1 Samuel 17 50

1 Samuel 17:50 kjv

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.

1 Samuel 17:50 nkjv

So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David.

1 Samuel 17:50 niv

So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.

1 Samuel 17:50 esv

So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David.

1 Samuel 17:50 nlt

So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword.

1 Samuel 17 verses

1 Samuel 17 50 Meaning

David's triumph over the Philistine giant, Goliath, was achieved using unconventional, simple means – a sling and a stone. The verse distinctly emphasizes that David did not rely on standard weaponry, specifically a sword, for his victory. This highlights the nature of his success as not being born of human strength or conventional military might, but rather by divine power acting through humble instruments.

1 Samuel 17 50 Context

1 Samuel chapter 17 sets the stage for a dramatic confrontation between the Philistines and the Israelites in the Valley of Elah. The Philistine champion, Goliath, a giant warrior, issues a daily challenge for a single combat, which none of the Israelite soldiers, including King Saul, dares to accept. This prolonged standoff instills fear and demoralization among the Israelites. David, a young shepherd boy, visits his brothers at the camp and, hearing Goliath's defiance of the armies of the living God, is deeply troubled. Unlike the others, David approaches the situation from a theological perspective, confident that God, who had protected him from lions and bears while tending sheep, would also deliver him from this uncircumcised Philistine. Refusing Saul's armor, David chose simple shepherd's tools – his staff, a sling, and five smooth stones. Verse 50 encapsulates the immediate outcome of this seemingly impossible match: David, empowered by his faith and by God's intervention, overcame the heavily armed giant with just a stone from his sling, decisively conquering Goliath without resorting to the conventional weapon of a sword, underscoring the miraculous nature of God's victory.

1 Samuel 17 50 Word analysis

• So (וַיֶּחְזַק - vayyeḥzaq): This conjunctive imperfect verb, derived from the root חָזַק (chazaq), implies consequence or a resulting state. It means "and he was strong" or "and he prevailed." It highlights the divine enabling that allowed David to overcome, presenting the triumph as the culmination of David's faith and God's power. This word signifies a divinely empowered firmness and dominance.
• David (דָּוִד - David): The protagonist of the narrative, a shepherd from Bethlehem, divinely chosen and anointed, though not yet king. His youth, lack of military training, and seemingly insignificant status amplify the extraordinary nature of his victory. His name itself, meaning "beloved," perhaps foreshadows his favor with God.
• triumphed (וַיֶּחְזַק - vayyeḥzaq): As above, this word is critical. It implies a complete and decisive overcoming, not just a win but a demonstration of strength that defeats the opponent. In context, it underscores God's hand in making David "strong" against the mighty.
• over the Philistine (מִן־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי - min-happĕlištî): "The Philistine" refers to Goliath, the formidable champion and symbol of Philistine might and their polytheistic idolatry. The Philistines were perennial enemies of Israel, often possessing superior military technology. Overcoming "the Philistine" here signifies a triumph not just over an individual but over a national adversary and their pagan deities.
• with a sling (בַּקֶּלַע - baqqela‘): The Hebrew word קֶלַע (qela‘) denotes a sling, a common weapon for shepherds for warding off predators. It was a primitive weapon in ancient warfare, emphasizing the humility and commonness of David's chosen means. It contrasts sharply with Goliath's sophisticated armor and weaponry.
• and a stone (וּבָאֶבֶן - uvva'even): The Hebrew אֶבֶן ('even) simply means a stone. An ordinary, readily available object, which, when coupled with God's intervention and David's skill, becomes an instrument of decisive power. It embodies the theme of God using humble things for great purposes.
• without (וְאֵין - vĕ'eyn): This strong negative particle, meaning "and there was no" or "and not," puts emphatic stress on the absence of conventional weaponry. It highlights the profound contrast and the specific theological point of the verse: that David's victory was not of human might.
• a sword (חֶרֶב - ḥerev): The Hebrew word חֶרֶב (ḥerev) is a sword, the quintessential weapon of war and power. The omission of a sword in David's hand accentuates his reliance solely on God and the unconventional tools provided by Providence, standing in stark contrast to Goliath's enormous sword.
• in his hand (בְּיָדוֹ - bĕyādô): This phrase specifies that the absence of a sword was with David as he entered the fight, emphasizing his active role but passive means of attack in terms of weaponry. It means he literally possessed no sword.

Words-group analysis:

• "So David triumphed": This phrase underlines divine empowerment. David's triumph was not merely his own strength or skill, but a prevailing strength bestowed upon him by God. It connects his action to a divine causality.
• "over the Philistine with a sling and a stone": This contrast highlights God's preference for humble and unconventional means to achieve extraordinary ends. The sophisticated weaponry of Goliath was rendered useless against the simple, God-ordained tools in David's hands, making it clear where the true power lay. This is a powerful polemic against human arrogance and reliance on physical strength or technological superiority.
• "without a sword in his hand": This phrase is central to the verse's theological message. It decisively states that the victory was achieved without the aid of standard military equipment, serving as a direct counter-narrative to common notions of strength and warfare. It removes any human boasting from the equation, ensuring all glory goes to God.

1 Samuel 17 50 Bonus section

The narrative of 1 Samuel 17:50 implicitly and directly challenges the prevailing ancient Near Eastern mindset which relied heavily on military might, champion warriors, and the power of national gods. By portraying the defeat of a colossal, heavily armed champion through a simple stone from a sling, the text implicitly asserts the supremacy of the Lord, the God of Israel, over the Philistine gods and their material strength. The true contest was not between David and Goliath, but between the God of Israel and the false gods represented by the Philistine champion. The verse also sets a foundational pattern in the biblical narrative for God's selection of the unlikely, the humble, and the "weak" (as seen by the world) to accomplish His purposes, foreshadowing spiritual principles demonstrated throughout Scripture, even to the person and ministry of Christ.

1 Samuel 17 50 Commentary

1 Samuel 17:50 serves as the theological climax of the battle between David and Goliath. It distills the essence of God's methodology: using the seemingly weak and insignificant to dismantle the strong and boastful. The victory was complete, immediate, and utterly unconventional, profoundly showcasing that salvation belongs to the Lord, not dependent on human might, weapons, or strategy. David's choice of a sling and stone, coupled with the explicit mention of the absence of a sword in his hand, emphasizes his reliance on divine assistance rather than worldly power. This act was a vivid demonstration that God empowers the faithful and can bring about triumph through the simplest of means, to humble human pride and reveal His own omnipotence.