1 Samuel 17

1 Samuel 17

Meyer - 1 Samuel 17:26, 36 The armies of the living God. This made all the difference between David and the rest of the camp. To Saul and his soldiers God was an absentee— a name, but little else. They believed that He had done great things for His people in the past, and that at some future time, in the days of the Messiah, He might be expected to do great things again; but no one thought of Him as present. Keenly sensitive to the defiance of the Philistine, and grieved by the apathy of his people, David, on the other hand, felt that God was alive. He had lived alone with Him in the solitude of the hills, till God had become one of the greatest and most real facts of his young existence; and as the lad went to and fro among the armed warriors, he was sublimely conscious of the presence of the living God amid the clang of the camp. This is what we need. To live so much with God, that when we come amongst men, whether in the bazaars of India or the market-place of an English town, we may be more aware of His overshadowing presence than of the presence or absence of any one. Lo, God is here! This place is hallowed ground! But none can realize this by the act of the will. We can only find God everywhere when we carry Him everywhere. The miner sees by the candle he carries on his forehead. Each of us is opposed by difficulties, privations, and trials of different sorts. But the one answer to them all is faith’s vision of the Living God. We can face the mightiest foe in His name. If our faith can but make Him a passage, along which He shall come, there is no Goliath He will not quell; no question He will not answer; no need He will not meet. Standing up for God Read 1 Samuel 17:26 When my son, Tim, was about 14 years old, we were visiting my mother and father in western Pennsylvania. My father was outside on a ladder washing an upstairs window. Tim opened the window, stuck his head out and said, "Whatcha doin', old man?" If there's one thing you never said to my father, you never called him "old man." He thought that was disrespectful. So what did he do? My father turned the hose on Tim! My son never forgot that lesson. David felt the same way about the challenge issued by Goliath. The nine-foot-tall champion of the Philistines was not just making Saul's armies look cowardly for refusing to respond to his harassment; Goliath was showing disrespect toward the living God. When the Philistines taunted the armies of Israel, they were mocking the God of Israel as well. By throwing insults at Israel, they were implying that God was also weak and ineffectual. This was something David couldn't tolerate. Our own honor is insignificant. When people do not show us the respect that perhaps they should, it matters little. God ultimately will make up for such oversights (Rom. 8:16-19). But when God's character is called into question, that's a different issue. When God is ridiculed or belittled, it is the duty of every Christian to object, whether we do so privately or publicly. We should never ignore those who dishonor God. Do not be afraid to defend God's honor. God will sustain you if you are willing to take a stand for Him. Whether it is in the workplace, in the university classroom or in a social setting, let others know that God deserves their respect. (Courtesy of Back to the Bible) Honor God and He will honor you. 1 Samuel 17:27 The people answered him in accord with this word, saying, "Thus it will be done for the man who kills him." KJV 1 Samuel 17:27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him. NET 1 Samuel 17:27 The soldiers told him what had been promised, saying, "This is what will be done for the man who can strike him down." CSB 1 Samuel 17:27 The people told him about the offer, concluding, "That is what will be done for the man who kills him." ESV 1 Samuel 17:27 And the people answered him in the same way, "So shall it be done to the man who kills him." NIV 1 Samuel 17:27 They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, "This is what will be done for the man who kills him." NLT 1 Samuel 17:27 And these men gave David the same reply. They said, "Yes, that is the reward for killing him." NRS 1 Samuel 17:27 The people answered him in the same way, "So shall it be done for the man who kills him." NJB 1 Samuel 17:27 The people told him what they had been saying, 'That would be the reward for killing him,' they said. NAB 1 Samuel 17:27 They repeated the same words to him and said, "That is how the man who kills him will be rewarded." YLT 1 Samuel 17:27 And the people speak to him according to this word, saying, 'Thus it is done to the man who smiteth him.' So shall it: 1Sa 17:25 1 Samuel 17 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries DAVID LEARNS OF THE "GOLIATH BOUNTY" The people answered him in accord with this word, saying, "Thus it will be done for the man who kills him - That is, Saul " has offered a huge reward to anyone who kills him. He will give that man one of his daughters for a wife, and the man's entire family will be exempted from paying taxes!" (1Sa 17:25NLT). 1 Samuel 17:28 Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger burned against David and he said, "Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle." KJV 1 Samuel 17:28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. NET 1 Samuel 17:28 When David's oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, he became angry with David and said, "Why have you come down here? To whom did you entrust those few sheep in the desert? I am familiar with your pride and deceit! You have come down here to watch the battle!" CSB 1 Samuel 17:28 David's oldest brother Eliab listened as he spoke to the men, and became angry with him. "Why did you come down here?" he asked. "Who did you leave those few sheep with in the wilderness? I know your arrogance and your evil heart-- you came down to see the battle!" ESV 1 Samuel 17:28 Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, "Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle." NIV 1 Samuel 17:28 When Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, "Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle." NLT 1 Samuel 17:28 But when David's oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. "What are you doing around here anyway?" he demanded. "What about those few sheep you're supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!" NRS 1 Samuel 17:28 His eldest brother Eliab heard him talking to the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David. He said, "Why have you come down? With whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart; for you have come down just to see the battle." NJB 1 Samuel 17:28 His eldest brother Eliab heard David talking to the men and grew angry with him. 'Why have you come down here?' he said. 'Whom have you left in charge of those few sheep in the desert? I know how impudent and artful you are; you have come to watch the battle!' NAB 1 Samuel 17:28 When Eliab, his oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he grew angry with David and said: "Why did you come down? With whom have you left those sheep in the desert meanwhile? I know your arrogance and your evil intent. You came down to enjoy the battle!" YLT 1 Samuel 17:28 And Eliab, his eldest brother, heareth when he speaketh unto the men, and the anger of Eliab burneth against David, and he saith, 'Why is this -- thou hast come down! and to whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I have known thy pride, and the evil of thy heart -- for, to see the battle thou hast come down.' Eliab's anger: 1Sa 16:13 Ge 37:4,8,11 Pr 18:19 27:4 Ec 4:4 Mt 10:36 27:18 Mk 3:21 with: 1Sa 17:20 I know: 1Sa 16:7 Ps 35:11 Jude 1:10 1 Samuel 17 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries A BROTHER'S ANGRY REACTION Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger burned against David and he said, "Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle - Now we can see why Eliab was not the LORD's anointed (1Sa 16:6, 7). Why is Eliab reacting with such "over the top" anger? Could it be a touch of jealousy, that he had been passed over and David, the "runt," was anointed? That's rhetorical! Why had David come down? To bring supplies to Eliab! Anger is often completely irrational and illogical. Such out of control anger leads to the ridiculous accusations of insolence and a wicked heart (ironically in the man who actually had a heart after God's heart!). Eliab is so anger and so into himself, that he does not even wait for David to reply, but answers his questions himself! He accuses David was wanting to be a sight seer, but oh how wrong he will soon be proven by the sight he sees! 1 Samuel 17:29 But David said, "What have I done now? Was it not just a question?" KJV 1 Samuel 17:29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? NET 1 Samuel 17:29 David replied, "What have I done now? Can't I say anything?" CSB 1 Samuel 17:29 "What have I done now?" protested David. "It was just a question." ESV 1 Samuel 17:29 And David said, "What have I done now? Was it not but a word?" NIV 1 Samuel 17:29 "Now what have I done?" said David. "Can't I even speak?" NLT 1 Samuel 17:29 "What have I done now?" David replied. "I was only asking a question!" NRS 1 Samuel 17:29 David said, "What have I done now? It was only a question." NJB 1 Samuel 17:29 David retorted, 'What have I done? May I not even speak?' NAB 1 Samuel 17:29 David replied, "What have I done now?-- I was only talking." YLT 1 Samuel 17:29 And David saith, 'What have I done now? is it not a word?' Pr 15:1 Ac 11:2-4 1Co 2:15 1Pe 3:9 1 Samuel 17 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries CAN'T I EVEN SPEAK? But - A dramatic term of contrast as David rebuts his brother Eliab's angry reaction. David said, "What have I done now? - The way he asks this question implies Eliab (or some of his other brothers) had confronted him before. Was it not just a question? - I like the NIV's "Can't I even speak?" NLT adding "I was only asking a question!" The KJV has "Is there not a cause?"