1 Samuel 17:32

Authorized King James Version

And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר
said
to say (used with great latitude)
#2
דָּוִד֙
And David
david, the youngest son of jesse
#3
אֶל
near, with or among; often in general, to
#4
שָׁא֔וּל
to Saul
shaul, the name of an edomite and two israelites
#5
אַל
not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (job 24:25) as a noun, nothing
#6
יִפֹּ֥ל
fail
to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)
#7
לֵב
heart
the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the center of anything
#8
אָדָ֖ם
Let no man's
ruddy i.e., a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
#9
עָלָ֑יו
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
#10
עַבְדְּךָ֣
because of him thy servant
a servant
#11
יֵלֵ֔ךְ
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
#12
וְנִלְחַ֖ם
and fight
to feed on; figuratively, to consume
#13
עִם
adverb or preposition, with (i.e., in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then
#14
הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֥י
with this Philistine
a pelishtite or inhabitant of pelesheth
#15
הַזֶּֽה׃
the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the political and social structures of the biblical period. The author writes to address believers seeking to understand God's will and purposes, making the emphasis on salvation particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection

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