1 Samuel 17:26 Meaning and Explanation
“And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →David asks about the reward and indignantly calls Goliath one who defies the armies of the living God.
What Does 1 Samuel 17:26 Mean?
David questions the men around him, asking what the victor will receive and how the reproach may be taken from Israel. Then his deeper concern bursts out: who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?
Here David's heart is revealed. Others see an unbeatable warrior; David sees a man insulting the living God, and that he cannot abide. He names the Philistine an outsider to the covenant and Israel as God's own. Faith reframes the whole contest: it is not David against Goliath, but Goliath against the Lord, and that changes everything.
1 Samuel 17:26 in the Original Language
chay (חַי), 'living' -- the LORD is the living God, set against lifeless idols, whose reality makes the giant's defiance folly.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Samuel 17:26
What does 1 Samuel 17:26 mean?
David asks about the reward and indignantly calls Goliath one who defies the armies of the living God.