The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” The Philistine cursed David by his gods.
Parallel translations
- KJV And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
- BSB “Am I a dog,” he said to David, “that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
- NKJV So the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
- NASB So the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
- NLT “Am I a dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods.
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, insulted by David's simple staff, curses him by his gods. His reliance on idols stands against David's trust in the living God.
Overview
The Philistine takes offense at facing what he sees as mere sticks and invokes his false gods to curse David. His words frame the confrontation as a clash between the dead idols of the nations and the living God of Israel. The outcome will vindicate Yahweh alone, demonstrating the powerlessness of idols before the true God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- 2 Sam 9:8He bowed down, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look at such a dead dog as I am?”
- 2 Sam 3:8Then Abner was very angry about Ishbosheth’s words, and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to Saul’s house your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman!
- 1 Sam 24:14Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea?
- Gen 27:29Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers. Let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you. Blessed be everyone who blesses you.”
- Prov 26:2Like a fluttering sparrow, like a darting swallow, so the undeserved curse doesn’t come to rest.
- 2 Kgs 8:13Hazael said, “But what is your servant, who is but a dog, that he could do this great thing?” Elisha answered, “Yahweh has shown me that you will be king over Syria.”
- 2 Sam 16:9Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head.”
- Num 22:6Please come now therefore curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall prevail, that we may strike them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”
- Judg 9:27They went out into the field, harvested their vineyards, trod the grapes, held festival, and went into the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech.
- Num 22:11–12‘Behold, the people that has come out of Egypt covers the surface of the earth. Now, come curse me them. Perhaps I shall be able to fight against them, and shall drive them out.’”
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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 17:43 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.