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.

1 SAMUEL 17:50KJV
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1 Samuel 17:50 (KJV)

What does 1 Samuel 17:50 mean?

1 Samuel 17:50 describes how David defeated the Philistine champion, Goliath, using only a sling and a stone, without a sword in his hand. The verse emphasizes that David struck down and killed Goliath with these simple weapons.

In this scene, the young shepherd David faces Goliath, the Philistine warrior, in single combat while the armies of Israel and the Philistines watch. The verse highlights that David’s victory did not come from conventional weapons or military strength, but from his skill with a sling and his faith. The detail that David had no sword underlines the unexpected and remarkable nature of his triumph.

The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 17:50

  • "Prevailed" (חָזַק, ḥāzaq): This word means to become strong or to overcome. The verse uses it to show that David’s action was decisive and powerful, even though he was not the obvious favorite.
  • "Sling" (קָלַע, qāla‘) and "stone" (אֶבֶן, ’eḇen): These words point to the simple tools David used. The focus on these everyday items draws attention to the contrast between David’s humble equipment and Goliath’s heavy armor.
  • "Sword" (חֶרֶב, ḥerev): The verse specifically notes that David did not have a sword, making it clear that the victory did not depend on typical weapons of war.

Why 1 Samuel 17:50 matters

  • The verse clarifies that David’s victory was not due to superior weaponry or physical power, but through unexpected means, which sets up the larger theme of God working through unlikely people and methods.
  • By stressing that David had no sword, the verse prepares the reader for what happens next, when David uses Goliath’s own sword to finish the battle.
  • This moment marks a turning point in the story, showing David’s courage and faith, and it foreshadows his future role as a leader in Israel.

Where else these words appear

“sling” Hebrew H7050 · used in 22 verses

  • Exodus 27:9 And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen of an hundred cubits long for one side:
  • Exodus 38:12 And for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.
  • Numbers 4:26 And the hangings of the court, and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and all that is made for them: so shall they serve.

“over” Hebrew H4480 · used in 25 verses

  • Genesis 2:6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
  • Leviticus 9:10 But the fat, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver of the sin offering, he burnt upon the altar; as the LORD commanded Moses.
  • 1 Kings 6:16 And he built twenty cubits on the sides of the house, both the floor and the walls with boards of cedar: he even built them for it within, even for the oracle, even for the most holy place.