As Saul had watched David going out to confront the Philistine, he said to Abner the commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is this young man?" "As surely as you live, O king," Abner replied, "I do not know." As Saul had watched David going out to confront the Philistine,Saul remained behind as David advanced into the Valley of Elah to meet Goliath. Israel’s king and army had been paralyzed by the Philistine’s challenge, yet the young shepherd went forward in confidence that the living God would defend His people. David’s courage exposed Saul’s failure to lead and anticipated the kind of God-dependent leadership Israel would later know under David’s reign. 1Sa 18:6-9 As the troops were returning home after David had killed…
1Sa 19:1-2 Then Saul ordered his son Jonathan and all his servants…
1Sa 20:30-31 Then Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan,…
he said to Abner the commander of the army, Abner was Saul’s cousin and the leading officer of Israel’s army. Saul turned to him because David’s identity had become important in light of the king’s promised reward: wealth, marriage into the royal house, and freedom for the victor’s family. Abner’s later prominence during the conflict between Saul’s house and David’s house shows the significance of his position. 1Sa 14:50 His wife’s name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz.…
2Sa 2:8 Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army,…
1Sa 26:5 Then David set out and went to the place…
“Abner, whose son is this young man?” Saul sought to know David’s family, not merely his personal name. Though David had previously served Saul as a musician and attendant, his background had not mattered until he emerged as the one willing to face Goliath. David was the son of Jesse of Bethlehem, a humble town that would later be identified as the birthplace of the Messiah. God was bringing His chosen future king from obscurity into public view. 1Sa 20:27 But on the day after the New Moon, the second day,…
1Sa 25:10 But Nabal asked them, “Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse?…
1Sa 22:7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Listen, men of Benjamin!…
“As surely as you live, O king,” Abner answered with the customary oath of loyalty and respect owed to Israel’s anointed king. Saul still occupied the throne by God’s appointment, even though his disobedience had brought the divine judgment that his kingdom would not endure. 2Sa 14:19 So the king asked, “Is the hand of Joab behind all this?”…
1Ki 1:31 Bathsheba bowed facedown in homage to the king…
1Sa 25:26 Now, my lord, as surely as the LORD lives…
Abner replied, “I do not know.” Abner could not identify David’s father. The army’s commander did not recognize the family from which Israel’s deliverer had come, but the Lord had already chosen David. David’s unnoticed beginnings foreshadow the pattern of God raising up those whom human strength and status would overlook. 1Sa 16:19-23 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son…
1Sa 18:2 And from that day Saul kept David with him…
1Sa 18:5 So David marched out and prospered in everything…
Persons / Places / Events 1. SaulThe first king of Israel, who was anointed by the prophet Samuel. At this point in the account, Saul is struggling with his own insecurities and the threat posed by the Philistines. 2. DavidA young shepherd who has been anointed by Samuel to be the future king of Israel. He is about to confront Goliath, the Philistine giant, in a pivotal moment of faith and courage. 3. AbnerThe commander of Saul's army. He is a key military leader and is present during this significant event, yet he does not recognize David. 4. The Philistine (Goliath)The giant warrior from Gath who challenges the Israelites, representing the formidable opposition faced by God's people. 5. The Valley of ElahThe location where the battle between the Israelites and the Philistines takes place, symbolizing the battleground of faith and fear. Teaching Points God's Anointing and Human RecognitionDespite being anointed by God, David is not yet recognized by Saul or Abner. This reminds us that God's calling and anointing may not always be immediately visible to others. Courage in the Face of OppositionDavid's willingness to confront Goliath demonstrates the power of faith and courage. Believers are encouraged to trust in God's strength when facing their own "giants." The Importance of Knowing God's PeopleSaul's lack of awareness about David's identity highlights the importance of knowing and recognizing the gifts and callings within the body of Christ. God's Sovereignty in LeadershipThe unfolding events show God's sovereignty in raising leaders according to His purpose, even when human leaders fail to see His plan. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Saul's question about David's identity reflect his spiritual state and leadership at this time? 2. In what ways can we identify and support the "Davids" in our own communities who may not yet be recognized for their potential? 3. How does David's faith in confronting Goliath inspire us to face our own challenges with confidence in God? 4. What can we learn from the fact that David was anointed by God but not yet recognized by human leaders? 5. How does the account of David and Goliath encourage us to trust in God's sovereignty and timing in our own lives? Connections to Other Scriptures 1 Samuel 16This chapter provides the background of David's anointing by Samuel, highlighting God's choice of David based on his heart rather than his outward appearance. 1 Samuel 18Following David's victory over Goliath, this chapter describes Saul's growing jealousy and fear of David, setting the stage for future conflict. Psalm 23Written by David, this psalm reflects his deep trust in God, which is evident in his confrontation with Goliath. Acts 13:22This verse refers to David as a man after God's own heart, emphasizing his faithfulness and God's favor upon him. People Abinadab, Abner, David, Elah, Eliab, Ephah, Goliath, Israelites, Jesse, Saul, ShammahPlaces Azekah, Bethlehem, Ekron, Ephes-dammim, Gath, Jerusalem, Shaaraim, Socoh, Valley of ElahTopics Abner, Army, Can't, Captain, Commander, David, Forth, Host, Idea, Meet, O, Philistine, Replied, Saul, Soul, Surely, Watched, YouthDictionary of Bible Themes 1 Samuel 17:54 5578 tents
5612 weapons 1 Samuel 17:32-54 5086 David, rise of Library The victory of Unarmed Faith
'And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. 33. And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 34. And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock; 35. And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureApril the Thirtieth the Test of victory
"David behaveth himself wisely." --1 SAMUEL xvii. 55--xviii. 5. The hour of victory is a more severe moral test than the hour of defeat. Many a man can brave the perils of adversity who succumbs to the seductions of prosperity. He can stand the cold better than the heat! He is enriched by failure, but "spoilt by success." To test the real quality of a man, let us regard him just when he has slain Goliath! "David behaved himself wisely"! He was not "eaten up with pride." He developed no "side." …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year April the Twenty-Ninth the Mood of Triumph
"I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts." --1 SAMUEL xvii. 38-54. The man who comes up to his foes with this assurance will fight and win. Reasonable confidence is one of the most important weapons in the warrior's armoury. Fear is always wasteful. The man who calmly expects to win has already begun to conquer. Our mood has so much to do with our might. And therefore does the Word of God counsel us to attend to our dispositions, lest, having carefully collected our material implements, …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year The Call of David.
"So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone."--1 Samuel xvii. 50. These words, which are taken from the chapter which you heard read just now in the course of the Service[1], declare the victory which David, the man after God's own heart, gained over Goliath, who came out of the army of the Philistines to defy the Living God; and they declare the manner of his gaining it. He gained it with a sling and with a stone; that is, by means, which to man might seem weak and …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII How David Prevailed.
"So David prevailed over the Philistine!"--1 SAMUEL xvii. 50. Yes, he did, but he would not have done so if he had remained as quiet as the other Israelites. David was one of those who could not be easy so long as the enemies of his country were in the ascendant. To see a Philistine strutting about, defying the armies of the living God, was more than he could bear. Is not this the spirit which should animate Christians to-day? It is not one GOLIATH merely, there are many. DRUNKENNESS, PROFANITY, …
Thomas Champness—Broken Bread Knox -- the First Temptation of Christ
John Knox, the great Scottish reformer, was born at Giffordgate, four miles from Haddington, Scotland, in 1505. He first made his appearance as a preacher in Edinburgh, where he thundered against popery, but was imprisoned and sent to the galleys in 1546. In 1547 Edward VI secured his release and made him a royal chaplain, when he acquired the friendship of Cranmer and other reformers. On the accession of Mary (1553) he took refuge on the Continent. In 1556 he accepted the charge of a church in Geneva, …
Various—The World's Great Sermons, Volume I Hwochow Women's Bible Training School
COURSE OF STUDY FIRST TERM Book of Genesis. Gospel according to St. Luke or St. Mark. Acts of the Apostles, chapters i. to ix. "A Synopsis of the Central Themes of the Holy Bible." Reading Lessons, with necessary Explanation and Writing of Chinese Character. Arithmetic. Singing and Memorisation of Hymns. SECOND TERM Book of Exodus, Numbers, and 1 Samuel i. to xvi. The Gospel according to St. John. The Epistle of St James. "A Synopsis of the Central Themes of the Holy Bible"--(continued). Reading …
A. Mildred Cable—The Fulfilment of a Dream of Pastor Hsi's He Does Battle for the Faith; He Restores Peace among those who were at Variance; He Takes in Hand to Build a Stone Church.
57. (32). There was a certain clerk in Lismore whose life, as it is said, was good, but his faith not so. He was a man of some knowledge in his own eyes, and dared to say that in the Eucharist there is only a sacrament and not the fact[718] of the sacrament, that is, mere sanctification and not the truth of the Body. On this subject he was often addressed by Malachy in secret, but in vain; and finally he was called before a public assembly, the laity however being excluded, in order that if it were …
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh The Shepherd-King
'And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt them mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel! fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite: for I have provided Me a king among his sons. 2. And Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord. 3. And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Temporal Advantages.
"We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content."--1 Tim. vi. 7, 8. Every age has its own special sins and temptations. Impatience with their lot, murmuring, grudging, unthankfulness, discontent, are sins common to men at all times, but I suppose one of those sins which belongs to our age more than to another, is desire of a greater portion of worldly goods than God has given us,--ambition and covetousness …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII The Quotation in Matt. Ii. 6.
Several interpreters, Paulus especially, have asserted that the interpretation of Micah which is here given, was that of the Sanhedrim only, and not of the Evangelist, who merely recorded what happened and was said. But this assertion is at once refuted when we consider the object which Matthew has in view in his entire representation of the early life of Jesus. His object in recording the early life of Jesus is not like that of Luke, viz., to communicate historical information to his readers. …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament The Blessing of Jacob Upon Judah. (Gen. Xlix. 8-10. )
Ver. 8. "Judah, thou, thy brethren shall praise thee; thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies; before thee shall bow down the sons of thy father. Ver. 9. A lion's whelp is Judah; from the prey, my son, thou goest up; he stoopeth down, he coucheth as a lion, and as a full-grown lion, who shall rouse him up? Ver. 10. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and unto Him the people shall adhere." Thus does dying Jacob, in announcing …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners:
A BRIEF AND FAITHFUL RELATION OF THE EXCEEDING MERCY OF GOD IN CHRIST TO HIS POOR SERVANT, JOHN BUNYAN; WHEREIN IS PARTICULARLY SHOWED THE MANNER OF HIS CONVERSION, HIS SIGHT AND TROUBLE FOR SIN, HIS DREADFUL TEMPTATIONS, ALSO HOW HE DESPAIRED OF GOD'S MERCY, AND HOW THE LORD AT LENGTH THROUGH CHRIST DID DELIVER HIM FROM ALL THE GUILT AND TERROR THAT LAY UPON HIM. Whereunto is added a brief relation of his call to the work of the ministry, of his temptations therein, as also what he hath met with …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Man's Chief End
Q-I: WHAT IS THE CHIEF END OF MAN? A: Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever. Here are two ends of life specified. 1: The glorifying of God. 2: The enjoying of God. I. The glorifying of God, I Pet 4:4: That God in all things may be glorified.' The glory of God is a silver thread which must run through all our actions. I Cor 10:01. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.' Everything works to some end in things natural and artificial; …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity Samuel
Alike from the literary and the historical point of view, the book[1] of Samuel stands midway between the book of Judges and the book of Kings. As we have already seen, the Deuteronomic book of Judges in all probability ran into Samuel and ended in ch. xii.; while the story of David, begun in Samuel, embraces the first two chapters of the first book of Kings. The book of Samuel is not very happily named, as much of it is devoted to Saul and the greater part to David; yet it is not altogether inappropriate, …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links 1 Samuel 17:55 NIV1 Samuel 17:55 NLT1 Samuel 17:55 ESV1 Samuel 17:55 NASB1 Samuel 17:55 KJV
1 Samuel 17:55 Commentaries
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