1 Samuel 17:40

1 Samuel 17:40 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd's pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine.

Context of 1 Samuel 17:40

38Saul took his own clothes and armour and he put them on David. He put his bronze helmet on David's head. 39David tied Saul's sword on top of the armour. Then he tried to walk. But he had not worn heavy armour like that before. So David said to Saul, ‘I cannot wear all this armour to fight. I have not used armour before.’ So David took it all off. Instead, David picked up his shepherd's stick. He picked up five round stones from the stream. He put them in the pocket of his shepherd's bag. He held his sling in his hand. Then he walked towards the Philistine soldier. 41The Philistine slowly walked towards David. The man who was carrying his shield walked in front of him. 42As he came nearer, the Philistine looked carefully at David. He saw that David was no more than a healthy, handsome boy. That made him laugh at David.

1 Samuel 17:40 word by word

וַיִּקַּ֨ח מַקְל֜וֹ בְּיָד֗וֹ וַיִּבְחַר־ל֣וֹ חֲמִשָּׁ֣ה חַלֻּקֵֽי־אֲבָנִ֣ים׀ מִן־הַנַּ֡חַל וַיָּ֣שֶׂם אֹ֠תָם בִּכְלִ֨י הָרֹעִ֧ים אֲשֶׁר־ל֛וֹ וּבַיַּלְק֖וּט וְקַלְּע֣וֹ בְיָד֑וֹ וַיִּגַּ֖שׁ אֶל־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• his staffמַקֵּלmaqqêl maqqelâh · rodH4731
• in his handיָדyâd · handH3027
• and choseבָּחַרbâchar · to chooseH977
• him fiveחָמֵשׁchâmêsh chămishshâh · fiveH2568
• smoothחַלֻּקchallûq · smoothH2512
• stonesאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68
• out of the brookנַ֫חַלnachal nachlâh nachălâh · torrent: riverH5158
• and putשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
• them in a shepherd’sרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
• bagכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627
• which he had, even in a scripיַלְקוּטyalqûţ · pouchH3219
• and his slingקֶ֫לַעqela‛ · slingH7050
• and he drew nearנָגַשׁnâgash · to approach: approachH5066
• to the Philistineפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 17:40

• Judges 3:31After this, Anath's son Shamgar became Israel's leader. One time, he used a stick with a sharp point to kill 600 Philistines. He rescued the Israelites from their enemies, as Ehud had done.
• Judges 7:16He divided his 300 men into three separate groups. He gave a trumpet and an empty pot to each soldier. Each man put a burning branch into his pot.
• Judges 15:15He saw a bone from the skull of a donkey that had just died. He picked it up and he used it to kill 1,000 Philistine soldiers.
• Judges 20:16In Benjamin's army there were 700 men who used their left hands to fight. Each of them could use a sling to throw a stone at a very small thing. They could even hit a hair!
• 1 Corinthians 1:27Instead, God chose to use things that people think are silly. He did this so that clever people would be ashamed. Yes, God chose to use things that people think are weak. He did this so that powerful people would be ashamed.
• Matthew 10:10Do not take a bag with you, or extra clothes. Do not take extra shoes or a stick. You are working to help people. So people should give you what you need to live.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 17:40

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 40He took his staff - What we would call his crook. Five smooth stones - Had they been rough or angular, they would not have passed easily through the air, and their asperities would, in the course of their passage, have given them a false direction. Had they not been smooth, they could not have been readily despatched from the sling. A shepherd 's bag - That in which he generally carried his provisions while keeping the sheep in the open country. And his…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 40-47Verses 40-47 The security and presumption of fools destroy them. Nothing can excel the humility, faith, and piety which appear in David's words. He expressed his assured expectation of success; he gloried in his mean appearance and arms, that the victory might be ascribed to the Lord alone.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 40A stream flowed through the valley of Elah (1 Samuel 17:2). A sling was a leather pouch with two leather straps. When spun quickly with a stone inside, releasing one strap would launch the stone at a target. David likely became very skilled with a sling as a shepherd, but warriors also used slings (Judges 20:16).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4040. brook--wady. bag--or scrip for containing his daily food. sling--The sling consisted of a double rope with a thong, probably of leather, to receive the stone. The slinger held a second stone in his left hand. David chose five stones, as a reserve, in case the first should fail. Shepherds in the East carry a sling and stones still, for the purpose of driving away, or killing, the enemies that prowl about the flock.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 17:40

• Armies
• Championship
• Courage
• Decision
• Sling

In the dictionaries

• Arise
• Armour
• Assay
• Bag
• Carriage
• Cause
• Coat
• David
• Elhanan
• Naughtiness

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings