1 Samuel 17:43

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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• 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.

Context of 1 Samuel 17:43

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. 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. 44The Philistine also said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild animals.” 45But David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a saber, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of armies, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

1 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

• So the Philistineפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• Am I a dogכֶּ֫לֶבkeleb · dogH3611
• that you comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• to me with sticksמַקֵּלmaqqêl 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 gone out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, a single flea?
• 2 Samuel 3:8Then Abner became very angry over Ish-bosheth’s question and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and to his friends, and have not let you fall into the hands of David; yet today you call me to account for wrongdoing with that woman?
• 2 Samuel 9:8Again he prostrated himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should be concerned about a dead dog like me?”
• 2 Samuel 16:9Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Now let me go over and cut off his head.”
• 2 Kings 8:13Then Hazael said, “But what is your servant--a lowly dog--that he could do this great thing?” And Elisha answered, “The Lord has shown me that you will be king over Aram.”
• Genesis 27:29May peoples serve you, And nations bow down to you; Be master of your brothers, And may your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be those who curse you, And blessed be those who bless you.”
• Numbers 22:6Now, therefore, please come, curse this people for me since they are too mighty for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”
• Judges 9:27So they went out to the field and gathered the grapes of their vineyards and trampled them, and held a festival; and they went into the house of their god, and ate and drank and cursed Abimelech.
• Proverbs 26:2Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, So a curse without cause does not come to rest.

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

• Armies
• Championship
• Courage
• Decision
• Dog (Sodomite?)
• Sling

In the dictionaries

• David
• Arise
• Assay
• Carriage
• Cause
• Coat
• Elhanan
• Naughtiness
• Prevail
• Rehearse

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