Today’s passage: 1 Samuel 17:28-47
Helpful thoughts:
- Eliab, the son who “looked” like a king (16:6-7), is now not a fan of David. This kindled anger could perhaps be a little foreshadowing of the jealous anger Saul was about to harbor against David as well.
- David and Saul had different perspectives of the occasion.
- In Saul’s eyes, David was a boy and Goliath was a giant man of war.
- In David’s eyes, Goliath was a brutish animal and God was his deliverer.
- Saul attempted to clothe David in his royal armor.
- This would have served to show David’s pending right to the throne.
- It also illustrated David’s different approach to his reign. Saul trusted in armor. David was to trust in God.
Questions to consider:
- Why would Goliath have been angry to see this shepherd boy come to fight? What kind of solider would he have been hoping for? What did Goliath continue to bring on himself by cursing David? (Genesis 12:3)
- What did David contrast with Goliath’s weapons in verse 45? Did David even need his staff or the smooth stones to defeat Goliath?
- What was David’s goal in fighting the battle (Verses 46-47)? Was the death of Goliath the best thing that happened to Israel that day? What things were better?