1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ

68 Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 Samuel 2007 Editionhim to shepherd His people Israel (Exod. 3:1). The site of battle was 15 miles due west ofDavid's hometown, Bethlehem. The Old Testament writers sometimes used "Ephratah"(v. 12), an older name for Bethlehem, to distinguish the Bethlehem in Judah from the onein Zebulon (cf. Mic. 5:2). David journeyed to the battle site to bring food (includingcheeseburgers? v. 18) to his brothers and their fellow soldiers and to collect news to bringback to his father. 207 Little did Jesse expect that the news David would bring back homewas that he had slain Goliath and that the Israelites had routed the Philistines. The battlehad been a standoff for 40 days (v. 16). The number 40 often represents a period oftesting in the Bible (cf. the Israelites' testing in the wilderness for 40 years, Jesus' testingfor 40 days, etc.). This was another test for Israel. Would the nation trust in the arm of theflesh or in God?Part of the reward for defeating Goliath that Saul had promised was that the victor'sfamily would be tax free in Israel (v. 25). 208 The giving of the leader's daughter inmarriage to a valiant warrior was not without precedent in Israel (cf. Caleb's challenge inJosh. 15:16).David's interest in God's reputation 17:26-30David seems to have considered himself capable of defeating Goliath from the first timehe heard of Goliath's insults to Yahweh. The fact that he referred to Yahweh as the"living God" (v. 26) shows David's belief that Yahweh was still the same Person whocould defeat present enemies as He had done in the past. His was the simple faith of achild. He had apparently heard about God's promises to Moses and Joshua that if theIsraelites would attack their enemies God would defeat them (Deut. 31:1-8; Josh. 1:1-9).Faith in God always rests on a word from God in Scripture. Most of the Israelites tookGoliath's challenge as defying Israel (v. 25), but David interpreted it as defying the livingGod, the only true God (v. 26). Here David's heart for God begins to manifest itself (cf.16:7)."Eliab sought for the splinter in his brother's eye, and was not aware of thebeam in his own. The very things with which he charged his brother—presumption and wickedness of heart—were most apparent in his scornfulreproof." 209"Eliab's anger is the anger of a man who feels small because of theIsraelite army's inability to deal with Goliath, and he particularly resentslooking small in the eyes of his young brother [whom Samuel hadanointed king-elect instead of himself]." 210207 Compare the similar events in young Joseph's life who was also anointed in the midst of his brothers andthen went on an errand to find his brothers only to experience a life-changing encounter.208 McCarter, p. 304; Shemaryahu Talmon, King, Cult, and Calendar in Ancient Israel: Collected Studies,pp. 65-66.209 Keil and Delitzsch, p. 181.210 Gordon, p. 156.