1 Samuel 17:46 Meaning and Explanation
“This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →David foretells Goliath's defeat so that all the earth may know there is a God in Israel.
What Does 1 Samuel 17:46 Mean?
David turns the giant's threat back upon him with bold certainty: this day the LORD will deliver you into my hand. He foretells Goliath's death and the rout of the Philistines, but names a purpose far larger than victory, that all the earth may know there is a God in Israel.
David's aim is not personal glory but the glory of God made known to the nations. The battle is a stage on which the Lord will display His reality to a watching world. So God's deliverances always point beyond themselves, that His name might be honored and that all the earth might come to know Him as the one true and living God.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Samuel 17:46
What does 1 Samuel 17:46 mean?
David foretells Goliath's defeat so that all the earth may know there is a God in Israel.