Commentary - Overview

We must read the whole of this grand story of David and Goliath. But first study with me a few things which will help us to understand the story when we read it. There are three main water-courses which run from the hills of Judah across the Philistine plain. Naming them in order from the north, they are the valley of Aijalon, the valley of Sorek, which we learned of in the Story of Samson, and the valley of Elah, where this battle with the Philistines took place. The city of Gath, one of the five Philistine cities and Goliath's home, was by this valley of Elah as it comes from the hills out into the plain. At the place of the battle the valley is not wide, a little meadow between the hills and a brook with a stony bed running through the meadow. Notice also that it is not far across the hills to Bethlehem.

The giant and his armor. We learned of giants in the land of Canaan when the children of Israel sent spies into the land. (Numbers 13:22, 33) Afterward Joshua destroyed the giants, and they remained only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod. One of these, you see, was Goliath's city. (Joshua 11:21-22; 2 Samuel 21:16-22) How tall was Goliath - six cubits and a span? A cubit, the distance from the elbow to the finger tips, is about 18 inches. A span or the stretch of the open hand is about 8 inches. His armor: a helmet of brass; a coat of mail, probably made of scales, and hanging nearly to the knees; the greaves were armor for the legs and feet; the "target of brass" (verse 6), called a "shield" (verse 45), was probably a javelin slung on his shoulders. (Revised Version) He had a sword and a very heavy spear whose staff was like the beam to which the web was fastened in the clumsy looms which the weavers used. About thirty shekels made a pound.

David the shepherd. David came from the sheep in Bethlehem with a simple present from home. "Parched corn" is new wheat roasted at the fire. His "carriage" means what he was carrying, his baggage. He laid aside Saul's armor and went with his shepherd's staff and scrip and sling. The scrip is the shepherd's bag, made often of the skin of a kid, and hung from the shoulder. The sling the shepherd uses for defense, and more often to attract the attention of the sheep by dropping a stone near them when they are heedless and do not mind his call.

As we read the story, please find a verse which seems to you to tell the secret of Goliath's weakness and of David's strength.

Commentary - In-Depth

A battle in the Scriptures represents an experience of temptation, of spiritual conflict. Let someone take the scene and battle presented to us in this story and show how it is descriptive of spiritual conflict in ourselves. In our conflict, what are the two armies camped on either side?

There is the army of heaven on the side of good, and the army of hell on the side of evil; and the state of freedom in which we are like an open valley into which we must go out alone to fight. As in the story, one giant comes out to meet us. We do not have to meet all evil at once; someone stands out as our enemy. If we resist this faithfully the power of all evils is lessened; if we yield to this the power of all is increased.

The great height of the giant suggests the pride and self-confidence of evil, and the armor represents the reasoning and excuses with which evil tries to silence our conscience and to overcome us. Such armor belongs especially to the champion of the Philistines, for they represent a pride of intellect associated with evil life. Shall we reason with the tempter and try to meet argument with argument? That would be to put on Saul's armor; it is not useful; evil is stronger than we at argument. We must refuse to do wrong because it is wrong, because the Lord forbids it. We must be prompt in our decision and short and decided in our answer. Remember the Lord's example in His temptation in the wilderness. (Arcana Coelestia 1659, 1664, 1788)

What in particular is represented by the stones in David's sling? They represent simple facts of Divine truth which are all-powerful against evil. The brook from which we take them is the stream of the Lord's own Word. There were five stones. Five represents what is little or few, and at the same time what is enough. Compare the five barley loaves. (John 6:9) It is little of the Lord's truth that we are as yet able to gather from His Word, but it is all that we need; no giant of evil can stand against it. (Apocalypse Explained 430, 548; Arcana Coelestia 5291)

Someone may remind me that after Goliath had fallen David used the giant's sword to cut off his head. At the moment of temptation it is not wise to delay and to reason with the tempter, but after the evil is overcome by the Lord's strength then we may reason about it and see more clearly why it is wrong and to be shunned. We may then use the sword, turning the giant's own weapon against himself. (Arcana Coelestia 2686, 2799) We read again about Goliath's sword and find it a good weapon in David's hand. (1 Samuel 21:8-9)

We have taken this scene and story as a picture of our own spiritual conflicts. In a deeper sense it must represent conflicts of the Lord's human life. David was a type of the Lord, and especially of the Lord in His conflicts and victories. The meeting of David with Goliath teaches a grand lesson about the Lord in His temptations. As a boy and a young man He went out alone in His Divine innocence (from tending the sheep) to meet the giants of evil proud in their intellectual strength. People and angels stood helpless (like Saul's army), their fate depending upon the result. He made no argument with the tempter (trusted not in armor) but answered him with a simple, "It is written, Thou shalt not" (a stone from His sling). People and angels shared in the Lord's victories (Israel shouted and joined in the pursuit). Read about the Lord's conflicts with giants of evil, in Arcana Coelestia 1673 and other numbers both before and after.

Commentary for Young Students

The people of Israel were at war with the Philistines. Saul was the leader of their army. They were in one of the valleys that run from the hills of Judah out into the Philistine plain. The camp of Israel was on the hills on one side of the valley, and the camp of the Philistines was on the other side. There was a green meadow between them, and a brook with a stony bed running through the meadow.

In the Philistine army was a giant named Goliath. This great strong man, taller than all the rest, came out toward the camp of Israel and called to them. He was armed with heavy armor on his head and body and legs. He carried a great sword and spear, and a man with a shield went before him. He called to the army of Israel to send out a man to fight with him; if Goliath killed him, the people of Israel would serve the Philistines; if Goliath was killed, the Philistines would serve Israel. The giant was so big and strong and proud! The men of Israel and Saul were greatly afraid. Each morning and evening for forty days Goliath came out and called.

No one dared to go to fight with Goliath till one day David came to the camp. He came from his home in Bethlehem; his father sent him with a present to ask for the welfare of his three older brothers who were soldiers in Saul's army. He saw the giant come out from the Philistine camp and heard his proud words, and everyone was afraid - everyone but David. He said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine" And he went, only a shepherd boy in his shepherd's dress, with his shepherd's staff and sling and bag, and in it five smooth stones out of the brook. He did not trust, as the Philistine did, in his size and in his armor, but in the Lord, who had helped him as a shepherd to save the sheep from a lion and a bear.

The Philistine despised David, but David said, "Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied." And David ran to meet the Philistine and threw a stone with his sling. It struck the giant in the forehead and he fell on his face. The men of Israel shouted and chased the army of the Philistines down the valley and out into the plain. We must read the whole chapter. You will often think of the story, and it will remind you that even a child can be brave and strong trusting the Lord.

Questions for discussion:

1. Who was Goliath? How was he armed?

2. What errand brought David to the camp? From where did he come?

3. How was David armed? Why was he not afraid?

548. But that they should torment them five months, signifies that the understanding would be darkened and drawn away by the falsities of evil from seeing truth, so long as they were in that state. This is evident from the signification of "to torment," as being to have the understanding darkened and withdrawn from seeing truth (of which presently); also from the signification of "five months," as being so long as they are in that state. "To torment" here signifies to have the understanding darkened and drawn away from seeing truth, because this is said of the locusts and their power to hurt like scorpions, and "locusts" mean the ultimate of man's life, which is called the sensual, and the power to hurt like scorpions signifies a persuasiveness that can take away from the understanding the light of truth and induce infernal darkness; therefore it now follows that "their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when it striketh a man," for a "scorpion" signifies such persuasiveness (See above, n. 544). This is said "to torment," because it is said above that "the locusts should hurt men, but should not kill them;" and that which hurts but does not kill, torments; and the persuasiveness also, which is of the sensual man that is in the falsities of evil, hurts the understanding by darkening it and drawing it away from seeing truth, although it does not deprive it of the faculty to understand and perceive; and because it is compared with the pain from a scorpion "when it striketh a man," it is said "to torment."

[2] "Five months" signify so long as men are in that state, because a "month" signifies a state, and "five" signifies somewhat, and thus so long as "months" signify states, because all times in the Word, as "ages," "years," "weeks," "days," and "hours," signify the states of life (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 162-169), so likewise "months." That "five" signifies somewhat can be seen from the passages in the Word where that number occurs; for the numbers ten, one hundred, one thousand, signify much and all, therefore "five" signifies somewhat; for the numbers that signify much arise from the number five, which signifies somewhat, and composite and derived numbers take their signification from the simple numbers of which by multiplication they are composed, and from which they are derived (See above, n. 429, 430). "Five" also signifies so long as, because it is said "five months," and "months" here signify a state of duration. This signification of "five months" seems remote, because so long as man lives in the world he is in natural thought, and natural thought derives its ideas from spaces and times and also from numbers and measures; for these are proper to nature, because all things in nature are determined by them; while spiritual thought is without any determinate idea of space, time, number, and measure. For this reason it seems remote and strange to a man in the world, that "five months" should signify so long as that state, that is, a state of the persuasion of falsity continues, for so long the understanding is darkened and drawn away from seeing truth; but when the persuasion of falsity is removed man comes into the faculty to see truth if he wishes to see it, for every man has this faculty.

[3] That "five" signifies in the Word somewhat and some, likewise all such, and like things, can be seen from the following passages. In Matthew:

Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven is like ten virgins, five of whom were prudent, and five foolish (Matthew 25:1, 2).

The Lord compared the kingdom of the heavens to ten virgins, because "the kingdom of the heavens" signifies the church, as does a "virgin;" and "ten virgins" signify all who are of the church; it is said that "five were prudent and five foolish," because "five" signifies some of them, or all who are such on the one part. That a "virgin" signifies the church can be seen from many passages in the Word where mention is made of "the virgin of Zion," "the virgin of Jerusalem," "the virgin of Israel," by whom the church is signified.

[4] "Ten" and "five" have a like signification in the Lord's parable of the nobleman who gave to his servants pounds to trade with:

And one from a pound gained ten pounds; and another from a pound gained five pounds; and they were therefore to have authority over so many cities (Luke 19:13-20).

The numbers "ten" and "five" are mentioned by the Lord, because "ten" signifies much, and "five" somewhat; while "their trading" signifies gaining or purchasing heavenly intelligence; and "authority over cities" signifies intelligence and wisdom, for "city" in the Word signifies doctrine, and "to have authority over it" signifies to be intelligent and wise; and "over ten cities" signifies much, and "over five" some.

[5] Again, some and all who are such, are signified by "five" in the Lord's parable of the rich man and Lazarus:

That the rich man told Abraham that he had five brethren, and asked that Lazarus might be sent to them (Luke 16:27, 28).

The rich man said that he had "five brethren" because "five" signifies all who are such. Likewise in the Lord's parable of those who were invited to the great supper:

That one excused himself because he had bought five yoke of oxen, and must go to prove them (Luke 14:19).

"Oxen" signify in the Word natural affections, and "five yoke of oxen" signify all those affections or desires that lead away from heaven; heaven and the church in regard to spiritual nourishment or instruction are signified by "the great supper" to which they were invited. Who cannot see that the number "five" in these four parables involves an arcanum, since it was employed by the Lord?

[6] Likewise in Isaiah:

In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak with the lips of Canaan, and that swear to Jehovah of Hosts. In that day there shall be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt (Isaiah 19:18, 19).

"In that day" signifies the Lord's coming; and "five cities in the land of Egypt speaking with the lips of Canaan" signifies that then some who are natural will become spiritual, and will acknowledge the truths of genuine doctrine, and will worship the Lord from the good of charity (this may be seen particularly explained above, n. 223. So here it is said "five cities," to mean some at that time, and also some truths of doctrine.

[7] In the same:

There shall be left in it gleanings, as in the shaking of an olive-tree, two three berries in the top of the bough, four five in the branches of the fruitful one (Isaiah 17:6).

And in Luke:

Jesus said, From henceforth there shall be five in one house divided three against two, and two against three (Luke 12:52).

That in these passages "five" signifies some, and all who are such, may be seen above (n. 532), where these passages are explained. There was a law given with the sons of Israel:

That whoever had stolen an ox, and had either killed it or sold it, should pay back five oxen (Exodus 22:1).

Here an "ox" means in the spiritual sense the good of the natural man; "to pay back five oxen for an ox" signifies that one should make sufficient amends for what he had perverted and extinguished; "to steal" means to take away, "to kill" to extinguish, and "to sell" to pervert.

[8] "The fifth part" also signifies as much as is sufficient, in Leviticus 5:16; 6:5; 22:14; 27:13, 15, 19, 27, 31; Numbers 5:6-8. Likewise:

The fifth part that Pharaoh took from the land of Egypt during the seven years of plenty (Genesis 41:34; 47:24).

Likewise:

At the fifth [rib] at which Abner smote Asahel with the hinder end of his spear (2 Samuel 2:23);

"at the fifth" signifying as much as was sufficient for death; for the same number that signifies somewhat, and all on the one part, signifies also as much as is sufficient, when it is predicated of quantity, and so long as, when it is predicated of time.

[9] As this number signifies somewhat, and all of one part, so it signifies also a little and a few whenever a great quantity that is also designated by numbers follows or precedes; for then all of one part is relatively a few. Thus in Isaiah:

One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee (Isaiah 30:17).

And in Moses:

Among the curses it was said that five should chase an hundred, and an hundred, ten thousand (Leviticus 26:8).

And in the Gospels:

That the Lord fed five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes (Matthew 14:15-22; Mark 6:38-43; Luke 9:13-16; John 6:9-13).

That they then took up "twelve baskets of fragments" signifies fullness, thus full instruction and full blessing.

[10] Again, "five" signifies few in Luke:

Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Fear not, therefore, ye are better than many sparrows (Luke 12:6, 7).

It is said "five sparrows" because fewness and what is of little value in comparison with men are meant, for it is afterwards said, "Ye are better than many sparrows." Anyone can see that this number would not have been mentioned so often by the Lord unless it had been significative. Because "five" signifies all of one part, it was commanded:

That over the tabernacle they should make ten curtains, and the five curtains should be coupled together one to another, and the other five curtains should be coupled one to another (Exodus 26:1, 3.

That "ten" signifies all in the whole complex, and "five" all of one and of the other part, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 9595, 9604).