1 Samuel 17:25 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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."

NIV: Now the Israelites had been saying, "Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes in Israel."

NASB: And the men of Israel said, 'Have you seen this man who is coming up? Surely he is coming up to defy Israel. And it will be that the king will make the man who kills him wealthy with great riches, and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.'

CSB: Previously, an Israelite man had declared: "Do you see this man who keeps coming out? He comes to defy Israel. The king will make the man who kills him very rich and will give him his daughter. The king will also make the family of that man’s father exempt from paying taxes in Israel."

NLT: Have you seen the giant?' the men asked. 'He comes out each day to defy Israel. The king has offered a huge reward to anyone who kills him. He will give that man one of his daughters for a wife, and the man’s entire family will be exempted from paying taxes!'

KJV: And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.

NKJV: So the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father’s house exemption from taxes in Israel.”

Israel's army is gathered for war with the Philistines, but terrified by an apparently unbeatable giant (1 Samuel 17:1–11, 23–24). The Israelite soldiers talk amongst themselves. The giant, Goliath of Gath, has challenged Israel to champion warfare. If one of their men could kill him, the Philistines would surrender. If he prevailed, the Israelites would be the Philistines' servants. In full protective gear and with spear in hand, Goliath taunts the Israelite army twice a day for forty days (1 Samuel 17:16). When he does, the soldiers flee (1 Samuel 17:23).

Here, the Israelite men talk about the imposing champion and his defiance. They also talk about the reward King Saul would give to any Israelite who could defeat the Philistine. Their king, apparently unable or unwilling to fight Goliath himself, was willing to give an extravagant reward to any man who could win the battle. The giant-killer would quickly become one of the most powerful and important men in Israel. Not only would he become instantly wealthy, but he would also marry into royalty, becoming a member of the king's own household. In addition, his own extended family would be freed from any obligation to taxes or forced service to the king.

Yet even with such an enticing promise, no man volunteered to take on the seemingly impossible task.

First Samuel 17:24–30 records David's reaction to Goliath's taunting. David is merely visiting his older brothers as the Israelite and Philistine armies watch each other across a valley. Goliath is massive, and the Israelite soldiers are afraid to face him in single combat. David's oldest brother scolds him for asking about what rewards will be given to the one who defeats Goliath. This will catch the attention of King Saul.

David, delivering food to his brothers at the Israelite army camp, hears the Philistine Goliath's defiant challenge. Single man combat could decide the battle, but no Israelite wanted to face the massive warrior. David is appalled that a Philistine would defy the armies of the living God. He volunteers to fight, and King Saul agrees. Before the battle, David declares that the Lord will give victory and thereby show the world that there is a God in Israel. David quickly kills and beheads Goliath. The Israelites chase the Philistines back to their own territory and plunder their camp. David brings Goliath's head to Saul.

Saul was made king of Israel (1 Samuel 9—10) and had many early successes (1 Samuel 11—14). However, his disobedience resulted in God's plan for a different king (1 Samuel 15). The prophet Samuel anointed David as this future monarch (1 Samuel 16:11–13). David has been serving as a musician for Saul (1 Samuel 16:18–21) and comes visit his brothers during a standoff between Israelite and Philistine forces. This leads to the famous story of David and Goliath. David's victory publicly triggers his rise to power, paralleled by Saul's collapse. In the end, Saul will die in disgrace (1 Samuel 31:4–7) and David will be appointed the new king of Israel (1 Samuel 2:45:1–3).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.