What does 1 Samuel 17:33 mean?
David has come to the Valley of Elah to visit his brothers and the Israelite army. The Philistines and Israelites are gathered for war, but not currently fighting. Instead, a Philistine champion, Goliath, has been challenging Israel to send a representative for a duel. The loser's nation would be subject to the victor's (1 Samuel 17:8–10). The issue is that Goliath is nearly ten feet tall, or three meters, clad in protective gear, and equipped with the latest technology in weaponry (1 Samuel 17:4–7). The Israelites respond in fear (1 Samuel 17:11, 24). But they regularly form their battle lines every morning, and Goliath regularly taunts them (1 Samuel 17:16). David has heard the champion's challenge (1 Samuel 17:23). He's asked the soldiers what will be done for the man who removes this shame from Israel (1 Samuel 17:26). The answer: he will be rewarded with wealth, marriage to the king's daughter, and freedom from taxes for his family (1 Samuel 17:25).David's questions, including his bold statements about the Philistine's lack of standing before the living God, have been reported to Saul (1 Samuel 17:31). Saul calls for the young man, and David volunteers to fight Goliath (1 Samuel 17:32). Saul already knew each other. In fact, the king loved David; he employed the young man as a musician to calm his troubled spirit and as his own armor-bearer (1 Samuel 16:21–23). David was well respected (1 Samuel 16:18), but it may be a sign of just how desperate Saul was for a solution to his Goliath problem that he was having this conversation with David, at all.
Saul tells David why him taking on Goliath is a terrible idea. David is just a youth, likely barely old enough to be Saul's official armor bearer. David was evidently not part of the regular Israelite army, leading many to think he was under the age of twenty at this time (1 Samuel 17:13–14). David was still the family shepherd, going back and forth between Bethlehem and serving Saul (1 Samuel 17:15). Goliath, the giant champion of the Philistines, is presumably experienced in battle. In human terms, only one outcome seemed likely: Goliath would quickly and easily destroy the brave shepherd boy.
