When the Philistine looked around, and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and had a good looking face.
Parallel translations
- KJV And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.
- BSB When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him because he was just a boy, ruddy and handsome.
- NKJV And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking.
- NASB When the Philistine looked and saw David, he was contemptuous of him; for he was only a youth, and reddish, with a handsome appearance.
- NLT sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy.
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
Goliath looks David over and despises him as a mere ruddy youth. His contempt reflects the pride that judges only by appearance.
Overview
The giant disdains David upon seeing his youth and handsome, unwarlike appearance. Goliath's scorn embodies the arrogance of those who measure strength by outward sight. His underestimation will prove fatal, illustrating that God delights to overturn the proud and to save through those the world despises.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 1 Sam 16:12He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with a handsome face and good appearance. Yahweh said, “Arise! Anoint him, for this is he.”
- 1 Sam 17:33Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”
- Ps 123:3–4Have mercy on us, Yahweh, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt.
- Prov 16:18Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
- 2 Cor 11:27–29in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.
- 2 Kgs 18:23–24Now therefore, please give pledges to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them.
- Neh 4:2–4He spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, since they are burned?”
- 1 Kgs 20:18He said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive.”
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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 17:42 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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