And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.
Parallel translations
- WEB David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”
- BSB And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail on account of this Philistine. Your servant will go and fight him!”
- NKJV Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”
- NASB And David said to Saul, “May no one’s heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight this Philistine!”
- NLT “Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David urges Saul not to lose heart and volunteers to fight Goliath himself. His confidence rests not in his own strength but in God.
Overview
David steps forward where the whole army has failed, offering himself as God's servant to fight the Philistine. His exhortation, Let no man's heart fail, rebukes the prevailing fear with calm faith. This bold volunteering anticipates the greater Son of David, who alone steps forward to face the enemy of His people when no one else can.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Deut 20:1–3When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
- 1 Sam 16:18Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.
- Ps 3:6I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.
- Isa 35:4Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
- Num 14:9Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.
- Ps 27:1–3The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
- Heb 12:12Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
- 1 Sam 14:6And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.
- Num 13:30And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
- Josh 14:12Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 17:32 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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