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

38Then Saul clothed David with his military attire and put a bronze helmet on his head, and outfitted him with armor. 39And David strapped on his sword over his military attire and struggled at walking, for he had not trained with the armor. So David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, because I have not trained with them.” And David took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had, that is, in his shepherd’s pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine. 41Then the Philistine came and approached David, with the shield-bearer in front of him. 42When the Philistine looked and saw David, he was contemptuous of him; for he was only a youth, and reddish, with a handsome appearance.

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

• Then he tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• his staffמַקֵּלmaqqêl maqqelâh · rodH4731
• in his handיָדyâd · handH3027
• and choseבָּחַרbâchar · to chooseH977
• for himself fiveחָמֵשׁchâmêsh chămishshâh · fiveH2568
• smoothחַלֻּקchallûq · smoothH2512
• stonesאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68
• from the brookנַ֫חַלnachal nachlâh nachălâh · torrent: riverH5158
• and putשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
• them in the shepherd’sרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
• bagכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627
• whichאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• shepherd’sיַלְקוּטyalqûţ · pouchH3219
• his slingקֶ֫לַעqela‛ · slingH7050
• and he approachedנָגַשׁnâgash · to approach: approachH5066
• the Philistineפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 17:40

• Judges 3:31Now after him came Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck and killed six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad; and he also saved Israel.
• Judges 7:16And he divided the three hundred men into three units, and he put trumpets and empty pitchers into the hands of all of them, with torches inside the pitchers.
• Judges 15:15Then he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, so he reached out with his hand and took it, and killed a thousand men with it.
• Judges 20:16Out of all these people seven hundred choice men were left-handed; each one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.
• 1 Corinthians 1:27but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,
• Matthew 10:10or a bag for your journey, or even two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is deserving of his support.

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