1 Samuel 17:42
in 1 Samuel 17When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him because he was just a boy, ruddy and handsome.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and withal of a fair countenance.
KJV
And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 17
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 11 -- On Abstinence · Written before 523.
And it is also the custom of brave warriors when they see feeble men coming against them to fight to despise them, and to have them in contempt, and to laugh at their advance, even as it is written concerning that blasphemous giant whose boast …
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
And when the Philistine had looked and saw David, etc. And when the devil had very shrewdly looked and saw the Son of God in the world doing and teaching things contrary to him, as if proceeding against him, since he found him humble, he, …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him,....
He looked about, expecting to meet some tall strong man, but, when he saw what a mean figure he made with whom he was to engage, he disdained him, thought it below him to enter the lists with him, fearing that the contemptibleness of the champion he contended with would lessen the glory of his victory.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
He disdained him - He held him in contempt; he saw that he was young, and from his ruddy complexion supposed him to be effeminate.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
This kind of abusive dialogue is common among the Arab combatants still. David's speech, however, presents a striking contrast to the usual strain of these invectives. It was full of pious trust, and to God he ascribed all the glory of the triumph he anticipated.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּבֵּ֧ט | vaiyabet | and he looked | H5027 → | 69 times |
| הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֛י | hapelishti | the Philistine | H6430 → | 287 times |
| וַיִּרְאֶ֥ה | vaiyireh | and he saw | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| דָּוִ֖ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| וַיִּבְזֵ֑הוּ | vaiyivzehu | and he despised him | H959 → | 44 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הָיָ֣ה | hayah | he was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| נַ֔עַר | naar | a youth | H5288 → | 239 times |
| וְאַדְמֹנִ֖י | veadmoni | and red | H132 → | |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| יְפֵ֥ה | yepeh | handsome of | H3303 → | 42 times |
| מַרְאֶֽה׃ | mareh | appearance | H4758 → |
וַיַּבֵּ֧טand he looked
vaiyabetH5027 →69 times
הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֛יthe Philistine
hapelishtiH6430 →287 times
וַיִּרְאֶ֥הand he saw
vaiyirehH7200 →1300 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
דָּוִ֖דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
וַיִּבְזֵ֑הוּand he despised him
vaiyivzehuH959 →44 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
הָיָ֣הhe was
hayahH1961 →3559 times
נַ֔עַרa youth
naarH5288 →239 times
וְאַדְמֹנִ֖יand red
veadmoniH132 →
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
יְפֵ֥הhandsome of
yepehH3303 →42 times
מַרְאֶֽה׃appearance
marehH4758 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 16:18Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
it leads to
- Proverbs 11:2
When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom.
- Isaiah 2:11–12
The proud look of man will be humbled, and the loftiness of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
- Proverbs 18:12
Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.
- Obadiah 1:3–4
The pride of your heart has deceived you, O dwellers in the clefts of the rocks whose habitation is the heights, who say in your heart, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’
- Proverbs 29:23
A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.
- Proverbs 11:2
Through
1 Samuel 17:33But Saul replied, “You cannot go out against this Philistine to fight him. You are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”
it leads to
- Numbers 13:31
But the men who had gone up with him replied, “We cannot go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are!”
- Numbers 13:31
Through
1 Samuel 16:12So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”
it leads to
- Lamentations 4:7
Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires.
- Song of Solomon 5:10
My beloved is dazzling and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand.
- Lamentations 4:7
Where this verse is studied
About 1 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 11 -- On Abstinence.