1 Samuel 17:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us."

NIV: If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us."

NASB: If he is able to fight me and kill me, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall become our servants and serve us.'

CSB: If he wins in a fight against me and kills me, we will be your servants. But if I win against him and kill him, then you will be our servants and serve us."

NLT: If he kills me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves!

KJV: If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.

NKJV: If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.”

The Philistines have gathered against Israel for war (1 Samuel 17:1–3). Goliath of Gath has come out of the Philistine camp; he is massive, intimidating, and seemingly unbeatable (1 Samuel 17:4–7). Goliath proposes something called "champion warfare" (1 Samuel 17:8). Instead of the two armies engaging in all-out battle with each other, resulting in many deaths and injuries, two representative warriors from each side fight to the death. The loser's side becomes servants or slaves to the winner's side.

Champion warfare was apparently practiced around the Near East during this era. It is more common in literature than in the real world, but it was occasionally used. Homer's Iliad describes such an arrangement in two battles, and wall paintings and stories from ancient Egypt show similar showdowns. This may have represented the theological view that the gods won battles. Why sacrifice so many lives to see which of the gods will prevail when that same can be accomplished with just one life? The obvious advantage for both sides was avoiding massive loss of life and destruction of property. The disadvantage, of course, was that one-on-one battles can have unpredictable outcomes.

Goliath's proposition reveals that he had no concerns. In his mind, no Israelite could possibly defeat him in one-on-one combat. His taunts may be an attempt to bait one of the Hebrew soldiers into making a foolish choice.

First Samuel 17:1–11 introduces a Philistine champion called Goliath. The armies of Israel and Philistia face off across a valley. Goliath is massive, towering over every other warrior, with gigantic weapons to match. Day after day (1 Samuel 17:16), he taunts the Israelite army. Goliath dares them to send their own champion to face him in single combat; the winner will determine which army is victorious. The Israelite soldiers are too intimidated to fight.

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.