God versus Goliath

Not surprisingly, when Goliath falls, the Philistines do not submit to become Israel’s servants as he had proposed (17:9). Rather, they run for their lives. With the intimidating Philistine champion dispatched and the rest of the invading army in flight, the Israelite soldiers now spring into action and pursue the Philistines, striking them down along the road even as far as the gates of the Philistine city of Ekron. They then return and plunder the Philistine camp. For his part, David keeps the head of Goliath and brings it to Jerusalem (though probably at a later date, since the city is now in Jebusite hands; see 2 Sam. 5:6–9). He also keeps Goliath’s massive armor.

This chapter ends with a strange episode. We are told that as he sees David going against Goliath, Saul asks his commander, Abner, “Whose son is this youth?” Doesn’t Saul know the youth who has played the harp to ease his distress, his own armorbearer (16:21), the faithful one who volunteered to fight the giant (17:32)? Certainly he does, though perhaps not well. But Saul is asking not about David but about his father. Perhaps he wants this information so that he might keep his promise to the man who killed Goliath (17:25). So he initially commissions Abner to learn David’s family history, but he then asks David himself when he returns from the battle.

This triumph over Goliath, which sparks a great Israelite victory, is certainly a great moment for David, a major turning point in his life. But we must rigorously remind ourselves that David is but an instrument in God’s hands. It is not so much David vs. Goliath as God vs. Goliath. It is God’s battle and God’s victory, accomplished in a way intended to bring Him the most glory. Indeed, all of 1 Samuel 17 is about God’s honor. Goliath defied the armies of Israel to fight him. In so doing, he slighted God. To their shame, the Israelites allowed the giant to persist in his defiance for 40 days. But when David arrived and heard the taunts of Goliath, he was offended for God’s sake. He alone of all the Israelites was willing to defy Goliath in the name of God. And God was willing to work through David’s weakness, his unsuitability as a soldier, to accomplish His judgment on the giant Philistine. In the end, a great statement was made that there is a God in Israel.