New International Version
1 Samuel 17:43
43He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at 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.
- 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.
- 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
41Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44“Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!” 45David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, 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 24:14“Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?
- 2 Samuel 3:8Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said. So he answered, “Am I a dog’s head—on Judah’s side? This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends. I haven’t handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offense involving this woman!
- 2 Samuel 9:8Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”
- 2 Samuel 16:9Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head.”
- 2 Kings 8:13Hazael said, “How could your servant, a mere dog, accomplish such a feat?” “The Lord has shown me that you will become king of Aram,” answered Elisha.
- Genesis 27:29May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed.”
- Numbers 22:6Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”
- Judges 9:27After they had gone out into the fields and gathered the grapes and trodden them, they held a festival in the temple of their god. While they were eating and drinking, they cursed Abimelek.
- Proverbs 26:2Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse 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
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
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