1 Samuel 17:50
ESV
So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David.
NIV
So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
NASB
So David prevailed over the Philistine with the sling and the stone: he struck the Philistine and killed him, and there was no sword in David’s hand.
CSB
David defeated the Philistine with a sling and a stone. David overpowered the Philistine and killed him without having a sword.
NLT
So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword.
KJV
So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.
NKJV
So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David.
What does 1 Samuel 17:50 mean?
The writer pauses the action for just a moment to poetically call attention to the impossible thing that has just taken place. David, a youth without armor or sword (1 Samuel 17:33, 40), has defeated the impossibly massive, battle-hardened champion of the Philistines covered in armor and carrying advanced battle weapons (1 Samuel 17:4–7, 45). David has used a sling (Judges 20:16; 1 Chronicles 12:2) to send a sizable rock directly into the giant's face, caving in the Philistine's skull and dropping him face down on the field of battle (1 Samuel 17:49).David was clear from the start about why this would take place: "I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand" (1 Samuel 17:45–46). Here, the writer continues to emphasize that David's victory was not a fluke nor was it due to David's unique skill and courage. Nor did it even require some supernatural act by God. David's victory was accomplished with a normal weapon, used in a normal way. The point of this story is how the Lord has delivered His people through someone willing to trust His faithfulness and power, even at the cost of putting his own life at risk (1 Samuel 17:26, 37). There was never a reason for Israel to fear Goliath so long as they relied on God.
While the outcome is clear, the battle is not quite over. David will not hesitate to finish off the Philistine champion (1 Samuel 17:51).
First Samuel 17:41–54 describes a world-renowned fight. Goliath is a Philistine giant armed with massive weapons. David is a teenager armed only with his shepherd's sling: a long leather strap used to throw hand-sized stones at deadly speed. Goliath mocks David, and the Lord. David replies by expressing faith and vowing to cut off Goliath's head. As the two approach each other, David slings a stone into Goliath's forehead, crushing the giant's skull. The Philistine falls, and David runs up to remove Goliath's sword, making good on his promise to behead the enemy. The Philistine army panics, flees, and the Israelite army follows to complete the victory.
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.
