1 Samuel 17 37

1 Samuel 17:37 kjv

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.

1 Samuel 17:37 nkjv

Moreover David said, "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 the LORD be with you!"

1 Samuel 17:37 niv

The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine." Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you."

1 Samuel 17:37 esv

And David said, "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you!"

1 Samuel 17:37 nlt

The LORD who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!" Saul finally consented. "All right, go ahead," he said. "And may the LORD be with you!"

1 Samuel 17 verses

1 Samuel 17 37 Meaning

This verse expresses David's resolute faith and conviction that the God who previously delivered him from mortal dangers (a lion and a bear) will similarly deliver him from the seemingly insurmountable threat posed by Goliath, the Philistine champion. It is a declaration of trust in Yahweh's proven faithfulness and power, asserting that divine intervention experienced in the past provides assurance for future challenges.

1 Samuel 17 37 Context

This verse occurs during David's encounter with King Saul, moments before he confronts Goliath. Israel and the Philistines are arrayed for battle in the Valley of Elah, with Goliath, a massive Philistine champion, challenging Israel to single combat daily for forty days, instilling crippling fear in the Israelite army, including King Saul. David, a young shepherd boy visiting his brothers, is outraged by Goliath's blasphemous defiance of the living God. When he volunteers to fight Goliath, Saul is dismissive, pointing to David's youth and inexperience as a warrior. It is in response to Saul's doubt that David offers this confident declaration, using his past experiences as a shepherd, where he single-handedly fought off predators, as evidence of God's direct hand in his life and a basis for faith in God's future deliverance against Goliath. This statement marks a pivotal moment where David's shepherd experience and profound faith are put on full display, contrasting sharply with the fear and worldly reasoning of Saul and the Israelite army.

1 Samuel 17 37 Word analysis

• The LORD (Yahweh / יהוה): Refers to the personal, covenant God of Israel. David doesn't speak of a generic deity but of "Yahweh," the one true God who acts powerfully in history and fulfills His promises. This specific name underscores His unchanging nature and His intimate relationship with His people, giving weight to David's claim. It also serves as an indirect polemic against the Philistine gods, as David implicitly trusts in Yahweh's superiority.
• who rescued (פִּיצַּ֥ל / piṣ·ṣal - Hiphil of נָצַל, natsal): The Hebrew verb "natsal" in the Hiphil stem means to snatch away, deliver, tear away, or bring out safely. David emphasizes that God, not his own strength, was the active agent in his past deliverances. This is a verb of strong intervention and urgent rescue, highlighting the immediacy and totality of God's saving power.
• me (לִי / lî): Personalizes the experience for David. These were not theoretical dangers but direct, personal threats that he survived by God's intervention.
• from the paw (מִכַּ֣ף / mik·kap̄): "Paw" (kaf) literally means the palm or sole, but in this context, it signifies the grasp, power, or dominion of the wild animals. It implies being within the deadly reach and control of the predators.
• of the lion (אֲרִ֔י / ’ă·rî): A powerful, solitary, and deadly predator. For a shepherd, defending sheep from a lion was an exceptionally dangerous and often fatal encounter, underscoring the miraculous nature of David's survival. Symbolically, lions often represent powerful and formidable enemies.
• and the paw (וּמִכַּ֥ף / ū·mik·kap̄): Again emphasizes the controlling grip and lethal power. The repetition highlights a second distinct, life-threatening incident.
• of the bear (דּ֖וֹב / dō·wḇ): Another fierce and dangerous predator. Bears were also a serious threat to livestock and shepherds. The mention of both a lion and a bear demonstrates David's consistent experience of divine deliverance against different, severe threats. It speaks to a pattern of God's intervention, not just a one-off event.
• will rescue (יַצִּילֵנִי / yaṣ·ṣî·lê·nî - Hiphil imperfect of נָצַל, natsal): The identical verb to "rescued" (past tense), now in the imperfect tense, expressing a future action. This continuity demonstrates David's logical conclusion: since God rescued him before, He will certainly do so again. This is a crucial element of faith – believing in God's consistency.
• from the hand (מִיַּד / mî·yaḏ): Similar to "paw," "hand" (yad) signifies the power, authority, and menacing capability of Goliath. David sees Goliath's physical strength and threats as comparable to the predatory animals' danger, all under God's ultimate control.
• of this Philistine (הַפְּלִשְׁתִּֽי הַזֶּה / hap·pə·liš·tî haz·zeh): Specifically identifies Goliath and, by extension, the broader Philistine threat. Calling him "this Philistine" carries a derogatory tone, highlighting Goliath's "uncircumcised" status in Israelite eyes (1 Sam 17:26, 36), which means he is outside God's covenant and therefore an illegitimate challenger to God's people. This underlines the spiritual nature of the conflict.

Words-group Analysis

• "The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear": This phrase serves as David's resume of faith. It's not just a recounting of events, but an attributing of divine power to his past survivals. It underscores Yahweh's character as a deliverer and protector, validating David's faith to Saul. This past testimony grounds David's future confidence.
• "will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine": This transitions from testimony to prophecy, from historical fact to confident expectation. It shows David applying the principle of God's consistency. The "Philistine" is not merely a man but an embodiment of Israel's spiritual and physical enemy, representing the defiance against the Living God that David finds intolerable. The parallel between animal paw and human hand signifies that God's power extends over all forms of threat.

1 Samuel 17 37 Bonus section

• David's understanding of God as "The LORD" (Yahweh) is crucial. It’s not about his personal skill or strength, but God’s reputation being on the line. He trusts in God's nature, not his own capabilities.
• The shepherd metaphor is significant. A good shepherd, like David, protected his flock fiercely. This imagery is later applied to King David himself as Israel's shepherd (2 Sam 5:2) and ultimately to Christ, the Good Shepherd (John 10). David’s bravery here foreshadows his kingship and Christ’s ultimate protective role.
• This verse prefigures David’s entire life of walking with God through triumphs and trials, demonstrating a pattern of relying on the LORD's deliverance in all circumstances. It showcases that God prepares individuals through seemingly small, ordinary tasks for extraordinary challenges.

1 Samuel 17 37 Commentary

1 Samuel 17:37 stands as a powerful testament to David's unwavering faith in God's active involvement and consistency. It highlights that true faith isn't naive optimism but is often built upon the concrete evidence of God's past faithfulness. David's experience as a shepherd, fighting ferocious animals to protect his flock, provided a living theology lesson, demonstrating God's delivering power in tangible ways. He understood that the same divine hand that saved him from literal claws of death would save him from the human "hand" of Goliath. This verse profoundly illustrates that God's character is unchanging, and His past mercies are a solid foundation for future trust. It contrasts worldly reasoning, which assesses threats by physical size and strength, with a spiritual perspective that sees the mighty God fighting for His people. David's conviction here is not arrogance but a confident assertion of God's proven ability to overcome the impossible.