David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
Parallel translations
- WEB Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin; but I come to you in the name of Yahweh of Armies, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
- KJV Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
- BSB But David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
- NKJV Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
- NASB But David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a saber, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of armies, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
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 answers that he comes not with weapons but in the name of the Lord of Armies whom Goliath has defied. He frames the battle as the Lord's cause, fought in God's name.
Overview
David's reply contrasts Goliath's sword, spear, and javelin with the all-sufficient name of Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel's armies. He fights not in his own strength but as God's representative against one who has blasphemed Him. This confession that victory belongs to the Lord whose name is defied is the heart of biblical faith, and it anticipates the triumph of the One who conquers in His Father's name.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- 2 Cor 10:4for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds,
- 2 Chr 32:8An arm of flesh is with him, but Yahweh our God is with us to help us and to fight our battles.” The people rested themselves on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
- 2 Cor 3:5not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;
- Phil 4:13I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
- Ps 18:2Yahweh is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.
- Ps 124:8Our help is in Yahweh’s name, who made heaven and earth.
- 2 Sam 22:33–35God is my strong fortress. He makes my way perfect.
- 1 Sam 17:36Your servant struck both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.”
- Ps 20:5–7We will triumph in your salvation. In the name of our God, we will set up our banners. May Yahweh grant all your requests.
- Isa 37:23Whom have you defied and blasphemed? Against whom have you exalted your voice and lifted up your eyes on high? Against the Holy One of Israel.
- 1 Sam 17:10The Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel today! Give me a man, that we may fight together!”
- Ps 118:10–11All the nations surrounded me, but in Yahweh’s name, I cut them off.
- Ps 3:8Salvation belongs to Yahweh. Your blessing be on your people. Selah.
- Heb 11:32–34What more shall I say? For the time would fail me if I told of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets;
- Ps 44:6For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.
- Prov 18:10Yahweh’s name is a strong tower: the righteous run to him, and are safe.
- 1 Sam 17:26David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done to the man who kills this Philistine, and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
- Isa 37:28But I know your sitting down, your going out, your coming in, and your raging against me.
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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 17:45 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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