Children…can anyone tell me something about Goliath?
Goliath is big but God is bigger. That could be the title of Chapter 17. The point God is making continues throughout this Chapter. Remember when the Israelites picked Saul the Bible told us he was head and shoulders taller than everyone. They were looking only to Saul’s exterior frame. When Samuel went to Jesse’s house to pick Saul’s replacement, if God had not had intervened Samuel would have chosen Eliab, Jesse’s oldest sone. He too was tall and well-spoken of, but God said NO! The point is made again man looks on the outside, but God looks on the heart. We spoke of the peril of impressions. Beware of externals because that’s not the whole story.
Here, we have another big man who has set fear in all of the army of Israel. Remember, don’t look on the outside. Goliath is big but God is bigger.
As we read the Chapter, we will notice that Samuel makes a point to describe Goliath with great detail. He writes about Goliath’s size, his armor, his spear etc. All this to strike fear into us as well.
1. The In-depth Description of Goliath the Giant (1-7)
17 Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. And they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. 2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in line of battle against the Philistines. 3 And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. 4 And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 And he had bronze armor on his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. 7 The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. And his shield-bearer went before him.
At every point here in Goliath’s gigantic description, we take a step back. We would probably be much like the Army of Israel when confronted with this giant.
The phrase “six cubits and a span” refers to the height of Goliath, which is approximately 9 feet 9 inches tall.
Goliath had a bronze helmet
Coat of mail weighed 5000 shekels of bronze…125lbs
And he had bronze armor on his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders.
7 The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron about 16lbs
Samuel’s details show us the massive size and weight of Goliath.
In the context we see that Saul who was picked because he was head and shoulders taller than anyone in Israel cowered in fear. Eliab, Jesse’s firstborn also tall and would have been picked by Samuel to be the next king also cowered in fear.
What we must see here is that…
1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
This verse applies to our finest choices and to our formidable enemies—Davis
Goliath is an enemy that cannot be beaten by man’s strength and wisdom.
2. Goliath the Giant Who Defied God (17:8-11)
8 He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 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.” 10 And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
The Hebrew word translated here, to defy, mock, deride is used 6 times in this section. When a word is used that many times it is a major point. This giant does not know God and greatly disdains Him. He is mocking Israel and Israel’s God with his bold claims and threats.
Through all this there sits Saul dismayed and greatly afraid. Because Saul is also now without God’s aid the tall king is greatly afraid of the giant enemy.
Each time Goliath bellows for an Israelite challenger, Saul’s heart sinks deeper into fear. What will he do? Remember back when God told Samuel that Saul’s purpose was to defeat all the nations surrounding Israel. He has not done that.
3. The In-depth Description of King David (17:12-23)
12 Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years. 13 The three oldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 David was the youngest. The three eldest followed Saul, 15 but David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem. 16 For forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand, morning and evening.
17 And Jesse said to David his son, “Take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers. 18 Also take these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand. See if your brothers are well, and bring some token from them.”
19 Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 20 And David rose early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and took the provisions and went, as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the encampment as the host was going out to the battle line, shouting the war cry. 21 And Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army. 22 And David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage and ran to the ranks and went and greeted his brothers. 23 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.
Now, Samuel gives us David. He begins this section with…12 Now David so we get a hint as to what might happen but even then, our confidence is not in David, after all he is but a youth. He is avg in every way.
As we get a little relief from Goliath and the panic that we too feel as we think about his size and his boasts and the fact that no one can do anything about it.
David steps onto the scene as a relief from the drama and Samuel gives us an in-depth description of David.
As we see the details about David, we also see how God got His warrior to the front lines of the battle. David was delivering bread and cheese to his brothers. Not too heroic but God’s ways are not our ways…then Goliath ran his giant mouth one more time…
23 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.
4. David Introduces Theology Into the Circumstances (17:24-33)
24 All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid. 25 And the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.” 26 And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 27 And the people answered him in the same way, “So shall it be done to the man who kills him.”
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.” 29 And David said, “What have I done now? Was it not but a word?” 30 And he turned away from him toward another, and spoke in the same way, and the people answered him again as before.
31 When the words that David spoke were heard, they repeated them before Saul, and he sent for him. 32 And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” 33 And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.”
This is the first time we hear from David in the Bible. What he brings to the table is far more valuable than anything else. David is a youth. He’s not too out of the ordinary. He is head and shoulders the same as everyone else. David has something that more than makes up the difference. David possesses the Holy Spirit and knowledge that God is a living God.
David injects the first theological note into the narrative—D.F. Payne
David has not spoken before now and his words are way more powerful than the mouthy giant from Gath. David brings a completely new worldview to the battle. So far, the narrative has been godless. Now, David introduces a new truth that everyone had seemingly forgotten. God is a living God.
When you are struck down by an insurmountable situation most often, we go about things like Israel did. We ponder the problem from a godless perspective. We look at the exterior and forget that God is a living God.
Here’s the logic in David’s situation…Do you think the living God is going to allow an uncircumcised Philistine to trample His name in military and theological mud?—Davis
Eliab who is probably still sour over being bypassed in Samuel’s parade of potential kings. Probably still mad at David because God chose him. Eliab seeks to ruin David’s standing before the people as he asks very condescendingly about the small herd of sheep that David cares for.
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?
David does not allow Eliab to frustrate him.
Proverbs 16:32 (ESV)
32 Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
Remember, man looks on the outside and God looks on the heart.
Here is Saul’s godless logic…33 And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.”
Resources Used:
1 Samuel by Dale Ralph Davis
1 Samuel by Tsumura
1 Samuel by C. Barber
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