1 Samuele 17:46 Commento

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, I. What a noble figure Goliath made, and how daringly he challenged the armies of Israel (Sa1 17:1-11). II. What a mean figure David made, when Providence brought him to the army (v. 12-30). III. The unparalleled bravery wherewith David undertook to encounter this Philistine (Sa1 17:31-39). IV. The pious resolution with which he attacked him (Sa1 17:40-47). V. The glorious victory he obtained over him with a sling and a stone, and the advantage which the Israelites thereby gained against the Philistines (Sa1 17:48-54). VI. The great notice which was hereupon taken of David at court (Sa1 17:55-58).

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 17 This chapter relates how the armies of Israel, and of the Philistines, prepared for battle, and where, Sa1 17:1, describes a champion of the Philistines, who defied the armies of Israel, Sa1 17:4, and while he was so doing, it informs us that David came into the camp, and he heard his words, and signified to one and another his inclination to fight with him, Sa1 17:12, which being reported to Saul, David was sent for by him, and much discourse passed between them about it, Sa1 17:31 when we are told the manner in which he engaged with the Philistine, and the victory he obtained over him, Sa1 17:38 upon which the Philistines fled, and Israel pursued them; and on account of this action David was taken notice of by Saul, and brought to court again, as the following chapter shows, Sa1 17:52.

This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hands,.... Of which he was assured by divine inspiration, by the impulse of the Spirit of God upon him; or otherwise he could not have expressed himself with such certainty, and have given the particulars of what he should do, as in the following clauses: and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and yet he had no weapon in his hand to do it with, Sa1 17:50, but it was revealed to him that he should do it, and he believed it; though the Philistine no doubt looked upon all this as romantic: and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; not only this man's carcass, which should fall and become a prey to fowls and wild beasts, but the carcasses of the Philistine army, which fleeing upon the fall of their champion, and pursued by the Israelites as they were, would be cut off, and become the food of wild creatures, see Sa1 17:52; though some think the plural is put for the singular, and that it only means his carcass, who was a Philistine; but the host of the Philistines, carries it to the other sense: and this would be done: that all the earth may know there is a God in Israel; not only the land of Canaan or Palestine, but the whole earth, and all the inhabitants of it, who should hear of the fall of this giant by such means, and of the rout of the Philistine army upon it; the report of which no doubt was spread far, and near.

And the Lord will deliver you into my hands, etc. And by the power of my divinity, he says, you will be overcome, you who, beholding the vileness of my flesh, are proud and exalt yourself, and I will remove you, who are the head of all evils, from the unjustly attached mortal members; and I will give your falling members and those of your followers, that is, men separated from you and humbled by my power or grace, who, deceived by your godless cults, had stuck with you: I will, I say, give them to be instructed by my own, and joined to my own ministers, who are partly heavenly beings of angelic nature and partly mortal in earthly flesh, so that with the Gospel preached throughout the entire world, every man may know that there is one true God who is now known in Judea, and in Israel his name is great (Psalm 75). Then by the universal praise of the catholic, that is, universal, from the ends of the earth those who cry out to God will say: Lord our God, how admirable is your name in all the earth (Psalm 8)! Nor should anyone find it absurd that we have said the depths of the flesh, the birds of the air, and the beasts of the earth signify the teachers who eagerly capture and draw in through faith the souls that were formerly carnal. For even the Lord himself is most openly called the lion from the tribe of Judah, and the Church is typically called a lioness: not only on account of its strength, but also to signify the diligent pursuit of holy rapaciousness. For the patriarch Jacob says of the Lord, "Judah is a lion’s whelp; from the prey, my son, you have gone up" (Gen. 49). And the Lord himself says of the Church to Job: "Will you take the prey for the lioness, and fill the soul of her young ones?" (Job 39). But the Savior is also symbolized by the four living creatures. Just as he wanted to indicate the humility of incarnation and offering through the man and the ox, so through the lion and the eagle he wanted to indicate the power and sublimity of his resurrection and ascension into heaven. He also speaks to blessed Job about the Church, saying: "Does the eagle mount up at your command and make its nest on high?" (Job 39). So that you would not think it typifies only the height of nesting or flying, or even the sharp vision of gazing at the sun, but also the unity of devouring, he added at the end: "And where the carcass is, there immediately it is present." Wherever he sees someone having fallen from a fitting state of life, he promptly takes care to restore such a one, as if raised from death, to catholic life through the biting corrections of his words. We thought it should be given as an example concerning two of them, so that through these whoever reads may also know what he may think without the scruple of faith about the other birds and beasts.

The Philistines gather together against Israel at Ephes-dammim, and Saul and his men pitch their camp near the valley of Elah, Sa1 17:1-3. Goliath of Gath, a gigantic man, whose height was six cubits and a span, defies the armies of Israel, and proposes to end all contests by single combat; his armor is described, Sa1 17:4-11. Saul and his host are greatly dismayed, Sa1 17:12. David, having been sent by his father with provisions to his brethren in the army, hears the challenge, inquires into the circumstances, thinks it a reproach to Israel that no man can be found to accept the challenge, is brought before Saul, and proposes to undertake the combat, vv. 13-32. Saul objects to his youth and inexperience, Sa1 17:33. David shows the grounds on which he undertakes it, Sa1 17:34-37. Saul arms him with his own armor: but David, finding them an encumbrance, puts them off, and takes his staff, his sling, and five stones out of the brook, and goes to meet Goliath, Sa1 17:38-40. The Philistine draws near, despises, defies, and curses him, Sa1 17:41-44. David retorts his defiance, Sa1 17:45-47. They draw near to each other, and David slings a stone, hits Goliath in the forehead, slays him, and cuts off his head with his own sword, Sa1 17:48-51. The Philistines flee, and are pursued by the Israelites, Sa1 17:52, Sa1 17:53. David brings the head of the Philistine to Jerusalem, Sa1 17:54. Conversation between Saul and Abner concerning David, who is in consequence brought before Saul, Sa1 17:55-58.

This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand - This was a direct and circumstantial prophecy of what did take place.

THE ISRAELITES AND PHILISTINES BEING READY TO BATTLE. (Sa1 17:1-3) the Philistines gathered together their armies--twenty-seven years after their overthrow at Michmash. Having now recovered their spirits and strength, they sought an opportunity of wiping out the infamy of that national disaster, as well as to regain their lost ascendency over Israel. Shocoh--now Shuweikeh, a town in the western plains of Judah (Jos 15:35), nine Roman miles from Eleutheropolis, toward Jerusalem [ROBINSON]. Azekah--a small place in the neighborhood. Ephes-dammim--or, "Pas-dammim" (Ch1 11:13), "the portion" or "effusion of blood," situated between the other two.