David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

1 SAMUEL 17:37KJV
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1 Samuel 17:37 (KJV)

What does 1 Samuel 17:37 mean?

1 Samuel 17:37 shows David telling King Saul that just as the LORD rescued him from the paw of the lion and the bear, he trusts the LORD will also rescue him from the Philistine, Goliath. Saul responds by giving David permission to face Goliath and wishes that the LORD be with him.

In this verse, David is speaking directly to Saul before fighting Goliath. David recalls his past experiences of being saved from dangerous animals, using them as proof of the LORD’s faithfulness and power. The verse highlights David’s confidence in God’s help, and Saul’s acceptance of David’s willingness to fight.

The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 17:37

  • The word "LORD" (יְהוָה, YHWH) is used here, emphasizing that David’s confidence is not in himself but in the personal, covenant God of Israel.
  • The word "delivered" (נָצַל, natsal) means to rescue or snatch away from danger. David credits the LORD as the one who actively rescued him, not his own strength or skill.
  • The word "paw" (יָד, yad) literally means "hand," but here it refers to the grasp or power of the lion and bear. This same word is used for the "hand" of the Philistine, drawing a parallel between past dangers and the present threat.
  • The word "Philistine" (פְּלִשְׁתִּי, Pelishti) refers specifically to Goliath, making clear that David sees this enemy as just another threat God can deliver him from.

Why 1 Samuel 17:37 matters

  • This verse clarifies that David’s courage comes from his trust in God’s past faithfulness, not from personal pride or recklessness.
  • The parallel use of "paw" and "hand" connects David’s earlier private battles with wild animals to his public challenge against Goliath, showing a consistent pattern of God’s deliverance.
  • Saul’s response, "Go, and the LORD be with thee," marks a turning point where the king entrusts Israel’s fate to a young shepherd, highlighting the unusual and risky nature of David’s faith.

Where else these words appear

“bear” Hebrew H1677 · used in 12 verses

  • 1 Samuel 17:34 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:
  • 2 Kings 2:24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
  • Isaiah 59:11 We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.

“lion” Hebrew H738 · used in 72 verses

  • Genesis 49:9 Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?
  • 2 Kings 17:26 Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations which thou hast removed, and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land.
  • Jeremiah 2:30 In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.