SEV Biblia, Chapter 17:40
¶ tomó su cayado en su mano, y se tomó cinco piedras lisas del arroyo, y las puso en el saco pastoril, en el zurrón que traía, y con su honda en su mano se fue hacia el filisteo.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 17:40
Verse 40. He took his staff] What we would call his crook. Five smooth stones] 1. Had they been rough or angular, they would not have passed easily through the air, and their asperities would, in the course of their passage, have given them a false direction. 2. Had they not been smooth, they could not have been readily despatched from the sling.
A shepherd's bag] That in which he generally carried his provisions while keeping the sheep in the open country.
And his sling] The sling, both among the Greeks and Hebrews, has been a powerful offensive weapon. See what has been said on Judg. xx. 16. It is composed of two strings and a leathern strap; the strap is in the middle, and is the place where the stone or bullet lies. The string on the right end of the strap is firmly fastened to the hand; that on the left is held between the thumb and middle joint of the fore finger. It is then whirled two or three times round the head; and when discharged, the finger and thumb let go their hold of the left end string. The velocity and force of the sling are in proportion to the distance of the strap, where the bullet lies, from the shoulder joint. Hence the ancient Baleares, or inhabitants of Majorca and Minorca, are said to have had three slings of different lengths, the longest they used when the enemy was at the greatest distance; the middle one, on their nearer approach; and the shortest, when they came into the ordinary fighting distance in the field. The shortest is the most certain, though not the most powerful. The Balearians are said to have had one of their slings constantly bound about their head, to have used the second as a girdle, and to have carried the third always in their hand. See DIOD. Sic. lib. v., c. 18, p. 286, edit. Bipont.
In the use of the sling it requires much practice to hit the mark; but when once this dexterity is acquired, the sling is nearly as fatal as the musket or bow; see on ver. 49. David was evidently an expert marksman; and his sling gave him greatly the advantage over Goliath; an advantage of which the giant does not seem to have been aware. He could hit him within any speaking distance, if he missed once, he had as many chances as he had stones; and after all, being unencumbered with armour, young, and athletic, he could have saved his life by flight. Against him the Philistine could do but little, except in close fight; it is true he appears to have had a javelin or missile spear, (see on 1 Samuel xvii. 6,) but David took care to prevent the use of all such weapons, by giving him the first blow.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 40. And he took his staff in his hand , etc.] His shepherd’s staff, which he used in keeping his father’s sheep, and chose rather to appear in the habit of a shepherd than of a soldier: and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook ; which ran in the valley, which became smooth by lying in the water running over them; and which being smooth were fitter for his purpose, being the more easily cast out of the sling; though De Dieu is of opinion that these were parts or pieces of stones, cleft ones, which were rough and rugged, and which would more easily and firmly be fixed in the forehead of the Philistine: and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip ; in which he had been wont to put things he needed for the good of the flock, and was such as travellers put their food in; and this might also be the use of it with shepherds; but, according to the Ethiopic interpreters f377 , it was that piece of the leather in the midst of the sling, in which the slingers used to put the stones, that they might stick the more firmly: and his sling [was] in his hand ; which he intended to use in slinging the stone or stones he had in his scrip; and which was an exercise he had been accustomed to in all likelihood, and for which the Benjaminites his neighbours, of the next tribe, were very famous: and he drew near to the Philistine ; marched towards him, thereby signifying that he accepted his challenge, and would enter the list with him.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 40-47 - The security and presumption of fools destroy them. Nothing can exce the humility, faith, and piety which appear in David's words. He expressed his assured expectation of success; he gloried in his mea appearance and arms, that the victory might be ascribed to the Lor alone.
Original Hebrew
ויקח 3947 מקלו 4731 בידו 3027 ויבחר 977 לו חמשׁה 2568 חלקי 2512 אבנים 68 מן 4480 הנחל 5158 וישׂם 7760 אתם 853 בכלי 3627 הרעים 7462 אשׁר 834 לו ובילקוט 3219 וקלעו 7050 בידו 3027 ויגשׁ 5066 אל 413 הפלשׁתי׃ 6430
