Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 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.

35. by his bard ] Cp. the Homeric epithet of the lion, “well-bearded;” ( : Il. XV. 275); and the Latin proverb “to pluck the beard of a dead lion” (barbam vellere mortuo leoni).

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

His beard – Put here for his throat, or under jaw; neither lion nor bear has a beard properly speaking.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 35. The slaying of the lion and the bear mentioned here, must have taken place at two different times; perhaps the verse should be read thus: I went out after him, (the lion.) and smote him, &c. And when he (the bear) rose up against me, I caught him by the beard and slew him.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Smote him, to wit, the lion, as appears by his beard; which having particularly mentioned, it was easily understood and believed, that he did the same to the bear; which therefore it was needless to express.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

And I went out after him,…. Whether a lion or a bear; but mention after being made of his beard, a lion rather is meant:

and smote him; with his fist, or rather with his shepherd’s staff:

and delivered [it] out of his mouth; snatched it out from thence, or obliged him to drop it, by beating him:

and when he arose against me; after he had let go the lamb, threatening to tear him in pieces for attempting to disturb him in his prey, and take it away from him;

I caught [him] by his beard; such as lions have; hence a lion is often called in Homer g , the well-bearded lion. Kimchi thinks the beard with the nether jaw is meant, which David caught hold on:

and smote him, and slew him; tore him to pieces, as Samson did, Jud 14:5, or slew him with some weapon in his hand.

g Iliad. 17. ver. 109. & Iliad. 18. ver. 318.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

1Sa 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.

Ver. 35. And delivered it out of his mouth. ] So did Christ his darling, the Church, out of the mouth of the lion of hell. If the devil be leo , 1Pe 5:8 Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, is , he that delivereth his from the wrath to come. 1Th 1:10

I caught him by his beard. ] I killed him cominus, fighting with him hand to hand as it were. This was an act of admirable courage in David: what could any Samson or Lysimachus have done more? Leo animalibus omnibus robore, animo et crudelitate antecellit: nec feras tantum, sed homines etiam devorat. Nonnulli quidem multis in locis, vel ducentos equites invidere audeant, a i.e., The lion exceedeth all other living creatures in strength, courage, and cruelty: he devoureth not only beasts but men. Some lions in some places have not feared to set upon two hundred horsemen at once, and have slain five or six of them.

a Gesner. de Animal.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

beard = mane, or throat.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

smote him: Jdg 14:5, Jdg 14:6, 2Sa 23:20, Psa 91:13, Dan 6:22, Amo 3:12, Act 28:4-6, 2Ti 4:17, 2Ti 4:18

Reciprocal: Gen 31:39 – torn of Jdg 15:14 – the cords 2Ch 14:11 – rest on thee Job 29:17 – and plucked Eze 34:12 – As a shepherd seeketh out Zec 11:16 – neither Luk 2:8 – abiding Joh 10:11 – giveth

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge