The Sword Of Goliath

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Mr. M

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1 Samuel 21:
8
And David said to Ahimelech, Is there not here on hand a spear or a sword?
For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s
business required haste.
9 So the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley
of Elah, there it is, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it.
For there is no other except that one here.
And David said, There is none like it; give it to me.

Why was David so impressed with the sword of Goliath?
Do you detect a hint of covetousness in his statement?
Did he not realize that as a boy he had wielded a giant’s weapon
only by the power of the Spirit of the Lord?
What were the consequences of his taking possession of this mighty weapon?
 

Bob Crowley

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I get a bit cynical about the theory David didn't rely enough on the Lord to protect him in all circumstances. it was one thing for David to rely on the Lord when the opposition was a single man Goliath who had been browbeating the Israeli army for weeks, and which was effectively a duel between two individuals.

It was another situation altogether when he was on the fun from his own king Saul, with the whole Israeli army after him. He didn't know who he could trust, hence the charade to pretend to be mad to avoid trouble with Achish, King of Gath. It was either that or fight the king's entire bodyguard single handed.

Go into a real battlefield with bombs and shells, and see how many bullets and artillery shells are magically deflected because you get down and pray, and trust in the Lord to deliver you from physical danger. He may well deliver you, but not necessarily this side of death.

It also says that it was the only sword there, so he didn't really have a choice anyway.

I don't see a hint of covetousness. I see more of a throwaway line - "What the heck? What else is there? I may well take it anyway, even if it does weigh a ton."
 
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Mr. M

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I don't see a hint of covetousness. I see more of a throwaway line - "What the heck? What else is there? I may well take it anyway, even if it does weigh a ton."
The statement, as highlighted.
And David said, There is none like it; give it to me.

The report of Doeg the Edomite.
1 Samuel 22:9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said,
“I saw the son of Jesse going to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
10 And he inquired of the Lord for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

Doeg assumes that Ahimelech inquired of the Lord for him, as he was in possession of an ephod.
Does David ask him to enquire of the Lord? He asks for a weapon.
9 So the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley
of Elah, there it is, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it.

What were the consequences

1 Samuel 22:5 Now the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; depart,
and go to the land of Judah.” So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.

The prophet Gad prevented the consequences of David's discovery. Much to his credit, unlike
many of the kings who followed him, David heeded the words of the prophets Gad and Nathan.
What became of Ahimelech?
 
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Hammster

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1 Samuel 21:
8
And David said to Ahimelech, Is there not here on hand a spear or a sword?
For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s
business required haste.
9 So the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley
of Elah, there it is, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it.
For there is no other except that one here.
And David said, There is none like it; give it to me.

Why was David so impressed with the sword of Goliath?
Do you detect a hint of covetousness in his statement?
Did he not realize that as a boy he had wielded a giant’s weapon
only by the power of the Spirit of the Lord?
What were the consequences of his taking possession of this mighty weapon?
I think he just needed a sword. That’s what the text implies.
 
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Gregory Thompson

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None of the allusions in the text imply there were any consequences for taking the sword. This is because God did not say - do not take the sword, it is an abomination - so it was fair game, a war trophy so to speak.
 
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Mr. M

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None of the allusions in the text imply there were any consequences for taking the sword. This is because God did not say - do not take the sword, it is an abomination - so it was fair game, a war trophy so to speak.
1 Samuel 22:
16 And the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!”
17 Then the king said to the guards who stood about him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord,
because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled and did not tell it to me.”
But the servants of the king would not lift their hands to strike the priests of the Lord.
18 And the king said to Doeg, “You turn and kill the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck
the priests, and killed on that day eighty-five men who wore a linen ephod.
19 Also Nob, the city of the priests, he struck with the edge of the sword, both men and women,
children and nursing infants, oxen and donkeys and sheep—with the edge of the sword.
 
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Mr. M

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I get a bit cynical about the theory David didn't rely enough on the Lord to protect him in all circumstances.
Also, I am not aware of that theory. The thread was just about Goliath's sword.
Curious if anyone would find some symbolism to the narrative.
It was literally stashed behind the ephod. Did David enquire of the Lord,
or was that Doeg's assumption? The narrative only supports that David
wanted bread and a weapon.
 
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Gregory Thompson

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1 Samuel 22:
16 And the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!”
17 Then the king said to the guards who stood about him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord,
because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled and did not tell it to me.”
But the servants of the king would not lift their hands to strike the priests of the Lord.
18 And the king said to Doeg, “You turn and kill the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck
the priests, and killed on that day eighty-five men who wore a linen ephod.
19 Also Nob, the city of the priests, he struck with the edge of the sword, both men and women,
children and nursing infants, oxen and donkeys and sheep—with the edge of the sword.
I don't see how this is relevant?
 
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Mr. M

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I don't see how this is relevant?
Doeg reported that David obtained the sword of Goliath from the priest.
Do you think that Saul overreacted in seeing this as a direct threat to his reign?
The result was that an entire village of priests, including children, were slaughtered.
You do not see that as the consequences of what transpired?
 
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Mr. M

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Maybe just a relic of the Sea Peoples not commonly seen in that particular region that it's theorised the Philistines were descended from, or one of the finer swords crafted before the Bronze Age Collapse?
According to the Word in Amos, they migrated from Caphtor, possibly Crete.

Amos 9:7. Are ye not as children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of Israel? saith the LORD.
Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt? and the Philistines from Caphtor, and
the Syrians from Kir?
 
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Mr. M

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I think he just needed a sword. That’s what the text implies.
Yes, he requests a weapon, and yet he is clearly pleased with that sword being available.
And David said, There is none like it; give it to me.
David went into battle against a giant with a slingshot after he was unable to even handle the
weapons of Israel. He was bold in faith to take the giant down. But then he removes the giant's
sword from its scabbard to take off his head, clearly not possible without the power of the Lord
with him. That is why the OP asks:
Did he not realize that as a boy he had wielded a giant’s weapon only by the power of the Spirit of the Lord?
As he remembers that moment on the battlefield, was he remembering where his strength came from?
He reached behind an ephod to retrieve the sword, but did he enquire of the Lord, or was that
Doeg's assumption in his damning report to Saul in 1 Samuel 22? The narrative in 1 Samuel 21
only tells of his need for bread, and a sword.
Doesn't the narrative of David teach us of our struggles with the carnal nature?
Did not David often lapse into carnality, only to repent and be restored? Don't we?
 
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Mr. M

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Well, now I deeply regret having even thought about making a quip that it was an Atlantean relic and Goliath was just a rugged, savage survivor of drowned Atlantis with a kickass sword and a thing against shapeshifting serpent men.

As an addendum; from Crete might still have made them Sea Peoples. Theorised that the Sea Peoples were a mix of island folks from as far away as Sardinia and Achaeans after their cities and central governments collapsed after that Vietnam/Verdun style proxy war in Troy between the Mycaenaean and Hittite superpowers of the day. Sea Peoples were lean mean chariot killin' machines, so who knows, maybe they had lots of fancy swords.
Cool. I changed my rating to informative, but still funny. Thanks for the humor.
 
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Gregory Thompson

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Doeg reported that David obtained the sword of Goliath from the priest.
Do you think that Saul overreacted in seeing this as a direct threat to his reign?
The result was that an entire village of priests, including children, were slaughtered.
You do not see that as the consequences of what transpired?
But this is a separate event from the OP.
 
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Mr. M

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But this is a separate event from the OP.
1 Samuel 21:
7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord. And his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chief of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul.
8 And David said to Ahimelech, “Is there not here on hand a spear or a sword? For I have brought
neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.”

1 Samuel 22:
9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, “I saw the son
of Jesse going to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
10 And he inquired of the Lord for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

The continuity of the narrative from chapter 21 to 22, the role of Doeg, and the significance
of what took place are all critical to the OP.
 
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Gregory Thompson

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1 Samuel 21:
7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord. And his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chief of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul.
8 And David said to Ahimelech, “Is there not here on hand a spear or a sword? For I have brought
neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.”

1 Samuel 22:
9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, “I saw the son
of Jesse going to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
10 And he inquired of the Lord for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

The continuity of the narrative from chapter 21 to 22, the role of Doeg, and the significance
of what took place are all critical to the OP.
The event that the OP is talking about is when David takes the sword.

The event later on is another event.

The only thing going on here is humans acting like humans, it has nothing to do with a curse.
 
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Mr. M

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The event that the OP is talking about is when David takes the sword.

The event later on is another event.

The only thing going on here is humans acting like humans, it has nothing to do with a curse.
Who said anything about a curse???
You don't see a direct connection from what Doeg witnessed i.e. David visiting Ahimelech,
Doeg reporting to Saul, and Saul calling Ahimelech to accuse him and then slay him?
Okay. We will move on.
 
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Gregory Thompson

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Who said anything about a curse???
You don't see a direct connection from what Doeg witnessed i.e. David visiting Ahimelech,
Doeg reporting to Saul, and Saul calling Ahimelech to accuse him and then slay him?
Okay. We will move on.
It's probably that I don't get what the point is, and you seem to really be straining to make that point. I'm just being honest, what are you trying to explain?

Apologies also, the endorophins from that walk may have made me a little less perceptive.
 
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Mr. M

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I'm just being honest, what are you trying to explain?
Maybe just focus on this one question from the OP.
Did he not realize that as a boy he had wielded a giant’s weapon only by the power of the Spirit of the Lord?
Was David's reaction to obtaining Goliath's Sword tied to the memory of having wielded it?
See post #13.
 
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Gregory Thompson

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Maybe just focus on this one question from the OP.

Was David's reaction to obtaining Goliath's Sword tied to the memory of having wielded it?
See post #13.
Oh okay, I think I remember the questions now.

David taking the sword did result in all those deaths.

David didn't have foresight like that so he couldn't have known.

Saul knew David took it, because he was the only one who would have.

So David's memory of the sword would have resulted in him knowing where to pick it up since it was a significant memory for him.
 
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Mr. M

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David didn't have foresight like that so he couldn't have known.
True. One child survived named Abiathar, who took refuge with David.

Saul knew David took it, because he was the only one who would have.

Saul knew because of the report from Doeg the Edomite. Let's revisit that.
1 Samuel 21:
7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord.
And his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chief of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul.

Notice it says that he was detained "before the Lord", which allowed him to witness the
event. Does this suggest that his witness was of the Lord?
 
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