English Standard Version
1 Samuel 17:40
40Then 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine.
Context of 1 Samuel 17:40
38Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, 39and 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. 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. 41And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. 42And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance.
Read all of 1 Samuel 171 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 him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed 600 of the Philistines with an oxgoad, and he also saved Israel.
- Judges 7:16And he divided the 300 men into three companies and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with torches inside the jars.
- Judges 15:15And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put out his hand and took it, and with it he struck 1,000 men.
- Judges 20:16Among all these were 700 chosen men who were left-handed; every one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.
- 1 Corinthians 1:27But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
- Matthew 10:10no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food.
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
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries