1 Samuel 17:39

Contextual Overview

³¹What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him. ³¹ What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him. ³¹Then the words which David spoke were heard. And they told them to Saul, and he sent for him. ³¹ When the words which David spoke were heard, they told them to Saul, and he sent for him. ³¹ And they that heard the wordes which Dauid spake, rehearsed them before Saul, which caused him to be fet. ³¹ Some men heard David talking. They took David to Saul and told him what David had said. ³¹ And the words which David had spoken were heard. And they were told before Saul, and he received him. ³¹ When the words which David spoke were heard, they repeated them before Saul; and he sent for him. ³¹ When the words were heard which David spoke, they rehearsed them before Saul; and he sent for him. ³¹ And when the words were heard which Dauid spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

put them off: Hosea 1:7, Zechariah 4:6, 2 Corinthians 10:4, 2 Corinthians 10:5

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 17:31 - sent for him 1 Samuel 17:50 - but there was Ephesians 5:10 - Proving

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And David girded his, sword upon his armour,.... Which Saul also perhaps furnished him with:

and he assayed to go; made an attempt, and had a mind to go thus accoutred; he at first showed an inclination to go in such an habit, but afterwards would not:

for he had not proved [it]; as warriors were wont to do; so Achilles did i; he never made trial of such armour before, he had not been used to it, and knew not how to behave in it, or walk with it on him; it was an encumbrance to him: Abarbinel renders it, "but he had not proved [it]"; he would have gone with it but for that reason; the Targum is,

"because there was no miracle in them;''

because if he had made use of this, there would have been no appearance of a miracle in getting the victory over the Philistine, as was by using only a sling and stones:

and David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these, for I have not proved [them]; he thought fit to acquaint Saul with it that he could not go thus accoutred, and his reason for it, lest he should be offended with him:

and David put them off him; took off the helmet from his head, ungirt the sword upon his armour, and stripped himself of his coat of mail, and went forth entirely unarmed.

i Homer. Iliad. 19. ver. 384, 385. so Theocrit. Idyll. 10. ver. 61.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 39. I cannot go with these — In ancient times it required considerable exercise and training to make a man expert in the use of such heavy armour; armour which in the present day scarcely a man is to be found who is able to carry; and so it must have been then, until that practice which arises from frequent use had made the proprietor perfect. I have not proved them says David: I am wholly unaccustomed to such armour and it would be an encumbrance to me.