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Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

1 Samuel 17:40

Five smooth stones— Bishop Patrick thinks that this should rather be rendered five cleft or rough stones; as he thinks such would have been most fit for his purpose. But smooth stones would have entered more easily into the forehead, would have less obstacles in passing through the air, and were much more proper to reach the mark, when thrown from a sling.

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See also 1 Samuel 17:40 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 1 Samuel 17:40. _HE TOOK HIS STAFF_] What we would call his _crook_. _FIVE SMOOTH STONES_] 1. Had they been _rough_ or _angular_, they would not have passed easily through the air, and their a...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    2. DAVID AND GOLIATH CHAPTER 17 _ 1. Goliath of Gath, the Philistine (1 Samuel 17:1)_ 2. David's errand and inquiry (1 Samuel 17:12) 3. David's offer to fight Goliath (1 Samuel 17:31)

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    1 SAMUEL 17:1 TO 1 SAMUEL 18:5. DAVID AND GOLIATH (E, with additione by R). In this section two narratives seem to have been interwoven. For the sake of convenience, we may denote one set of passages...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    STAFF. club, one of the three equipments of the Eastern shepherd: crook for the sheep's help, club for sheep's defence, and the bag for himself....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _five smooth stones out of the brook_ "The sides and bed of this trench [see above on 1 Samuel 17:3] are strewn with rounded and water-worn pebbles, which would have been well fitted for David's sling...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    David volunteers to fight Goliath 32. _And David said unto Saul_ According to the Sept. text this stands in close and appropriate connexion with 1 Samuel 17:11: in the Heb. text David's offer certain...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _David Slays Goliath._ 1 Samuel 17:38-54 38 And Saul armed David with his armor, and he put a helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. 39 And David girded his sword upon...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND HE TOOK HIS STAFF IN HIS HAND, AND CHOSE HIM FIVE SMOOTH STONES OUT OF THE BROOK, AND PUT THEM IN A SHEPHERD'S BAG WHICH HE HAD, EVEN IN A SCRIP; AND HIS SLING WAS IN HIS HAND: AND HE DREW NEAR T...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    17:40 brook, (a-18) Or 'valley,' as Deuteronomy 2:14 ....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DAVID SLAYS GOLIATH 1 Samuel 17:1 to 1 Samuel 18:5 is evidently taken from a different document from 1 Samuel 16:14. In 1 Samuel 16:

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ISRAEL’S FIRST KING 1 SAMUEL _HELEN POCOCK_ CHAPTER 17 DAVID AND GOLIATH V1 The *Philistines gathered their army ready for a battle. They met at Sucoh in the land of *Judah. They camped in the...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    AND HE TOOK HIS STAFF IN HIS HAND. — It was a true stroke of military genius in David, this determination of his to fight only with the weapons, weak and unimportant though they seemed, with which he...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יִּקַּ֨ח מַקְלֹ֜ו בְּ יָדֹ֗ו וַ יִּבְחַר

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XXIV. _ DAVID'S CONFLICT WITH GOLIATH_ 1 Samuel 17:1. THESE irrepressible Philistines were never long recovering from their disasters. The victory of Jonathan had been impaired by the exhaus...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    DAVID TRUSTS HIS FORMER DELIVERER 1 Samuel 17:31 David was conducted into Saul's presence-his soul aglow with heroic faith-avowing that he was willing to go alone to fight the Philistine. Saul, howev...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The story contained in this chapter is one of the most familiar of the Old Testament narratives. It places Saul and David in sharp contrast as each stands out in clear relief. In the presence of the e...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And he took his (n) staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling [was] in his hand: and he drew n...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Smooth. Louis de Dieu translates broken "pieces of stones," as he pretends, contrary to the common opinion, that rough stones are more suitable for the sling. (Calmet) --- The learned Jew, whom we hav...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (38) And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. (39) And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; fo...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    Now that we have heard the prophet's judgment of king Saul, there follows next the choice of Jehovah. The chapter gives us in a very striking manner the manifest sentence of death on all the thoughts...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    The Philistines, that type of the enemy's power, present themselves again with their champion at their head, against whom no one dares to fight. David had returned home, and was living in the simplici...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND HE TOOK HIS STAFF IN HIS HAND,.... His shepherd's staff, which he used in keeping his father's sheep, and chose rather to appear in the habit of a shepherd than of a soldier: AND CHOSE HIM FIVE S...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling [was] in his hand: and he drew near...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _He took his staff_ His shepherd's staff. These arms in themselves were contemptible, yet chosen by David, because he had no skill to use other arms; because he had inward assurance of the victory, ev...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The armies of the Israelites, and Philistines beeing readie to battell, 4 Goliath commeth proudly forth, to chalenge a combate. 12 Dauid sent by his father to visit his brethren, taketh the chalen...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, down in the valley, AND PUT THEM IN A SHEPHERD'S BAG WHICH HE HAD, in a special kit which he carried with him, EVE...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    DAVID SLAYS GOLIATH...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    The time comes when both Saul and David are to be publicly proven as regards their fitness to rule over Israel. The Philistines, though previously defeated through Jonathan's faith, return to challeng...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    BROOK: Or, valley BAG: _ Heb._ vessell...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    40-47 The security and presumption of fools destroy them. Nothing can excel the humility, faith, and piety which appear in David's words. He expressed his assured expectation of success; he gloried in...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    HIS STAFF; his shepherd's staff. These arms were in themselves contemptible, yet chosen by David; partly, because he had no skill to use other arms; partly, because he had inward assurance of the vict...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Samuel 17:40 took H3947 (H8799) staff H4731 hand H3027 chose H977 (H8799) five H2568 smooth H2512 stones...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    DAVID MEETS GOLIATH (1 SAMUEL 17:40). As has been the pattern throughout the chapter the emphasis in this passage is again on the fact that the Philistine has defied YHWH, but here in a more personal...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    1 Samuel 17 Notice: I. David was on God's side. This was a religious war. Goliath fought for Dagon and cursed David by his gods. David fought for Jehovah. Let every child know for certain that he is...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Defiance of Israel by Goliath and David's victory over him. CHARACTERS: God, David, Saul, Goliath, Eliab, Abinadab, Shammah. CONCLUSION: The battle is God's battle. If our confidence is pur...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Samuel 17:4. _There went out a champion, Goliath of Gath;_ a military character well known to the Hebrews. More than thirty years before he had scattered the army of Israel, slain the sons of Eli, a...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook._ THE EXAMPLE OF DAVID IN THE USE OF MEANS There is much in these particulars to furnish matter for profitable me...

  • The children's great texts of the Bible by James Hastings

    FIVE SMOOTH STONES He chose him five smooth stones out of the brook. 1 Samuel 17:40. I don't need to tell any of you the story of how David fought and conquered the giant Goliath. I expect you could...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 17:1 David has been chosen by the Lord, anointed as king privately, and has been serving in Saul’s court. Now, he defeats Goliath and, as a result, becomes publicly known. Da...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITITCAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES— 1 Samuel 17:1. “THE PHILISTINES GATHERED TOGETHER THEIR ARMIES.” Jamieson considers that this was twenty-seven years after their overthrow at Michmash. “SHOCHOH,” now _...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION 1 SAMUEL 17:20-9 HE CAME TO THE TRENCH. More probably the barricade, or outer circle of defence for their camp, made of their wagons (see on 1 Samuel 10:22). Strictly the word means a _wag...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Shall we turn in our Bibles to the seventeenth chapter of first Samuel? In the seventeenth chapter of first Samuel, we read where, The Philistines had gathered their armies together [against the child...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 1:27; Judges 15:15; Judges 15:16; Judges 20:16; Ju

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Staff — His shepherd's staff. These arms in themselves were contemptible, yet chosen by David; because he had no skill to use other arms; because he had inward assurance of the victory, even by these...

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