English Standard Version
1 Samuel 17:43
43And the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
1 Samuel 17:43 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
- New International Version (NIV)He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Am I a dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods.
Context of 1 Samuel 17:43
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. And the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field." 45Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
Read all of 1 Samuel 171 Samuel 17:43 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי֙ אֶל־דָּוִ֔ד הֲכֶ֣לֶב אָנֹ֔כִי כִּֽי־אַתָּ֥ה בָֽא־אֵלַ֖י בַּמַּקְל֑וֹת וַיְקַלֵּ֧ל הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֛י אֶת־דָּוִ֖ד בֵּאלֹהָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the Philistineפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- I a dogכֶּ֫לֶבkeleb · dogH3611
- that thou comestבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- to me with stavesמַקֵּלmaqqêl maqqelâh · rodH4731
- cursedקָלַלqâlal · to lightenH7043
- by his godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 17:43
- 1 Samuel 24:14After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea!
- 2 Samuel 3:8Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, "Am I a dog's head of Judah? To this day I keep showing steadfast love to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not given you into the hand of David. And yet you charge me today with a fault concerning a woman.
- 2 Samuel 9:8And he paid homage and said, "What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?"
- 2 Samuel 16:9Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head."
- 2 Kings 8:13And Hazael said, "What is your servant, who is but a dog, that he should do this great thing?" Elisha answered, "The Lord has shown me that you are to be king over Syria."
- Genesis 27:29Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!"
- Numbers 22:6Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed."
- Judges 9:27And they went out into the field and gathered the grapes from their vineyards and trod them and held a festival; and they went into the house of their god and ate and drank and reviled Abimelech.
- Proverbs 26:2Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 17:43
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 43Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? - It is very likely that Goliath did not perceive the sling, which David might have kept coiled up within his hand. Cursed David by his gods - Prayed his gods to curse him. This long parley between David and Goliath is quite in the style of those times. A Hindoo sometimes in a fit of anger says to his enemy, The goddess Kalee shall devour thee! May Doorga destroy thee! Homer's heroes have generally an…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. 43a dog: This phrase is a metaphor (a word picture) for a low-status servant who bows and obeys others. Goliath used it to insult David and treat him as worthless (see 2 Samuel 9:8). sticks: David had hidden his sling. Goliath could see only David’s staff, so he thought David was coming with a simple weapon. by his gods: Goliath called on his gods, so David's win would also show God's victory over Dagon, the main god of the Philistines (see 1 Samuel 5:2, 5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 42-4742-47. the Philistine said ... said David to the Philistine--When the two champions met, they generally made each of them a speech, and sometimes recited some verses, filled with allusions and epithets of the most opprobrious kind, hurling contempt and defiance at one another. This kind of abusive dialogue is common among the Arab combatants still. David's speech, however, presents a striking contrast to the usual strain of these invectives. It was full…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 17:43
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