1 Samuel 17:34

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

lamb: or, kid

Reciprocal: Genesis 31:39 - torn of Judges 14:6 - rent him 1 Samuel 16:19 - with the sheep 2 Samuel 17:8 - mighty men 2 Samuel 23:20 - slew a lion 1 Chronicles 11:22 - slew a Psalms 143:5 - remember Ezekiel 34:12 - As a shepherd seeketh out Amos 3:12 - As the Zechariah 9:7 - I will Zechariah 11:16 - neither Luke 2:8 - abiding John 10:11 - giveth Romans 5:4 - and experience Revelation 13:2 - and his feet

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And David said unto Saul,.... In answer to his objection of inability to encounter with one so superior to him; and this answer is founded on experience and facts, and shows that he was not so weak and inexpert as Saul took him to be:

thy servant kept his father's sheep; which he was not ashamed to own, and especially as it furnished him with an stance of his courage, bravery, and success, and which would be convincing to Saul:

and there came a lion and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock; not that they came together; though Kimchi so interprets it, "a lion with a bear"; but these are creatures that do not use to go together; and besides, both could not be said with propriety to take one and the same lamb out of the flock: to which may be added, that David in 1 Samuel 17:35 speaks only of one, out of whose mouth he took the lamb; wherefore the words may be rendered, "a lion or a bear" f; and if the copulative "and" is retained, the meaning can only be, that at different times they would come and take a lamb, a lion at one time, and a bear at another.

f הארי ואת הדוב "leo vel ursus", V. L. "leo aut ursus", Junius & Tremellius, Bochart. Noldius, p. 271.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The narrative does not make it certain whether the lion and the bear came on one and the same, or on two different occasions. If it was on one occasion, the probability would be that the bear, having seized a lamb and carrying it off, a lion appeared to dispute the prize with the bear, or with David after he had taken it from the bear, and that David killed first one and then the other.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 17:34. Thy servant kept his father's sheep — He found it necessary to give Saul the reasons why he undertook this combat; and why he expected to be victorious.

1. I have courage to undertake it, and strength to perform it.

2. Both have been tried in a very signal manner:

(1.) A lion came upon my flock, and seized a lamb; I ran after him, he attacked me, I seized hold of him by his shaggy locks, smote and slew him, and delivered the lamb.

(2.) A bear came in the same way, and I attacked and slew him.

3. This, with whom I am to fight, is a Philistine, an uncircumcised man; one who is an enemy to God: God therefore will not be on his side. On that ground I have nothing to fear.

4. He has defied the armies of the Lord; and has in effect defied Jehovah himself: therefore the battle is the Lord's, and he will stand by me.

5. I have perfect confidence in his protection and defense; for they that trust in him shall never be confounded.

6. I conclude, therefore, that the Lord, who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, will deliver me out of the hand of the Philistine.