1 Samuel 17 · Verse 39

1 Samuel 17:39

And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.
1 Samuel 17:39, King James Version

1 Samuel 17:39 in other translations

BSBDavid strapped his sword over the tunic and tried to walk, but he was not accustomed to them. “I cannot walk in these,” David said to Saul. “I am not accustomed to them.” So David took them off.
WEBDavid strapped his sword on his clothing and he tried to move, for he had not tested it. David said to Saul, “I can’t go with these, for I have not tested them.” Then David took them off.
ASVAnd David girded his sword upon his apparel, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.
YLTAnd David girded his sword above his long robe, and beginneth to go, for he hath not tried it; and David saith unto Saul, ‘I am not able to go with these, for I had not tried;' and David turneth them aside from off him.
DARBYAnd David girded his sword upon his dress, and endeavoured to go; for he had not yet tried it. And David said to Saul, I cannot go in these; for I have never tried them. And David put them off him.
BBEAnd David took Saul's sword and put the band round him over the metal coat, and was unable to go forward; for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, It is not possible for me to go out with these, for I am not used to them. So David took them off.
WebsterAnd David girded his sword upon his armor, and he essayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said to Saul, I cannot go with these, for I have not proved them. And David put them off from him.

What does 1 Samuel 17:39 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Samuel 17:38-39

38-39. Saul armed David with his armour--The ancient Hebrews were particularly attentive to the personal safety of their warriors, and hence Saul equipped the youthful champion with his own defensive accoutrements, which would be of the best style. It is probable that Saul's coat of mail, or corslet, was a loose shirt, otherwise it could not have fitted both a stripling and a man of the colossal stature of the king.

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 17:38-39 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 39 I cannot go with these - In ancient times it required considerable exercise and training to make a man expert in the use of such heavy armor; armor which in the present day scarcely a man is to be found who is able to carry; and so it must have been then, until that practice which arises from frequent use had made the proprietor perfect. I have not proved them says David: I am wholly unaccustomed to such armor and it would be an encumbrance to me.

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 17:39 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.

וַיַּחְגֹּ֣רvai.yach.Gorand he girdedH2296
דָּוִ֣דda.VidDavidH1732
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
חַ֠רְבּוֹchar.bosword hisH2719
מֵעַ֨לme.'Al<from> overH5921
לְמַדָּ֜יוle.ma.Dav<to> garments hisH4055
וַיֹּ֣אֶלvai.Yo.'eland he fell shortH2974
לָלֶכֶת֮la.le.Khetto walkH1980
כִּ֣יkiforH3588
לֹֽא\־lo'-notH3808
נִסָּה֒ni.Sahhe had put to [the] testH5254
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
דָּוִ֜דda.VidDavidH1732
אֶל\־'el-toH413
שָׁא֗וּלsha.'UlSaulH7586
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
אוּכַ֛ל'u.KhalI will be ableH3201
לָלֶ֥כֶתla.Le.khetto walkH1980
בָּאֵ֖לֶּהba.'E.lehin these [things]H428
כִּ֣יkiforH3588
לֹ֣אlo'notH3808
נִסִּ֑יתִיni.Si.tiI have put to [the] testH5254
וַיְסִרֵ֥םvay.si.Remand he removed themH5493
דָּוִ֖דda.VidDavidH1732
מֵעָלָֽיו\׃me.'a.Lavfrom on <the> himselfH5921

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

Cross references for 1 Samuel 17:39

  • 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

    (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

  • Zechariah 4:6

    Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

  • Hosea 1:7

    But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
put them off.
Ho 1:7; Zec 4:6; 2Co 10:4,5

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

Context

  • 1 Samuel 17:38

    And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.

  • 1 Samuel 17:39

    And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.

  • 1 Samuel 17:40

    And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

Read all of 1 Samuel 17

1 Samuel 17:39 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y ciñó David su espada sobre sus vestidos, y probó á andar, porque nunca había probado. Y dijo David á Saúl: Yo no puedo andar con esto, porque nunca lo practiqué. Y echando de sí David aquellas cosas,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et David ceignit son épée par-dessus ses vêtements, et voulut marcher, car il ne l’avait pas essayé. Et David dit à Saül: Je ne puis marcher avec ces choses, car je ne l’ai jamais essayé. Et David les ôta de dessus lui;
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und David gürtete sein Schwert über seinen Rock und wollte gehen, denn er hatte es nie versucht. Da sprach David zu Saul: Ich kann nicht darin gehen, denn ich habe es nie versucht. Und David legte sie von sich ab.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Accinctus ergo David gladio ejus super vestem suam, cœpit tentare si armatus posset incedere: non enim habebat consuetudinem. Dixitque David ad Saul: Non possum sic incedere, quia non usum habeo. Et deposuit ea,