1 Samuel 17 39

1 Samuel 17:39 kjv

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.

1 Samuel 17:39 nkjv

David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, "I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them." So David took them off.

1 Samuel 17:39 niv

David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. "I cannot go in these," he said to Saul, "because I am not used to them." So he took them off.

1 Samuel 17:39 esv

and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them." So David put them off.

1 Samuel 17:39 nlt

David put it on, strapped the sword over it, and took a step or two to see what it was like, for he had never worn such things before. "I can't go in these," he protested to Saul. "I'm not used to them." So David took them off again.

1 Samuel 17 verses

1 Samuel 17 39 Meaning

This verse describes Saul's attempt to equip David with his own royal armor, including a bronze helmet and a coat of mail, in preparation for the battle against Goliath. It highlights the customary but ultimately unfitting preparation based on human military standards, contrasting sharply with David's subsequent rejection of it and reliance on God.

1 Samuel 17 39 Context

Chapter 17 of 1 Samuel narrates the iconic encounter between David and Goliath. Following Saul and the Israelite army's protracted standoff with the Philistines, during which Goliath issues daily challenges that no Israelite warrior dares to accept, young David arrives at the battle lines. After hearing Goliath's blasphemous defiance, David, filled with faith in God, volunteers to fight him. This verse follows David's courageous declaration to Saul and his recounting of killing a lion and a bear, affirming God's protective hand over him. Saul, a physically imposing king but spiritually failing, attempts to equip David in the customary manner of a warrior of his rank. This act reflects Saul's understanding of battle through human strength and conventional warfare, rather than through divine empowerment, which David implicitly understands and ultimately demonstrates. Historically, Israelite armor, like Saul's, was influenced by surrounding cultures, yet their unique strength was meant to be their covenant relationship with God, often forgotten by the monarchy.

1 Samuel 17 39 Word analysis

• Then Saul clothed David with his armor (וַיַּלְבֵּשׁ שָׁאוּל אֶת-דָּוִד מַדָּיו - wayyalbēš šā’ûl ’et-dāvīd maddāv)
  • wayyalbēš: "and he clothed" from Hebrew verb lavash (לָבַשׁ), meaning to put on clothing or attire. The Piel stem implies intentional action. Saul actively sought to dress David in this manner.
  • Saul: The king of Israel, chosen by man (initially) and later rejected by God for disobedience (1 Sam 15:23). His character is often presented as relying on human might and wisdom, a contrast to David's faith. This action reveals Saul's perspective: winning battles requires imposing physical strength and traditional military equipment, the very things he embodies but now lacks in courage.
  • David: The young shepherd, chosen by God (1 Sam 16:7-13). His initial lack of military experience and small stature make the contrast with Goliath stark, and highlight his utter reliance on God. Being "clothed" by Saul implies an attempt to assimilate David into the established, yet failing, royal military paradigm.
  • his armor (מַדָּיו - maddāv): "his apparel/garments/armor." This refers to Saul's own personal military attire, specifically designed for a king of Saul's size and stature (1 Sam 9:2). The Hebrew word mad can refer generally to garments, but in a military context, signifies battle dress or armor. The possessive suffix indicates it belonged to Saul. It symbolizes worldly power, human strength, and perhaps, a king's perceived responsibility to protect his people through conventional means. It is noteworthy that David, God's chosen, would later reject the king's own battle dress, hinting at his own unique kingly role under God.
• He put a bronze helmet on his head (וַיָּשֶׂם קוֹבַע נְחֹשֶׁת עַל-רֹאשׁוֹ - wayyāśem qôḇa‘ nəḥōšeṯ ‘al-rō’šô)
  • wayyāśem: "and he placed/put" from Hebrew verb sim (שִׂים), to put, place, set. Another intentional act of equipping.
  • bronze helmet (קוֹבַע נְחֹשֶׁת - qôḇa‘ nəḥōšeṯ): qova means helmet, and nechoshet means copper/bronze. Bronze was a common material for armor during the Iron Age, known for its strength. A helmet was crucial for head protection in ancient warfare. This detail emphasizes the physicality and typical defensive elements of Saul's armor, indicating reliance on material protection rather than divine safeguard.
• and clothed him with a coat of mail (וַיַּלְבֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ שִׁרְיוֹן - wayyalbēš ’ôtô širyôn)
  • clothed him (וַיַּלְבֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ - wayyalbēš ’ôtô): Repeats the verb "clothed," emphasizing the complete act of dressing David.
  • coat of mail (שִׁרְיוֹן - širyôn): A type of armor covering the torso, often made of overlapping metal scales or interwoven rings, designed to protect the vital organs. Goliath's own formidable širyôn is mentioned (1 Sam 17:5). The širyôn represents heavy, formidable protection, suitable for a professional soldier and king. Saul's choice of the širyôn signifies an attempt to prepare David for the encounter based on his own failed experience.
• Words-Group Analysis: Saul's Armor and David's Body
  • The repetition of "clothed" (wayyalbēš) emphasizes the full effort Saul made to outfit David. This was not a token gesture but a serious attempt to integrate David into the royal military system.
  • The specific items mentioned—helmet and coat of mail—are critical pieces of a soldier's defensive equipment. Their heavy and cumbersome nature would soon prove entirely unsuited for David, a youthful shepherd known for agility, not brute strength.
  • The passage highlights the stark contrast between human wisdom and divine strategy. Saul's attempt to use "his armor" for David is an attempt to impose his human, fear-driven solution on David, rather than trusting in God's unconventional methods. Saul’s armor represents the weight of expectation and conventional warfare which often fails when God's unique purpose is at play.

1 Samuel 17 39 Bonus section

The type of armor Saul offered to David — heavy and professional — implicitly serves as a foil to Goliath's similarly heavy, intimidating weaponry (1 Sam 17:5-7). Saul intends to level the playing field, making David appear like a conventional warrior, thus showing his trust in human means and conventional military strength. The verse's emphasis on David being "clothed" multiple times highlights an imposition; it was not David's choice initially. This foreshadows Saul's own unsuitability to rule, as he continually seeks human-centric solutions instead of divine guidance. David's later rejection of this armor (1 Sam 17:40) then becomes a powerful statement, not just about physical comfort, but about theological principles: true victory comes from God's power, not human provisions or prestige.

1 Samuel 17 39 Commentary

1 Samuel 17:39 describes Saul's understandable, yet ultimately misguided, attempt to equip David according to the standards of conventional warfare. From a human perspective, providing the best available armor, even the king's own, was logical and demonstrated a measure of care for David's life. However, this act symbolizes the limitations of human wisdom and strength when confronted with a spiritual battle. Saul's imposing armor, designed for his tall stature and military experience, was cumbersome and foreign to the young, agile shepherd David. David’s inability to move freely in the armor signifies the futility of relying on worldly might or man-made strategies for victory in God's battles. This sets the stage for David's faithful decision to discard human reliance and engage Goliath with only a sling and stones, signifying reliance on God's strength and unconventional methods over human power and traditional warfare.