1 Samuel 17:23 - Printer Friendly

ESV: As he talked with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him.

NIV: As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it.

NASB: As he was speaking with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine from Gath named Goliath, was coming up from the army of the Philistines, and he spoke these same words; and David heard him.

CSB: While he was speaking with them, suddenly the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, came forward from the Philistine battle line and shouted his usual words, which David heard.

NLT: As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, came out from the Philistine ranks. Then David heard him shout his usual taunt to the army of Israel.

KJV: And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.

NKJV: Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke according to the same words. So David heard them.

The Philistines and Israelites are standing ready for war at the Valley of Elah (1 Samuel 17:1–3, 19). Israelite and Philistine armies form their ranks daily, outfitted with their shields and weapons. The Israelites shout out their war cries (1 Samuel 17:20). Both sides line up on the hill or ridge on their own side of the valley, forming a no-man's land between them where the fighting would take place if they charged toward each other.

Rather than the armies fighting, the Philistines proposed champion warfare. One representative from each side would fight the other. The people of the man who survived the fight would be the victor; the loser's people would become servants of the enemy nation. The Philistines' champion is Goliath of Gath (1 Samuel 17:4). He is nearly ten feet—or three meters—tall, covered in body armor, and equipped with a technologically-advanced spear (1 Samuel 17:5–7). Morning and night, for forty days, he taunts the Israelites (1 Samuel 17:16).

Goliath "comes up" out of the Philistine ranks, perhaps climbing a small hill or even walking part way up the hill upon which the Israelites are gathered. He is heard and understood by everyone as he shouts the same words every day (1 Samuel 17:8–10). Given his stature and equipment, Goliath is apparently unbeatable; his challenge amounted to invitation for someone to be killed and for Israel to surrender. The Israelite army responds in fear (1 Samuel 17:11, 24). But this time David is present to hear the Philistine challenge the people of the living God (1 Samuel 17:26, 45–47).

First Samuel 17:12–23 re-introduces David (1 Samuel 16:11–13), who travels between shepherding and playing music for King Saul. This chapter seems to add detail to the earlier description of David in Saul's service (1 Samuel 16:18–21). David's father sends the young man on an errand to his three oldest brothers, camped with the rest of Israel's army in a faceoff with the Philistines. While there, David hears one of the daily challenges from Goliath, the enormous Philistine champion.

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.

Saul was made king of Israel (1 Samuel 9—10) and had many early successes (1 Samuel 11—14). However, his disobedience resulted in God's plan for a different king (1 Samuel 15). The prophet Samuel anointed David as this future monarch (1 Samuel 16:11–13). David has been serving as a musician for Saul (1 Samuel 16:18–21) and comes visit his brothers during a standoff between Israelite and Philistine forces. This leads to the famous story of David and Goliath. David's victory publicly triggers his rise to power, paralleled by Saul's collapse. In the end, Saul will die in disgrace (1 Samuel 31:4–7) and David will be appointed the new king of Israel (1 Samuel 2:45:1–3).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.