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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2007 Edition Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 <strong>Samuel</strong> 71The stone that hit Goliath in the forehead evidently only knocked him out. David thenapproached the fallen giant, slew him with his own sword, and cut <strong>of</strong>f his head. 219 Verse50 seems to be a summary <strong>of</strong> the whole encounter. Verses 49 and 51 apparently describewhat happened blow by blow. By cutting <strong>of</strong>f Goliath's head David completed theexecution <strong>of</strong> the giant and demonstrated to everyone present that he really was dead. Likethe image <strong>of</strong> Dagon, that had previously fallen before the ark and had its head broken <strong>of</strong>f(5:4), so Dagon's champion now suffered the same fate.The Israelites chased the fleeing Philistines back home to their towns. The townsmentioned stood to the north and northwest <strong>of</strong> the battlefield (v. 52). David took Goliath'shead as a trophy <strong>of</strong> war to Jerusalem and put the giant's weapons in his own tenttemporarily (v. 54). They became memorials <strong>of</strong> God's great deliverance on this occasion.It is unclear whether David took the giant's head to Jerusalem, which was still a Jebusitecity, immediately or if he took it there later when David captured Jerusalem and made ithis capital. Goliath's sword eventually went to Nob near Jerusalem (21:1-9). The centralsanctuary may have stood there even at this time.Saul needed to know the name <strong>of</strong> David's father to deliver the prize that he had promisedto anyone who would defeat Goliath (v. 25). Perhaps he had never asked David about thisbefore or had forgotten whose son he was. Another explanation <strong>of</strong> Saul's strangeignorance is that the events <strong>of</strong> chapter 17 may have been chronologically before those <strong>of</strong>chapter 16. Another possibility is that Saul's words could have been an idiom for, "Whatis his background?" Perhaps the writer included this reference to David's family in thetext because David's trust and obedience resulted in his family enjoying special blessingsfrom God through Saul. Verses 55-58 focus on the question <strong>of</strong> whose son David was.This event proved that David was a true son <strong>of</strong> God who had the reputation and interests<strong>of</strong> his Father and his Father's people at heart.David emerges as superior to Saul as well as Goliath in this story. We have already seenthat Yahweh was superior to Dagon (chs. 4—6). David's victory over Goliath was amajor step toward Israel's throne for him. It was a turning point in his life. God did notbase David's election for salvation on David's conduct. God chooses whom He will tosave. However, God did choose David to serve as Israel's king because <strong>of</strong> David'sconduct, which resulted from his devoted heart. God promotes the faithful to higherpositions <strong>of</strong> service (cf. Luke 19:12-27)."His victory that day in the valley <strong>of</strong> Elah made a national hero <strong>of</strong> him, aswell as entitling him to the hand <strong>of</strong> the king's daughter in marriage; but italso evoked jealous feelings in Saul, thus indirectly setting in motion theevents which fill the rest <strong>of</strong> 1 <strong>Samuel</strong>." 220In applying this story, I believe it is legitimate to see Goliath as representing the manyenemies that frustrate individual believers as we seek to live for God. However, I believe219 Baldwin, p. 128; Ariella Deem, "'And the Stone Sank Into His Forehead': A Note on 1 <strong>Samuel</strong> xvii 49,"Vetus Testamentum 28:3 (1978):350.220 Gordon, p. 153.