What does 1 Samuel 17:31 mean?
Saul knew David. David had been serving the king as a musician and even as his armor bearer (1 Samuel 16:14–23). David had been routinely traveling back and forth between serving Saul and caring for the sheep back home in Bethlehem (1 Samuel 17:15).Now the Israelites are at war with the Philistines (1 Samuel 17:1–3, 19), and David has come to the battle to deliver food for his brothers (1 Samuel 17:17–18). The Philistine champion, Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4–7), has challenged Israel to a representative fight (1 Samuel 17:8–10). If one of their soldiers could kill Goliath, the Philistines would serve Israel. If Goliath won, the Israelites would serve the Philistines. Goliath taunts the Israelites for forty days (1 Samuel 17:16), and the Israelites have responded in fear (1 Samuel 17:11, 24). But David has now heard Goliath's defiant challenge and taunts for the first time (1 Samuel 17:23). He has been outraged, asking what the king will do for the man who kills the giant who is bringing reproach on the armies of the living God (1 Samuel 17:26), even suggesting by the question that he could kill Goliath.
People who hear Jesse's youngest son declaring that Goliath can be beaten eventually report to Saul what they have heard David say. Saul is apparently so desperate for a solution to this standoff with the Philistines that he sends for the youth to ask him about what he has said.
First Samuel 17:31–40 sets the stage for a famous battle. The enormous Philistine champion, Goliath, has been taunting the Israelite army. David, though likely only in his early teenaged years, insists that the Philistine can be defeated. As a shepherd, David has killed bears and lions who attacked the flock. More importantly, David believes that God will punish the Philistine's defiance. King Saul agrees to let David try; he declines to use Saul's armor (1 Samuel 16:21) because he has no experience with it. Instead, he carefully selects stones for his sling and heads out to fight.
David, delivering food to his brothers at the Israelite army camp, hears the Philistine Goliath's defiant challenge. Single man combat could decide the battle, but no Israelite wanted to face the massive warrior. David is appalled that a Philistine would defy the armies of the living God. He volunteers to fight, and King Saul agrees. Before the battle, David declares that the Lord will give victory and thereby show the world that there is a God in Israel. David quickly kills and beheads Goliath. The Israelites chase the Philistines back to their own territory and plunder their camp. David brings Goliath's head to Saul.
