Wesley Corpus

Goliath challenges the armies of Israel, ver. 1 - 11. David coming into the camp, hears his challenge, ver. 12 - 27. Eliab chides David, whose words are related to Saul, ver. 28 - 31. David undertakes to fight Goliath, ver. 32 - 37. He rejects Saul's armour, and goes with his sling, ver. 38 - 40. He attacks and slays Goliath, ver. 41 - 51. The Israelites pursue the Philistines, ver. 52 - 53. David returns: the notice taken of him by Saul, ver. 54 - 58. Gathered, &c. - Probably they had heard, that Samuel had forsaken Saul, and that Saul himself was unfit for business. The enemies of the church are watchful to take all advantages, and they never have greater advantage, than when her protectors have provoked God's Spirit and prophets to leave them. Six cubits - At least, nine feet, nine inches high. And this is not strange; for besides the giants mentioned in Scripture, Herodotus, Diodorus Siculus, and Pliny, make mention of persons seven cubits high. Coat of mail - Made of brass plates laid over one another, like the scales of a fish. The weight, &c. - The common shekel contained a fourth part of an ounce; and so five thousand shekels made one thousand two hundred and fifty ounces, or seventy - eight pounds: which weight is not unsuitable to a man of such vast strength as his height speaks him to be. Greaves - Boots. Beam - On which the weavers fasten their web. It was like this for thickness. And though the whole weight of Goliath's armour may seem prodigious; yet it is not so much by far as one Athanatus did manage: of whom Pliny relates, That he saw him come into the theatre with arms weighing twelve thousand ounces. A shield - Probably for state: for he that was clad in brass, little needed a shield. Come down - That the battle may be decided by us two alone. Afraid - This may seem strange, considering the glorious promises, and their late experience of divine assistance. And where was Jonathan, who in the last war had so bravely engaged an whole army of the Philistines Doubtless he did not feel himself so stirred up of God as he did at that time. As the best, so the bravest of men, are no more than what God makes them.