Comments on 1 Samuel 17 Another very familiar well known chapter to which I will only make a few comments. v25 "free in Israel", i.e., free from royal levies and public service. v26-29 David asks how it is a Philistine can be so insolent to the armies of God (v. 27), and they feeling guilty lash out at him with biting accusations to silence him (v. 29), to which he asks why he is being so mercilessly attacked for asking a simple question (v. 30). v34-37 David was prepared in advance to take on seemingly insurmountable foes, and he acknowledges the Lord's hand in his delivery from them. v43-45 The matter is no longer two guys insulting each other. In these verses the Philistine curses David by his gods, and David responds that it is the Living God of Israel who will prevail. The matter becomes a public issue of preserving the sanctity of the Name of the Lord of Israel. v55-58 After having David with quite a lot in 16:14-23 playing harp for him and so on, Saul doesn't even recognize him. Perhaps he was a boy then, and now he is older, but this seems to suggest that what is going on here is some type of mental illness. It would be driven by Saul's egomania and subsequent rejection by the Lord. It would therefore be considered a curse, either direct or indirect, by the Lord, cp. Deut. 28:28. Copyright © 2002 by S. Kurt Neumiller . All rights reserved. No part of this text may be reproduced in any form or by any means for commercial gain without the express written consent of the author. Digital or printed copies may be freely made and distributed for personal and public non-commercial use.