1 Samuel 17:9

1 Samuel 17:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.
• New International Version (NIV)If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us."
• New Living Translation (NLT)If he kills me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves!

Context of 1 Samuel 17:9

7Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekels; and a shield-bearer went before him. 8Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” 10And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” 11When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

1 Samuel 17:9 word by word

אִם־יוּכַ֞ל לְהִלָּחֵ֤ם אִתִּי֙ וְהִכָּ֔נִי וְהָיִ֥ינוּ לָכֶ֖ם לַעֲבָדִ֑ים וְאִם־אֲנִ֤י אֽוּכַל־לוֹ֙ וְהִכִּיתִ֔יו וִהְיִ֤יתֶם לָ֙נוּ֙ לַעֲבָדִ֔ים וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֖ם אֹתָֽנוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• If he be ableיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
• to fightלָחַםlâcham · to fightH3898
• with me, and to killנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• me, then will we be your servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• and serveעָבַד‛âbad · to serveH5647

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 17:9

• 1 Samuel 11:1Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.”

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 17:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Then will we be your servants - Of this stipulation we hear nothing farther.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-114-11. a champion--Hebrew, a "man between two"; that is, a person who, on the part of his own people, undertook to determine the national quarrel by engaging in single combat with a chosen warrior in the hostile army.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 17:9

• Armies
• Championship

In the dictionaries

• Arise
• Assay
• Carriage
• Cause
• Coat
• David
• 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