{"id":58018,"date":"2018-07-09T17:43:27","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T14:43:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-249\/"},"modified":"2023-01-18T08:09:02","modified_gmt":"2023-01-18T06:09:02","slug":"wall-249","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-249\/","title":{"rendered":"chapter-Prophets-I Samuel-17"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"chapter","wall_id":"249","date":"20260812","book":"I Samuel","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"249","books_group":"Prophets","hide_acf":true,"home_image":false,"home_posts":false,"home_posts_title":"","posts_home":[],"posts":[{"order":1,"id":"57838","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"1","name":"I Samuel Chapter 17 - Read by Jonathan Roumie ","post_title":"I Samuel Chapter 17 - Read by Jonathan Roumie","slug":"i-samuel-chapter-17-read-by-jonathan-roumie","old_id":"57838","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34686,"post_title":"Soundcloud","slug":"soundcloud","old_id":"34686","first_name":"","last_name":"","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34656,"alt":"","title":"491","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","width":300,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium_large-width":300,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","large-width":300,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","1536x1536-width":300,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","2048x2048-width":300,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","post_full_size-width":300,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","home_baner-width":300,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"249","type_929":"4","show_author_image":true,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"JPS Audio Bible","tile_main_caption":"I Samuel 17","tile_main_caption_size":"2","tile_sub_caption":"read by Jonathan Roumie","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/929-bible\/JPS_Audio_Bible_I_Samuel_Chapter_17_read_by_Jonathan_Roumie","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"I Samuel","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"249","date":"20260812","wall_id":"249"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"111720","color":"#f6edf6","size":"2","name":"When David Slew Goliath ","post_title":"When David Slew Goliath","slug":"when-david-slew-goliath","old_id":"111720","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":78133,"post_title":"Josh Blechner","slug":"josh-blechner","old_id":"78133","first_name":"Josh ","last_name":"Blechner ","description":"Josh first finished the Tanach during Yeshiva in Mevaseret Zion. He and his daughter studied the Tanach again for her bat mitzvah. Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group. When not studying for 929, Josh works as an in-house lawyer in New Jersey.","short_description":"Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group, and is an in-house attorney in New Jersey. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":78134,"alt":"","title":"josh blechner","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","width":276,"height":351,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-236x300.jpg","medium-width":236,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","medium_large-width":276,"medium_large-height":351,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","large-width":276,"large-height":351,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","1536x1536-width":276,"1536x1536-height":351,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","2048x2048-width":276,"2048x2048-height":351,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","post_full_size-width":276,"post_full_size-height":351,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","home_baner-width":276,"home_baner-height":351}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"249","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"A metaphor is born. What does Caravaggio do with it?\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

David defeats Goliath. The weak defeats the strong. The upstart team defeats the number one seed. The ragtag army defeats a superpower. The story of chapter 17 is one of the most retold, repackaged, repurposed stories in Tanach. It is no surprise that this encounter has been depicted many times in famous works of art. The upstart Goliath is often depicted as a giant man, with heavy armor, and a large spear or sword. David is a young child with only a tunic or fabric clothes on him.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

An example of artwork that depicts the scene later in the story is Caravaggio\u2019s David and Goliath. Caravaggio depicts the aftermath of the battle. This painting shows a youthful David leaning over the defeated Goliath. Goliath is missing his helmet, and has the mark of the stone wound on his forehead.\u00a0 David seems to be using his slingshot to sever Goliath\u2019s head. Notice how Caravaggio flips the script on size. Goliath, the menacing giant is laying on the ground with most of his body hidden by shadow. David looms large over him, kneeling on his back. David is also almost entirely bathed in light symbolic of God\u2019s divine light shining on David. Goliath is disappearing into the dark shadows whence he came. David also is using the string from his slingshot to sever Goliath\u2019s head. This is different from the text:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

David ran up and stood over the Philistine, grasped his sword and pulled it from its sheath; and with it he dispatched him and cut off his head (verse 51).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Why would Caravaggio change this fact of the story? Perhaps he was trying to emphasize the victory of David over Goliath with a simple string. Other paintings depict David in a strong stance standing over Goliath holding Goliath\u2019s sword. Those images make David look menacing and strong. Caravaggio\u2019s David is still the simple shepherd\u2019s boy who has to work with a rope to cut off Goliath\u2019s head. We do not get to see David\u2019s expression. It looks like he is focused on the task. Goliath\u2019s face is frozen in surprise. These expressions reflect the battle that was waged: David unafraid and focused on defending God, and Goliath in shock that a shepherd\u2019s boy could defeat him.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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He is the author of TANAKH: An Owner\u2019s Manual (Jerusalem: Urim\/Ktav, 2015).\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34244,"alt":"","title":"sokolow","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","width":302,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-300x298.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":298,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","medium_large-width":302,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","large-width":302,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","1536x1536-width":302,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","2048x2048-width":302,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","post_full_size-width":302,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","home_baner-width":302,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"249","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"We picture him as a small, callow youth, but he was probably a strapping man already","post_main_content_content":"

While the one-on-one combat between David and Goliath\u2014featured in this chapter\u2014is known well-nigh universally, some of its lesser known features are well worth a second look.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Let us begin with the inconsistency between David\u2019s introduction to Saul as a musician, reported in the previous chapter (16:18 ff.), and his appearance in this chapter as a prospective champion (31 ff.). After his victory, Saul turned to his Chief of Staff, Abner ben Ner, and asked \u201cWho is this young man\u2019s father?\u201d to which Abner replied: \u201cI honestly don\u2019t know\u201d (55), forcing Saul to ask David directly (58). While it is true that Saul was reported (in chapter 16) to undergo mood swings\u2014and we will see his attitude towards David changing as well\u2014how could he have failed to recognize his favorite lute player?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Even more striking, perhaps, is the common misapprehension regarding David\u2019s age and physical stature at the time of his encounter with Goliath. Rather than a callow youth of relatively diminutive stature, there is textual evidence that he was above average height and in his late twenties. Let us go to the verses:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And Saul clad David with his apparel, put a helmet of brass upon his head, and clad him with a coat of mail. And David girded his sword upon his apparel and tried (<\/span>vayo\u2019el<\/span><\/em>) to go [but could not], for he had not tried it (<\/span>ki lo nissah<\/span><\/em>). And David said to Saul: \u201cI cannot go with these, for I have not tried them.\u201d And David removed them. (38-39)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Simply put, Saul tried to give David the advantage of a suit of armor, but David, who was not an experienced soldier, found that it restricted his movements, so he removed it. But it is not all that simple. Recall that Saul was \u201chead and shoulders above all the people\u201d (9:2), implying that if he thought David could wear his armor then David had to be of a comparable size. Recall, as well, that Saul reigned for only two years (13:1); since David was 30 years old when he ascended the throne (2 Samuel 5:4), he had to have been about 28 or 29 years old when he fought Goliath.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Indeed, Radak rejected the simple reading of the text, \u201cfor I have not tried them,\u201d favoring \u201cfor it would be no miracle\u201d (<\/span>nissah=nes<\/span><\/em>), explaining that if David had fought while dressed and armed as a regular soldier, it would have diminished the miraculous nature of his victory.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Michelangelo, David, c. 1501\u20131504, Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence, Italy \/ wikipedia<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":58134,"alt":"","title":"isam17-David_by_Michelangelo","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-David_by_Michelangelo.jpg","width":250,"height":375,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-David_by_Michelangelo-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-David_by_Michelangelo-200x300.jpg","medium-width":200,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-David_by_Michelangelo.jpg","medium_large-width":250,"medium_large-height":375,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-David_by_Michelangelo.jpg","large-width":250,"large-height":375,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-David_by_Michelangelo.jpg","1536x1536-width":250,"1536x1536-height":375,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-David_by_Michelangelo.jpg","2048x2048-width":250,"2048x2048-height":375,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-David_by_Michelangelo.jpg","post_full_size-width":250,"post_full_size-height":375,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-David_by_Michelangelo.jpg","home_baner-width":250,"home_baner-height":375}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"David I and David II","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"We picture him as a small, callow youth, but he was probably a strapping man already","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":58134,"alt":"","title":"isam17-David_by_Michelangelo","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-David_by_Michelangelo.jpg","width":250,"height":375,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-David_by_Michelangelo-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-David_by_Michelangelo-200x300.jpg","medium-width":200,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-David_by_Michelangelo.jpg","medium_large-width":250,"medium_large-height":375,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-David_by_Michelangelo.jpg","large-width":250,"large-height":375,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-David_by_Michelangelo.jpg","1536x1536-width":250,"1536x1536-height":375,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-David_by_Michelangelo.jpg","2048x2048-width":250,"2048x2048-height":375,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-David_by_Michelangelo.jpg","post_full_size-width":250,"post_full_size-height":375,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-David_by_Michelangelo.jpg","home_baner-width":250,"home_baner-height":375}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"I Samuel","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"249","date":"20260812","wall_id":"249"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"406","name":"Youth","old_id":"806"},{"term_id":"471","name":"Miracle","old_id":"871"},{"term_id":"834","name":"David","old_id":"1234"}]},{"order":4,"id":"58211","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Confused Language For A Confused King ","post_title":"Confused Language For A Confused King","slug":"confused-language-for-a-confused-king","old_id":"58211","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":56490,"post_title":"Gary Rendsburg","slug":"gary-rendsburg","old_id":"56490","first_name":"Gary ","last_name":"Rendsburg ","description":"Gary Rendsburg serves as the Blanche and Irving Laurie Professor of Jewish History in the Department of Jewish Studies at Rutgers University. His teaching and research focus on \u2018all things ancient Israel\u2019 \u2013 primarily language and literature, though also history and archaeology. His secondary interests include post-biblical Judaism, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the medieval Hebrew manuscript tradition. Rendsburg\u2019s most recent book is How the Bible Is Written (Hendrickson, 2019), with particular attention to the use of language to create literature.\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Gary Rendsburg serves as the Blanche and Irving Laurie Professor of Jewish History in the Department of Jewish Studies at Rutgers University.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":56491,"alt":"","title":"Gary_A_Rendsburg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Gary_A_Rendsburg.jpg","width":220,"height":314,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Gary_A_Rendsburg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Gary_A_Rendsburg-210x300.jpg","medium-width":210,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Gary_A_Rendsburg.jpg","medium_large-width":220,"medium_large-height":314,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Gary_A_Rendsburg.jpg","large-width":220,"large-height":314,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Gary_A_Rendsburg.jpg","1536x1536-width":220,"1536x1536-height":314,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Gary_A_Rendsburg.jpg","2048x2048-width":220,"2048x2048-height":314,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Gary_A_Rendsburg.jpg","post_full_size-width":220,"post_full_size-height":314,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Gary_A_Rendsburg.jpg","home_baner-width":220,"home_baner-height":314}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"249","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Saul\u2019s inadequacy and bafflement reflected in strange vocabulary and syntax","post_main_content_content":"

In a prior posting (see 1 Samuel 14<\/a>), I referred to the intentional use of confused language in Biblical Hebrew prose. Today\u2019s chapter affords us another opportunity to see this technique at work, though with much more at stake.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The standard verbal form in Biblical Hebrew prose is known as the <\/span>wayyiqtol<\/span><\/em> form. The most common example is <\/span>wayyo\u02bemer<\/span><\/em> \u2018and he said\u2019, as in, \u201cAnd the Lord said to Moses,\u201d repeated 66x in the Torah.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

When we reach 1 Sam 17:38, the narrative describes Saul\u2019s dressing David with his armor, so that he can battle Goliath in appropriate fashion: \u201cAnd Saul dressed David (with) his body-suit, and he put the bronze helmet on his head; and he dressed him (with) the breast-plate.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Of the three actions, the first and third are introduced with the word <\/span>wayyalbesh<\/span><\/em> \u2018and he\/Saul dressed\u2019, the expected verbal form. But the middle one departs from the grammatical norm, by using the verb <\/span>we<\/span>-natan<\/span><\/em> \u2018and he put\u2019. Every ancient listener to the story would have recognized the peculiarity here. One scholar has written that the verbal form \u201cis syntactically impossible,\u201d and thus he presumes an error in scribal transmission, the solution to which is textual emendation \u2013 a common practice by those blissfully ignorant of the adroitness of ancient Hebrew writers.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Now, anyone with even a basic knowledge of dressing in armor knows that the helmet is <\/span>always<\/span><\/em> donned last. Four times in the <\/span>Iliad<\/span><\/em>, Homer describes heroes preparing for battle; in each case the order is: greaves, corselet, shield, helmet. And while not armor, note that when Moses dresses Aaron with the priestly vestments in Lev 8:6-9, the last item donned is the headdress.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

From the Middle Ages we have the wonderful 15th-century<\/span> Ordonances of Chivalry manuscript<\/span><\/a> (held at the Morgan Library in New York), which includes a tract entitled \u201cHow a man schall be armyd.\u201d In great detail the author describes the manner of dressing, with the helmet affixed last.<\/span> In addition, there are numerous references to armor dressing in medieval literary compositions (e.g., <\/span>La Chanson de Roland<\/span><\/em>), and they consistently mention the helmet as the last item donned.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

One of the overall goals of the author of 1 Samuel, as many scholars have noted, is to show the inadequacy of Saul. The present passage should be understood as part of the portrayal. \u00a0Saul\u2019s bafflement at the presence of the shepherd boy David on the battlefield and his volunteering to fight Goliath has caused the king to become so flustered that he is unable even to dress another man properly.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The language of 1 Sam 17:38 parallels the scene, both through the order of the objects mentioned (with helmet not last) and by use of the \u201cincorrect\u201d verbal form <\/span>we-natan<\/em> <\/span>\u2018and he put\u2019. Poor Saul cannot even get the simplest action right, and the language reflects this. \u00a0Once again, we may marvel at the absolute brilliance of ancient Hebrew literature.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image: James Tissot, Saul Puts His Armor upon David<\/em>, c. 1900<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":58212,"alt":"","title":"isam17-tissot-armor","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-tissot-armor.jpg","width":473,"height":587,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-tissot-armor-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-tissot-armor-242x300.jpg","medium-width":242,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-tissot-armor.jpg","medium_large-width":473,"medium_large-height":587,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-tissot-armor.jpg","large-width":473,"large-height":587,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-tissot-armor.jpg","1536x1536-width":473,"1536x1536-height":587,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-tissot-armor.jpg","2048x2048-width":473,"2048x2048-height":587,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-tissot-armor.jpg","post_full_size-width":473,"post_full_size-height":587,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-tissot-armor-338x420.jpg","home_baner-width":338,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Confused Language For A Confused King","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Saul\u2019s inadequacy and bafflement reflected in strange vocabulary and syntax","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":58212,"alt":"","title":"isam17-tissot-armor","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-tissot-armor.jpg","width":473,"height":587,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-tissot-armor-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-tissot-armor-242x300.jpg","medium-width":242,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-tissot-armor.jpg","medium_large-width":473,"medium_large-height":587,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-tissot-armor.jpg","large-width":473,"large-height":587,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-tissot-armor.jpg","1536x1536-width":473,"1536x1536-height":587,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-tissot-armor.jpg","2048x2048-width":473,"2048x2048-height":587,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-tissot-armor.jpg","post_full_size-width":473,"post_full_size-height":587,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-tissot-armor-338x420.jpg","home_baner-width":338,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"I Samuel","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"249","date":"20260812","wall_id":"249"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"798","name":"language","old_id":"1198"},{"term_id":"834","name":"David","old_id":"1234"},{"term_id":"885","name":"Saul","old_id":"1285"}]},{"order":5,"id":"58214","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"The Unrecognizable David ","post_title":"The Unrecognizable David","slug":"the-unrecognizable-david","old_id":"58214","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":36277,"post_title":"Yedidya Sinclair","slug":"yedidya-sinclair","old_id":"36277","first_name":"Yedidya","last_name":"Sinclair","description":"Rabbi Yedidya Sinclair serves as Senior Rabbinic Scholar at Hazon, the leading US Jewish environmental organization. From 2011-16 he was Vice President for Research and Senior Economist at Energiya Global, a Jerusalem-based solar energy company focused on the developing world and he continues to consult on renewable energy and climate change preparedness. In 2014 he published together with Hazon, a translation of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook's great work on shmitta, the Sabbatical year, \"Introduction to Shabbat Ha'aretz.\" Yedidya holds a BA from Oxford University, an MPA from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and lives with his family in Jerusalem.","short_description":"Yedidya Sinclair is a Jerusalem-based rabbi and economist, and is Senior Rabbinic Scholar at Hazon. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":36278,"alt":"","title":"yedidya sinclair","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","width":200,"height":200,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","medium-width":200,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","medium_large-width":200,"medium_large-height":200,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","large-width":200,"large-height":200,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","1536x1536-width":200,"1536x1536-height":200,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","2048x2048-width":200,"2048x2048-height":200,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","post_full_size-width":200,"post_full_size-height":200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","home_baner-width":200,"home_baner-height":200}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"249","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"A stranger to his own inner world and intoxicated by power, Saul is blind to the greatness in David","post_main_content_content":"

The future King David has an interesting characteristic. People don\u2019t recognize him. They don\u2019t remember him nor realize who he is. His own father didn\u2019t even see fit to present David to Samuel along with his other seven sons when the prophet came looking for a new king; Jesse apparently saw nothing remarkable in his youngest son.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The most blatant, almost comical, example of this non-recognition comes at the end of today\u2019s chapter. After David has heroically slain the mighty Goliath, King Saul asks three times to know whose son David is. This seems strangely forgetful of Saul. For David had already spent many hours giving harp recitals to the king to calm the \u201cevil spirit\u201d that had lately come over Saul. One might think that they had discussed David\u2019s family background in these sessions. Moreover, when Saul asked for recommendations for a personal musician, one of his servants answered,<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cI have observed a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skilled in music; he is a brave fellow and a warrior, sensible in speech, and handsome in appearance, and the LORD is with him\u201d \u00a0(16:18).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

So David was first introduced to Saul as <\/span>the son of Jesse<\/span><\/em>. Not only that, but the king then sent a personal message to Jesse asking for his son to come into the royal service. So Saul\u2019s urgent, insistent requests at the end of our chapter to know David\u2019s parentage are bizarre. We know that Saul knows David and his family very well already.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

God sheds light on the non-recognition of David. When Samuel met Jesse\u2019s oldest son Eliav and mistakenly thought that he must be the intended king, God says, \u201cFor not as man sees [does the LORD see]; man sees only what is visible, but the LORD sees into the heart.\u201d The future king is distinguished not by his outer appearance, but by the inner qualities of heart and soul \u2013 his faith, courage and trust in God. In a degenerate time when politics is corrupt and religion has become a political tool, such inner qualities are imperceptible.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This helps explains why Saul of all people, who has lost his inner integrity doesn\u2019t seem to know who David is. Rashi explains Saul\u2019s questioning as a frantic effort to locate David on the political map; is he of the right lineage to be king? Is he therefore a threat to me? A stranger to his own inner world and intoxicated by power, Saul is blind to the greatness in David which is precisely what makes David his nemesis and successor. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":58215,"alt":"","title":"isam17-unrecognizable","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-unrecognizable.png","width":935,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-unrecognizable-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-unrecognizable-219x300.png","medium-width":219,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-unrecognizable-748x1024.png","medium_large-width":748,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-unrecognizable-748x1024.png","large-width":748,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-unrecognizable.png","1536x1536-width":935,"1536x1536-height":1280,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-unrecognizable.png","2048x2048-width":935,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-unrecognizable-877x1200.png","post_full_size-width":877,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-unrecognizable-307x420.png","home_baner-width":307,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"The Unrecognizable David","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"A stranger to his own inner world and intoxicated by power, Saul is blind to the greatness in 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","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":35832,"alt":"","title":"Ruth Fogelman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman-.jpg","width":969,"height":973,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman--150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman--300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman--768x771.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":771,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman-.jpg","large-width":969,"large-height":973,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman-.jpg","1536x1536-width":969,"1536x1536-height":973,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman-.jpg","2048x2048-width":969,"2048x2048-height":973,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman-.jpg","post_full_size-width":969,"post_full_size-height":973,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Ruth-Fogelman--418x420.jpg","home_baner-width":418,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"249","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"\u201c\u2026and it shall be, that the man who kills [Goliath], the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter\u2026 And Saul took [David] that day and did not permit him to return to his father\u2019s home.\u201d Samuel I 17:25, 18:2","post_main_content_content":"

If only I could refuse this reward<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>for slaying a Philistine brute,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>hairy-headed as the lion I killed,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>less majestic than the bear. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

With no more choice than water in the stream,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>I must now stay in the palace,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>marry a girl I do not love, have never seen,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>but who can refuse the king? <\/span><\/p>\r\n

I need neither award nor acclaim,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>but wish to return with my flute and harp<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>to tend my father\u2019s sheep.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

This poem appears in Ruth Fogelman\u2019s book, <\/span>Leaving the Garden<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n

Image: William Dyce, \u201cDavid in the Wlderness,\u201d c. 1860, National Galleries Scotland \/ cc<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":58205,"alt":"","title":"isam17-dyce-david","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-dyce-david.jpg","width":962,"height":580,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-dyce-david-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-dyce-david-300x181.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":181,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-dyce-david-768x463.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":463,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-dyce-david.jpg","large-width":962,"large-height":580,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-dyce-david.jpg","1536x1536-width":962,"1536x1536-height":580,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-dyce-david.jpg","2048x2048-width":962,"2048x2048-height":580,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-dyce-david.jpg","post_full_size-width":962,"post_full_size-height":580,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-dyce-david-697x420.jpg","home_baner-width":697,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"929 Poetry Corner","tile_main_caption":"David, After Killing Goliath","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"I need neither award nor acclaim \/ but wish to return to tend my father\u2019s sheep","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":58205,"alt":"","title":"isam17-dyce-david","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-dyce-david.jpg","width":962,"height":580,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-dyce-david-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-dyce-david-300x181.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":181,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-dyce-david-768x463.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":463,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-dyce-david.jpg","large-width":962,"large-height":580,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-dyce-david.jpg","1536x1536-width":962,"1536x1536-height":580,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-dyce-david.jpg","2048x2048-width":962,"2048x2048-height":580,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-dyce-david.jpg","post_full_size-width":962,"post_full_size-height":580,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-dyce-david-697x420.jpg","home_baner-width":697,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"I Samuel","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"249","date":"20260812","wall_id":"249"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"362","name":"Poetry","old_id":"762"},{"term_id":"643","name":"Humility","old_id":"1043"},{"term_id":"834","name":"David","old_id":"1234"}]},{"order":8,"id":"58136","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"David\u2019s Slingshot ","post_title":"David\u2019s Slingshot","slug":"davids-slingshot","old_id":"58136","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":36669,"post_title":"Yakov Azriel","slug":"yakov-azriel","old_id":"36669","first_name":"Yakov ","last_name":"Azriel","description":"Yakov Azriel, who lives in Israel, has published five books of poetry in the USA and hundreds of poems in journals and magazines. 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Lend us your slingshot, David,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Your slingshot and five smooth stones,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>The stones against Goliath. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Our enemies are many, David,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>Our enemies are now approaching<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>With javelins, spears, daggers, clubs.<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>They seek to slay our brothers,<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>One by one;<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>They seek to seize our children<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>And dash their heads against the rock;<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>They seek to take our sisters<\/span>
\r\n<\/span>And \u2014 <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Lend us your slingshot, David,<\/span>
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And David would go back and forth from Saul\u2019s side to tend his father\u2019s flock in Bethlehem (17:15) <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Commentary: <\/span>And David would go back and forth from Saul\u2019s side<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n

The last phrase has a sense close to \u201cfrom Saul\u2019s presence\u201d and is a stratagem for harmonizing the two episodes [of David\u2019s introduction in the previous chapter, and his re-introduction here-ed.]. It invites us to suppose that David divided his time between playing the lyre for Saul and tending his father\u2019s flocks. The implicit assumption, however, of the story that unfolds is that David is unknown to the court of Saul, and that any to-and-fro movement between Bethlehem and the front would be to bring provisions to his older brothers.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

From: Robert Alter, <\/span>The Hebrew Bible<\/span><\/em>, <\/span><\/i>vol. 2: Prophets, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019, ad loc. By permission of the author 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This sling stone was found at the site of Khirbet Qeiyafa, which overlooks the Elah Valley where the action of 1 Samuel 17 unfolds. According to the biblical story, David prevailed over the Philistine champion Goliath with a single stone. The sling was a popular weapon in the ancient Middle East, and illustrations from Assyrian palaces show that the sling stones, which could be as large as an adult\u2019s fist, were launched using a non-elastic braided cord that was swung in an arc over the warrior\u2019s head before the stone was released.<\/p>\r\n

image: courtesy of George Blumenthal<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":61108,"alt":"","title":"1Samuel17_shot","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1Samuel17_shot.png","width":545,"height":520,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1Samuel17_shot-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1Samuel17_shot-300x286.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":286,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1Samuel17_shot.png","medium_large-width":545,"medium_large-height":520,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1Samuel17_shot.png","large-width":545,"large-height":520,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1Samuel17_shot.png","1536x1536-width":545,"1536x1536-height":520,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1Samuel17_shot.png","2048x2048-width":545,"2048x2048-height":520,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1Samuel17_shot.png","post_full_size-width":545,"post_full_size-height":520,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1Samuel17_shot-440x420.png","home_baner-width":440,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"From the Elah Valley","tile_main_caption":"Sling Stone","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"From the collection of George Blumenthal","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":61108,"alt":"","title":"1Samuel17_shot","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1Samuel17_shot.png","width":545,"height":520,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1Samuel17_shot-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1Samuel17_shot-300x286.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":286,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1Samuel17_shot.png","medium_large-width":545,"medium_large-height":520,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1Samuel17_shot.png","large-width":545,"large-height":520,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1Samuel17_shot.png","1536x1536-width":545,"1536x1536-height":520,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1Samuel17_shot.png","2048x2048-width":545,"2048x2048-height":520,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1Samuel17_shot.png","post_full_size-width":545,"post_full_size-height":520,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1Samuel17_shot-440x420.png","home_baner-width":440,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"I Samuel","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"249","date":"20260812","wall_id":"249"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"555","name":"Archaeology","old_id":"955"}]},{"order":12,"id":"58200","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"2","name":"Israel and the Philistines ","post_title":"Israel And The Philistines","slug":"israel-and-the-philistines","old_id":"58200","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":56634,"post_title":"Michal Nachmany","slug":"michal-nachmany","old_id":"56634","first_name":"Michal ","last_name":"Nachmany ","description":"Michal Nachmany (b. 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Mixed-media work by Michal Nachmany, courtesy of the artist<\/p>\r\n

Michal dedicates her work in memory to her father Shamai Zweigreich z\u201dl \u00a0and her grandfather \u00a0Yisrael Zweigreich z\u201dl, who loved studying Bible and Talmud.<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":58201,"alt":"","title":"isam17","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17.jpg","width":1024,"height":1014,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-300x297.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":297,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-768x761.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":761,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-1024x1014.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":1014,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17.jpg","1536x1536-width":1024,"1536x1536-height":1014,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17.jpg","2048x2048-width":1024,"2048x2048-height":1014,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17.jpg","post_full_size-width":1024,"post_full_size-height":1014,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-424x420.jpg","home_baner-width":424,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"I Sam 17:21","tile_main_caption":"Israel And The Philistines ","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"For Israel and the Philistines were drawn up army against army","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":58201,"alt":"","title":"isam17","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17.jpg","width":1024,"height":1014,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-300x297.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":297,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-768x761.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":761,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-1024x1014.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":1014,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17.jpg","1536x1536-width":1024,"1536x1536-height":1014,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17.jpg","2048x2048-width":1024,"2048x2048-height":1014,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17.jpg","post_full_size-width":1024,"post_full_size-height":1014,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/isam17-424x420.jpg","home_baner-width":424,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"I Samuel","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"249","date":"20260812","wall_id":"249"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"369","name":"Visual Arts","old_id":"769"}]},{"order":13,"id":"57791","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"A Lesson on the Daily Chapter- I Samuel 17 ","post_title":"A Lesson on the Daily Chapter- I Samuel 17","slug":"a-lesson-on-the-daily-chapter-i-samuel-17","old_id":"57791","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":40936,"post_title":"David Silber","slug":"david-silber-2","old_id":"40936","first_name":"David ","last_name":"Silber ","description":"Rabbi David Silber is the Founder and Dean of Drisha Institute for Jewish Education. 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\u201cThey Might Be Giants\u201d<\/span><\/a> by Dan Epstein: Explore giants in the Bible. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cThe Lord is My \u2018Shepherd?\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/a> by Rabbi David Segal: What does it mean for God to be a shepherd? <\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"Go deeper into the chapter....","tile_main_caption":"Sefaria Source Sheets - I Samuel 17","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Click to get links to learning resources","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":42232,"alt":"","title":"sefaria-words-sunburst","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","width":608,"height":395,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst-300x195.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":195,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","medium_large-width":608,"medium_large-height":395,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","large-width":608,"large-height":395,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","1536x1536-width":608,"1536x1536-height":395,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","2048x2048-width":608,"2048x2048-height":395,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","post_full_size-width":608,"post_full_size-height":395,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","home_baner-width":608,"home_baner-height":395}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"Sefaria word sunburst visualization","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"I Samuel","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"249","date":"20260812","wall_id":"249"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":15,"id":"58105","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Points to Ponder - I Samuel 17 ","post_title":"Points to Ponder - I Samuel 17","slug":"points-to-ponder-i-samuel-17","old_id":"58105","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":38102,"post_title":"929-English","slug":"929-english","old_id":"38102","first_name":"","last_name":"929-English","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":38333,"alt":"","title":"\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","width":1513,"height":860,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-300x171.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":171,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-768x437.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":437,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1024x582.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":582,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","1536x1536-width":1513,"1536x1536-height":860,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","2048x2048-width":1513,"2048x2048-height":860,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1200x682.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":682,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-739x420.png","home_baner-width":739,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"249","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

    \r\n\t
  1. Good questions<\/span><\/i>! Many questions arise when one reads the story as a continuous narrative. Where does David come from - from Bethlehem and the family\u2019s flocks, or from his appointment at Saul\u2019s court? Where is Saul - at the battlefield? In the royal residence? In (Jebusite) Jerusalem? Does Saul know him from the previous chapter? From the meeting before going out to do battle, or for the first time when he comes back with Goliath\u2019s head? Potential answers can be found in what commentators have to say, as well as what academic researchers say, and there are even slightly different accounts in different versions of the Tanakh.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  2. Family tensions<\/span><\/i>. David is sent by his father to ask about his brothers. But the judging by the brothers\u2019 response - they are none too happy to see him: \u201cWhy did you come down here, and with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your impudence and your impertinence: you came down to watch the fighting!\u201d (verse 28). If this tension reminds you of a different cold welcome from older brothers receiving a younger brother sent by their father to check up on them - well, you\u2019re right!<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  3. Back to the wardrobe<\/span><\/i>. To the wardrobe of symbolic garments in the Book of Samuel, we must add here Saul\u2019s armor. In verse 38, Saul tries to dress David in his armor to prepare him for battle. And in doing so he unwittingly supplies the reader a perfect symbolic image of the transfer of the crown and the dynasty from him to the lad.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  4. Next year in Jerusalem<\/i>! Actually it will take a few years, and 37 chapters, when David captures the Jebusite city and make it his capital (2Sam 2). Right now, it is still a run of the mill Jebusite town, so it is rather strange that David takes Goliath severed head there.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>","post_main_content_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"I Samuel 17","tile_main_caption":"Points to Ponder","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Insights and questions for personal reflection and group discussion","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"I Samuel","chapter":"17","chapter_main_number":"249","date":"20260812","wall_id":"249"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false}],"static_cube_title":"","static_cube_brief":"","static_cube_color":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall\/58018"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/wall"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58018"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}