1 Samuel 17 · Verse 34

1 Samuel 17:34

And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:

1 Samuel 17:34, King James Version

1 Samuel 17:34 in other translations

BSB	David replied, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep, and whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock,
WEB	David said to Saul, “Your servant was keeping his father’s sheep; and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock,
ASV	And David said unto Saul, Thy servant was keeping his father’s sheep; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock,
YLT	And David saith unto Saul, ‘A shepherd hath thy servant been to his father among the sheep, and the lion hath come--and the bear--and hath taken away a sheep out of the drove,
DARBY	And David said to Saul, Thy servant fed his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and also a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock.
BBE	And David said to Saul, Your servant has been keeper of his father's sheep; and if a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock,
Webster	And David said to Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:

What does 1 Samuel 17:34 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Samuel 17:34-36

34-36. a lion, and a bear--There were two different rencontres, for those animals prowl alone. The bear must have been a Syrian bear, which is believed to be a distinct species, or perhaps a variety, of the brown bear. The beard applies to the lion alone. Those feats seem to have been performed with no weapons more effective than the rude staves and stones of the field, or his shepherd's crook.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 34 Thy servant kept his father's sheep - He found it necessary to give Saul the reasons why he undertook this combat; and why he expected to be victorious. 1. I have courage to undertake it, and strength to perform it. 2. Both have been tried in a very signal manner: (1). A lion came upon my flock, and seized a lamb; I ran after him, he attacked me, I seized hold of him by his shaggy locks, smote and slew him, and delivered the lamb. (2). A bear came in the same way, and I attacked and slew him. 3. This, with whom I am to fight, is a Philistine, an uncircumcised man; one who is an enemy to God: God therefore will not be on his side. On that ground I have nothing to fear. 4. He has defied the armies of the Lord; and has in effect defied Jehovah himself: therefore the battle is the Lord's, and he will stand by me. 5. I have perfect confidence in his protection and defense; for they that trust in him shall never be confounded. 6. I conclude, therefore, that the Lord, who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, will deliver me out of the hand of the Philistine.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 17:31-39

A shepherd lad, come the same morning from keeping sheep, had more courage than all the mighty men of Israel. Thus God often sends good words to his Israel, and does great things for them, by the weak and foolish things of the world. As he had answered his brother's passion with meekness, so David answered Saul's fear with faith. When David kept sheep, he proved himself very careful and tender of his flock. This…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 17:31-39 →

1 Samuel 17:34 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559

דָּוִד֙da.VidDavidH1732

אֶל\־'el-toH413

שָׁא֔וּלsha.'UlSaulH7586

רֹעֶ֨הro.'EhshepherdingH7462

הָיָ֧הha.Yahhe wasH1961

עַבְדְּךָ֛'av.de.Khaservant yourH5650

לְאָבִ֖יוle.'a.Vivfor father hisH1

בַּצֹּ֑אןba.Tzon<in> the flockH6629

וּבָ֤אu.Va'and it cameH935

הָֽאֲרִי֙ha.'a.Rithe lionH738

וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand withH854

הַדּ֔וֹבha.Dovthe bearH1677

וְנָשָׂ֥אve.na.Sa'and it carried offH5375

שֶׂ֖הseha sheepH7716

מֵהָעֵֽדֶר\׃me.ha.'E.derfrom the flockH5739

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

lamb. or, kid.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

1 Samuel 17:33
And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.
1 Samuel 17:34
And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
1 Samuel 17:35
And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

Read all of 1 Samuel 17

1 Samuel 17:34 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y David respondió á Saúl: Tu siervo era pastor en las ovejas de su padre, y venía un león, ó un oso, y tomaba algún cordero de la manada,
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et David dit à Saül: Ton serviteur paissait le menu bétail de son père, et un lion vint, et un ours: et il enleva un mouton du troupeau.
German Elberfelder 1871	Da sprach David zu Saul: Dein Knecht weidete das Kleinvieh für seinen Vater; kam nun ein Löwe oder ein Bär und trug ein Stück von der Herde fort,
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Dixitque David ad Saul: Pascebat servus tuus patris sui gregem, et veniebat leo vel ursus, et tollebat arietem de medio gregis: