, Jesse sent David to the battle to inquire about his sons-’ well-being. It was while David was on this errand for his father that he heard Goliath’s challenge. David was not afraid to answer the challenge.
Saul sends David to meet Goliath. David based his judgment on his past experiences with the power of God. By faith in God he had been able to defend his father’s sheep when they were attacked by lions and by bears. This courage impressed Saul, and he sent David out to do battle against the Philistine.
David slays Goliath. David did not use Saul’s personal armor with which Saul had clothed him. He took only his tried and trusty sling and five smooth stones for it. He had used this kind of weapon, and he felt confident with it. After he had hit the giant with a stone, he beheaded him with the sword which he had taken out of Goliath’s sheath.
Saul inquires about David’s background. One of the rewards promised to any who would slay Goliath was the hand of the king’s daughter in marriage (1 Samuel 17:25). He had also promised that his father’s house would be made free in Israel (1 Samuel 17:25 b). Although David had formerly been in Saul’s court, the king now made definite inquiry concerning his ancestry and background.
LESSONS FOR LEARNING
We should use the equipment we have. David said that he had not proved Saul’s armor (1 Samuel 17:39). They were not his own. He did not know how to use them. We likewise should not try to do things in the same way another might have devised. We should be ourselves and use the talents and abilities which God has given to us.
To do battle in the name of the Lord is to be victorious. Ultimate victory is promised to those who do battle for God. The gates of Hell will not prevail against the Lord’s church (Matthew 16:18).
CHAPTER 17 IN REVIEW
Where did the Philistines gather for battle?
To what tribe of Israel did the place belong?
What was the name of the Philistine champion?
From what Philistine city did he hail?
For how many days did Goliath issue his challenge?
How many of David’s brothers were in Saul’s army?
Which of David’s brothers rebuked him?
How many stones did David take from the brook?
To what Philistine city did Israel pursue the Philistines?
To what Canaanite city did David carry Goliath’s head?
1 Samuel 17:1-11
Goliath’s Challenge. 1 Samuel 17:1-11
Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.
2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. 3 And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.
4 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
5 And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.
6 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders.
7 And the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.
8 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.
9 If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. 10 And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. 11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
*1.
Where were Shochoh, Azekah, and Ephes-dammim? 1 Samuel 17:1*
These places are in the Valley of Elah, now called Wady es Sunt. This valley begins a few miles northwest of Hebron and runs in a northerly direction between the mountains of Judah and the lower hills of the Shephelah forming the border of the Philistine Plain. Shochoh, now called Suweikeh, is about nine miles down the valley. This spot was on the Philistine side of the valley, the western side. To meet the description of the Scripture text, modern-day explorers look for a place which has on each side a mountain slope suitable for the camp of an army. It would need to be a valley wide enough to give room for Goliath’s daily advance into it with his challenge. Finally, a brook must flow along the valley where smooth, round stones could be found nearer Saul’s side of the valley than the Philistines-’ side. J. W. McGarvey, in his Lands of the Bible (page 260), says that just such a point was found by him. He found it a short distance north of Shochoh. Above the spot, the valley was too narrow and the hills too steep, while the brook was either in the middle or too near the western side. At the point he located, however, the western hills have a moderate slope. They recede to a kind of amphitheater. A sloping ridge stands on the opposite side with a valley on each side of it. No doubt here were stationed the two armies with something more than a quarter of a mile of space between them. The brook, a raging torrent in the winter, but dry in the summer, flows within sixty or seventy yards of the eastern side of the valley. David, in advancing, was compelled to cross it. The bed is full of smooth, round stones from one to six inches in diameter. With scarcely a moment’s hesitation David could have picked up five of these stones to suit his purpose. Mr. McGarvey and his companions picked up five apiece, any one of which would be the very thing with which to knock down a giant! The word Ephes-dammim comes from the root which means boundary of blood. It is called Pas-Dammim (1 Chronicles 11:13). No doubt the bloody contest between Israel and the Philistines gave the place its name. Probably this was a name for the valley where the battle was pitched. Azekah comes from a root meaning tilled. It is known as a town in the plain of Judah (Joshua 15:35). It seemed to be a place of considerable strength (Jeremiah 34:7), and it had suburban villages in later times (Nehemiah 11:30). The southern coalition of the Canaanite kings were defeated at this place by Joshua, and their army destroyed by an extraordinary shower of hailstones (Joshua 10:10-11). This location must have been farther down the valley and to the north of the battle field.
*2.
Who was Goliath? 1 Samuel 17:4*
Goliath was a survivor of the famous race of Anak (Numbers 13:28). The spies compared them to the Nephilim or giants of Gen 6:4. The home of Goliath is named as being Gath, one of the chief cities of the Philistines. His height was six cubits and a span, which is, according to the calculations made by Thenius, about nine feet and two inches. The armor of Goliath corresponded to his stature, his coat of mail not being made of rings worked together like chains, but a coat made of plates of brass, lying one upon the other like scales. Upon his feet were greaves of brass, slung over his back was a small shield, and carried before him was a huge shield. The object of this description is to show how impregnable the man seemed to be. Added to all this is a description of his offensive weapon, a spear whose shaft was like a weaver’s beam and whose head weighed some seventeen pounds.
*3.
What challenge did he hurl at the armies of Israel? 1 Samuel 17:8-10*
It was, and is, the Arab custom for a warrior to vaunt his own prowess and to satirize his enemies, as a challenge to single combat. Goliath offers himself as a sample of his nation and bases his challenge upon the uselessness of general engagement when the single combat would settle the whole matter. The whole issue of the war was to be staked on the duel, and the challenge became a taunt, when no one was brave enough to accept it. At his words, all Israel, even Saul, were dismayed and greatly afraid; because not one of them dared to accept the challenge to fight with such a giant.
1 Samuel 17:12-27
David Hears of Goliath’s Challenge. 1 Samuel 17:12-27
12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem-judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul.
13 And the three eldest son of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
14 And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul.
15 But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Beth-lehem. 16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days. 17 And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren;
18 And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.
19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
20 And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle. 21 For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army. 22 And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren. 23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.
24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. 25 And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free in Israel.
26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? 27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it he done to the man that killeth him.
*4.
Where was David at the time and what was he doing? 1 Samuel 17:14-15*
David had been dismissed by Saul at the time; and having returned home, he was feeding his father’s sheep once more. At this point, the household of Jesse is again described so far as is necessary to the present purpose. Jesse himself is too old to go to the war (1 Samuel 17:12), and David is regarded as too young. Three of the sons are in the ranks, but what has become of the other four is not told. Since David was too young at this time, we presume that he was not yet twenty years old; for Israel’s men of war were to be men who were twenty years old and older (Numbers 1:3).
*5.
How did it happen that he was at the battle? 1 Samuel 17:17-18*
His father sent him to see how his brethren fared and to take them some food. The presents sent by Jesse in the hands of David when he first went to Saul’s court suggest how simple were the customs of Israel and in the court of Saul at that time. When he went to the camp, David again carried provisions and gifts. The parched corn was ears of wheat or barley plucked just before they were ripe and roasted for provision for travelers or soldiers. The army evidently had no regular commissary. To this provision were added ten of the round flat loaves of the fellahin. David was also to take ten cheeses to the captain of the thousand, to ask his brothers of their welfare, and to take their pledge. What this means is uncertain, but no corruption of the text is apparent. Possibly some token had been agreed upon which they were to send instead of a letter.
*6.
What was the trench? 1 Samuel 17:20*
The place of the wagons was back from the field of battle. This would be the center of the location of the material for battle. Supplies of various natures would be kept here. Any group of people demands certain provision when they stay for awhile in one place. Saul had hid himself in the baggage when he was first introduced to the people for a public anointing (1 Samuel 10:22). The trench mentioned is no doubt a rampart which was thrown up to protect the baggage so that the enemy could not break through and destroy the victals. The American Standard Version translates this word trench with place of the wagons. They did not fight battles in the same manner as those fought in World War I, when the foot soldiers were compelled to dig trenches and face the enemy across a no-man’s land. Neither was it the kind of trench which would be dug in World War II, as so many of the armies directed their men in the field to dig slit trenches to protect themselves in times of bombings and strafings.
*7.
How was the battle put in array? 1 Samuel 17:21*
The battle was pitched as described in the first part of the chapter. One army was on the hill to the west of the valley of Elah; the other army was on a hill to the east of the same valley. A brook ran through the midst, but there was an open place where Goliath could come to make his challenge. Probably the men did march towards each other and stand in lines drawn in array, but none dared attack the other because of the challenge that was left unanswered and the impregnable position occupied by the enemy. This stalemate continued for forty days (1 Samuel 17:16).
*8.
Where was Gath? 1 Samuel 17:23*
Gath is a Philistine town with the name meaning wine press. The importance of this city is seen in the fact that it makes so many different appearances in the Scripture narrative. David’s ultimate conquest of Philistia resulted in his taking control of their leading city of the Philistine pentapolis, and people from the city were prominent even in David’s army. One of David’s chief military men was Ittai the Gittite (2 Samuel 15:19). David also had with him a great number of men among the Cherethites and Pelethites, known as the Gittites. It is expressly stated that these men came from Gath (2 Samuel 15:18). Goliath was a Philistine champion from a very important Philistine town.
*9.
What rewards were promised to one who would slay Goliath? 1 Samuel 17:25*
The men of the army understood that the man who killed Goliath would be enriched with great riches. Saul must have promised that he would give the man his daughter in marriage. As an additional enticement he promised to make his father’s house free in Israel. A man’s house which was freed would have to pay no taxes. His sons would be freed from military service, and his daughters would not be taken as confectionaries and maids.
*10.
What was David’s reaction to Goliath’s challenge? 1 Samuel 17:26-27*
When David heard the words of Goliath’s challenge, he made more minute inquiries from the bystanders about the whole matter and dropped some words which gave rise to the supposition that he wanted to go and fight with the Philistine himself. David was making clear that Goliath had to fight not with men, but with Godand this with a living God, and not with an idol. In other words, David was not afraid; and when he continued speaking to different groups after this manner, he was finally brought into the presence of Saul.
1 Samuel 17:28-37
Saul Sends David to Meet Goliath. 1 Samuel 17:28-37
28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. 29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
30 And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner. 31 And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.
32 And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. 33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.
34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.
36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. 37 David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.
*11.
What was the attitude of his brother Eliab? 1 Samuel 17:28-29*
David’s eldest brother was greatly enraged at his talking courageously among the men, and he reproved David. It was his opinion that David was not contented with his lowly calling, but that he aspired to lofty things and took great delight in watching the bloodshed. The eagerness of a lad to see the battle needs no comment; the boys among Mohammed’s followers at Medina wept when they were pronounced too young to go to war. Eliab was charging his brother with the very things of which he was guiltypresumption and wickedness of heart. David showed his purpose all the more by calmly answering his brother as he had formerly answered the other men.
*12.
What were David’s first words to Saul? 1 Samuel 17:32*
When David was brought into the presence of Saul, he said, Let no man’s heart fail on his account: thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. To Saul’s objection that he was a mere youth and the Philistine was a man of war from his youth up, David replied that as a shepherd he had taken a sheep out of the jaws of a lion and a bear and had also slain them both. David’s courage rested upon his confident belief that the living God would not let His people be defied by the heathen with impunity. Saul then desired for him the help of the Lord in carrying out his resolution and commanded him to put on his own armor. David began to accept the preferred equipment, but he was not accustomed to such paraphernalia. He returned the armor to Saul and went forth armed only with his trustworthy sling and his dauntless faith in God.
*13.
Why did David call Goliath an uncircumcised Philistine? 1 Samuel 17:36*
The covenant of circumcision was made with Abraham before Isaac was born. This covenant extended to Ishmael, Abraham’s son by Hagar. It also extended to Abraham’s descendants through Keturah, including such people as Midianites. Philistines were descendants of Ham, the brother of Shem. Shem was the ancestor of Abraham’s descendants, but the Hamitic line had received no covenant of circumcision. The Philistines were direct descendants of Cush (Genesis 10:8-14). To call a man an uncircumcised Philistine was to cast reflection upon his heritage. An uncircumcised Philistine was not under the covenant of God. He could not expect the spiritual blessings from God. It was as odious an epithet as David could think of to hurl at Goliath.
*14.
What was Saul’s final decision? 1 Samuel 17:37*
Saul’s final decision was that David should challenge Goliath. He raised objections about it, but was finally convinced that in the desperate situation there was no one else to meet the challenge. As he sent David forth, he pronounced a heartfelt blessing upon him: Go, and the Lord be with thee. No better prayer could be offered for one being sent on a dangerous mission.
1 Samuel 17:38-54
David Slays Goliath. 1 Samuel 17:38-54
38 And Saul armed David with his armor, and he put a helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. 39 And David girded his sword upon his armor, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.
40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.
41 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him.
42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.
43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. 45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 46 This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’S, and he will give you into our hands.
48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.
50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.
51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled. 52 And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron. 53 And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents. 54 And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent.
*15.
Why did David not wear Saul’s armor? 1 Samuel 17:38-39*
David did not wear Saul’s armor because he had not proved it. Exactly what he meant by saying this is hard to tell, but it certainly would not fit David. Saul stood head and shoulders above anyone else in Israel. David was not fully grown at the time. The helmet of brass and the coat of mail would not be comfortable for David. In the second place, he had not proved that he knew how to use the sword. His weapons had been the weapons of rural use. In the third place, David had not proved himself worthy of wearing a soldier’s armor. He was not unworthy, but it is normal for a soldier to earn his stripes and to deserve the privilege of carrying certain weapons. David was quite humble, and he may have meant that he had no right to wear the king’s armor.
*16.
With what was David equipped? 1 Samuel 17:40*
David was equipped with a sling and a shepherd’s bag, called a scrip. In addition, he selected five smooth stones out of the brook as he crossed it. The exact nature of the scrip is not known, but is was probably a pouch which may have been suspended from his girdle or from a strap slung over his shoulder. As David had grown up watching his father’s sheep, he had become skilled in the use of a sling. Benjaminites are mentioned in Judges 20:16 as being able to sling a stone at a hair’S-breadth and not miss. Moreover they did this with their left hands. Such skill is difficult to obtain, but it is a deadly offensive and defensive weapon.
*17.
What did Goliath and David say to each other? 1 Samuel 17:43-47*
The giant looked upon David with disdain and asked if they had sent someone out after him as after a dog with clubs and sticks. Goliath said that he would feed the flesh of David to the birds of the air. David replied that the giant was coming out to meet him with a sword and spear and javelin, but that he came to meet the giant in the name of Jehovah of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom the giant had defied. David also said that Jehovah would deliver the giant into his hands and that he would give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines unto the birds of the heavens, and that all people would know that Jehovah depended not upon spears and swords, but that the battle would be won by His power.
*18.
What was the result of the encounter? 1 Samuel 17:49-51*
David was confident that the battle would be Jehovah’S. He declared that all the earth would know that not by sword and spear doth Jehovah save; for the battle is Jehovah’S, to dispose of according to his own sovereign will. When Goliath arose, therefore, and drew near, David ran towards him, took a stone out of his pocket, hurled it, and hit the Philistine in his face so that the stone entered his forehead and the giant fell upon his face to the ground. Goliath was so disdainful of David that he failed to close the visor of his helmet. David then cut off the head of the fallen giant with his own sword. Upon the downfall of their hero the Philistines were terrified and fled; whereupon the Israelites rose up with a cry to pursue the fleeing foe. They pursued them from the valley of the battle to the gates of Ekron, returned to plunder the camp of the enemy, and returned to their homes victorious. David took the head of Goliath and brought it to Jerusalem, and put his armor in his tent. From this place, Goliath’s sword was taken to the Tabernacle at Nob. It was deposited here by David in honor of the Lord and the victory that was granted over Israel’s enemies.
*19.
How far did the Philistines flee? 1 Samuel 17:52*
Shaaraim is from the Hebrew word meaning, two gates. There are two places by this name. One, a city near Azekah in Judah (Joshua 15:36), the other is a town in Simeon (1 Chronicles 4:31), and evidently to be identified with Sharuhen, which is between Gaza and Beersheba. Ekron is one of the Philistine cities where the Ark had been kept. Mention of the fact that the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim even to Gath and Ekron would indicate that the Philistines were driven back into their own territory. The mention of the Valley would indicate that there was another valley near Ekron. Reference could hardly be to the valley Elah where the battle was fought. This was no doubt a turning point in David’s life and it was also a turning point in Israel’s history. The Philistines are no longer found fighting up in the mountains of Judah and Ephraim. God’s people were blessed with a decisive victory over their perennial enemies.
*20.
Why did David take Goliath’s head to Jerusalem? 1 Samuel 17:54*
The Israelites tired from chasing the Philistines and spoiled their tents. The Philistines had left in such a complete rout that they had not taken their baggage and equipment with them. David himself took the sword of Goliath and put it in the tabernacle at Nob (1 Samuel 21:9), but he took the head of Goliath and brought it to Jerusalem. The rest of his armor was kept in David’s tent for the time being. Jerusalem was not yet David’s capital city. He was evidently not gibbeting Goliath’s head on the wall of Jerusalem as the Philistines did the bodies of Saul and Jonathan on the wall of Beth-shan (1 Samuel 31:11). The Philistines also sent Saul’s head around about in the cities of the Philistines to publish the victory among their people.
David evidently did not pass around Goliath’s head to publish the victory, but he may have brought it to Jerusalem to warn the Jebusites, who held the city, not to cause trouble for Saul and the armies of Israel. David was also possibly bringing it to throw it in the valley of Hinnom, which later was used as a place of refuse. If this had been the long-standing practice of casting refuse into this valley, David may have disposed of Goliath’s head in this manner to show his utter contempt for anyone who would defy the armies of the living God.
1 Samuel 17:55-58
Saul Inquires About David’s Background. 1 Samuel 17:55-58
55 And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.
56 And the king said, Inquire thou whose son the stripling is.
57 And 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. 58 And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.
*21.
Why did Saul seemingly fail to recognize David?* 1 Samuel 17:55-58
This does not necessarily mean that Saul did not know David as the young man that played the harp for him when he was under the spell of the evil spirit. The fact that he had asked no questions along this line when David first appeared before him indicates that he knew who he was. Otherwise it would be hard to understand how he was so ready to trust him. What he did not know was the standing of David’s family. It was the story of David concerning his family that seemed to have a strong appeal to Jonathan and led him to make the gift of his armor.
If Saul was going to make Jesse’s house free in Israel, he would have to know more about the house. He may have inquired as to the number of sons in the home of Jesse. Furthermore, if David were to become the son-in-law of the king, Saul would want to know his background to make sure that he was of proper Israelite ancestry. It would also be necessary for Saul to find out more about David’s family in order to know what kind of gifts to make for this daring deed of patriotism. David did surely more than to answer Saul’s question. He must have gone into some little bit of explanation of his humble origins; because when he concluded speaking with Saul, Jonathan’s soul was knit to that of David (1 Samuel 18:1).