The Meaning of 1 Samuel 17:45 Explained

1 Samuel 17:45

KJV: Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

YLT: And David saith unto the Philistine, 'Thou art coming unto me with sword, and with spear, and with buckler, and I am coming unto thee in the name of Jehovah of Hosts, God of the ranks of Israel, which thou hast reproached.

Darby: And David said to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with sword, and with spear, and with javelin; but I come to thee in the name of Jehovah of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

ASV: Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin: but I come to thee in the name of Jehovah of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then said  David  to the Philistine,  Thou comest  to me with a sword,  and with a spear,  and with a shield:  but I come  to thee in the name  of the LORD  of hosts,  the God  of the armies  of Israel,  whom thou hast defied. 

What does 1 Samuel 17:45 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 17:41-54 - He Wins The Lord's Battle
David did not wait until his enemy had crossed the valley, but hastened to the streamlet to select the pebbles needed for his sling. Goliath scouted such a champion and cursed him. To this boasting and blaspheming, David opposed the name of Jehovah of Hosts-the unseen hosts of heaven, the twelve legions of angels, of which our Lord spoke. That God-the God of Israel-would assuredly take up the challenge, and vindicate His servant's faith. Thus all Gentile nations would see that the God of Israel was a living reality, while Israel also would learn the too-long-forgotten lesson that Jehovah saveth not by sword nor spear.
So confident was the Philistine that he did not trouble to draw his sword nor let down the visor of his helmet. One thrust of his heavy spear, he reckoned, was all that would be required. But in a moment more Goliath was lying helpless on the ground. It is thus that God's champions, in every age, have gone out against giant wrongs, as Luther against Tetzel, or Garrison against slavery; and it is thus that we may confidently over-throw the inbred sins that claim supremacy over our lives. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 17

1  The armies of the Israelites and Philistines being ready to battle
4  Goliath challenges a combat
12  David, sent by his father to visit his brothers, takes the challenge
28  Eliab chides him
30  He is brought to Saul
32  shows the reason of his confidence
38  and slays the giant
55  Saul takes notice of David

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 17:45 mean?

And said David to the Philistine You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin but I come to you in the name of Yahweh of hosts the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defied
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙ אֶל־ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔י אַתָּה֙ בָּ֣א אֵלַ֔י בְּחֶ֖רֶב וּבַחֲנִ֣ית וּבְכִיד֑וֹן וְאָנֹכִ֣י בָֽא־ אֵלֶ֗יךָ בְּשֵׁם֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֛י מַעַרְכ֥וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר חֵרַֽפְתָּ

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
דָּוִד֙  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔י  the  Philistine 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
בָּ֣א  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֵלַ֔י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
בְּחֶ֖רֶב  with  a  sword 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
וּבַחֲנִ֣ית  and  with  a  spear 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֲנִית  
Sense: spear.
וּבְכִיד֑וֹן  and  with  a  javelin 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כִּידֹון  
Sense: javelin, short sword, dart.
וְאָנֹכִ֣י  but  I 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אָנׄכִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
בָֽא־  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֵלֶ֗יךָ  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
בְּשֵׁם֙  in  the  name 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
יְהוָ֣ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָא֔וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
אֱלֹהֵ֛י  the  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
מַעַרְכ֥וֹת  of  the  armies 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מַעֲרָכָה  
Sense: row, rank, battle-line.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
חֵרַֽפְתָּ  you  have  defied 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: חָרַף 
Sense: to reproach, taunt, blaspheme, defy, jeopardise, rail, upbraid.