Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 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.
33. thou art but a youth ] Compared with the giant David was but a youth, though he had already shown sufficient promise to be called “a man of war” by Saul’s servant (1Sa 16:18).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 33. Thou art but a youth] Supposed to be about twenty-two or twenty-three years of age.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
But a youth; either,
1. For age, to wit, comparatively to Goliath, being now not much above twenty years old, as is supposed. Or rather,
2. For military skill, as the words following explain it; as if he should say, Thou art but a novice, a raw and unexperienced soldier, and therefore unable to fight with him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And Saul said to David, thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him,…. Had neither strength of body, nor skill in military affairs, to encounter with a man of his stature, and warlike genius and practice:
for thou [art but] a youth; some say about fourteen or sixteen years of age, but very probably about twenty, and not more, and so not only weak, but inexpert in the art of fighting:
and he a man of war from his youth; a gigantic man, trained up in, inured to, and expert in the affairs of war; so that David could not, on any account, be a competitor with him, and a match for him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(33) And Saul said to David . . .The king evidently looked on the brave boy with love and admiration, but at first doubted in his heart the reality of Davids mission. Whether or not Saul recognised the youth as the sweet singer who had charmed away, perhaps more than once, that terrible soul malady of his which
was desolating his once vigorous manhood, is doubtful. (See the Note at the end of this chapter.) Hemore than any one in that armed campevidently felt that David possessed powers not usually bestowed on the sons of men, and was clearly disposed from the first to grant the shepherd boys startling petition that the honour of Israel might be entrusted to his almost child-hands. Still, Saul would talk with him, and set before him the grave perils of the terrible encounter he was so eager to engage in.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
(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. (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: (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. (36) Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. (37) David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.
The offer of David, no doubt, gave courage to the whole army of Israel. For it should be observed, that Israel had been long accustomed, when at any time the Lord was about to deliver his people, to expect that deliverance in some unthought of way. And frequently the deliverer was altogether such as no human foresight could have provided. See in the case of Deborah, in the Book of Judges, Jdg 4:1-9 . And Samuel had taught the people to recollect other cases. See 1Sa 12:6-11 . But in the fears and apprehensions of Saul concerning David’s youth, opposed to Goliath’s strength and experience in war, we see how much his carnal heart was looking to an arm of flesh. The argument upon which David laid the greatest stress, in assuring him of victory, was not so much his former conquests over the lion and the bear, but because this Philistine had no interest in the covenant of God with his people, but had openly defied God himself. It is very encouraging in all our conflicts, when we see that we are not only on the Lord’s side; but that in reality the battle is the Lord’s and not ours. David told the Philistine so, before he engaged him. (See 1Sa 17:47 .) We have a beautiful example of the same kind; 2Ch 20:5-15 . But how much sweeter still, is it to eye Jesus in all these things, as going forth in the deliverance of his tried ones, from the mountains of leopards, and from the lions dens. Son 4:8 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
1Sa 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.
Ver. 33. For thou art but a youth. ] And therefore impar congressus Achilli, no fit match for this monster.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Thou art not: Num 13:31, Deu 9:2, Psa 11:1, Rev 13:4
for thou art but: 1Sa 17:42, 1Sa 17:56
Reciprocal: 1Sa 16:19 – with the sheep 1Sa 17:31 – sent for him Psa 71:5 – my trust Dan 2:26 – Art Heb 11:33 – stopped
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
17:33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not {k} 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.
(k) Here Satan proves David’s faith, by the infidelity of Saul.