1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ
1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ
1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ
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68 Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 <strong>Samuel</strong> 2007 Editionhim to shepherd His people Israel (Exod. 3:1). The site <strong>of</strong> battle was 15 miles due west <strong>of</strong>David'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 stand<strong>of</strong>f for 40 days (v. 16). The number 40 <strong>of</strong>ten represents a period <strong>of</strong>testing 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 <strong>of</strong> theflesh or in God?Part <strong>of</strong> 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 <strong>of</strong> 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 <strong>of</strong> defeating Goliath from the first timehe heard <strong>of</strong> 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 <strong>of</strong> 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 <strong>of</strong> 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 <strong>of</strong> thebeam in his own. The very things with which he charged his brother—presumption and wickedness <strong>of</strong> heart—were most apparent in his scornfulrepro<strong>of</strong>." 209"Eliab's anger is the anger <strong>of</strong> a man who feels small because <strong>of</strong> theIsraelite army's inability to deal with Goliath, and he particularly resentslooking small in the eyes <strong>of</strong> his young brother [whom <strong>Samuel</strong> hadanointed king-elect instead <strong>of</strong> himself]." 210207 Compare the similar events in young Joseph's life who was also anointed in the midst <strong>of</strong> 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.