162
Comp. Delitzsch, Comm. u. d. Psalter, vol. 1, p. 601; Hofmann, Schriftbeweis, vol. 1, pp. 188, 189. If the
expression, "evil spirit," had been intended to convey that it was a spirit in itself evil, Saul's servants would
have scarcely spoken of him as in 1 Samuel 16:15.
163
Our Authorised Version renders the word used in 1 Samuel 16:15, 16, 17, and that in ver. 18 alike by
"servants." But the original marks that the former were the courtiers and officials around Saul, while in ver.
18 it is "one of the lads" -belonging to the cla ss of man-servants.
164
So ver. 18, literally.
165
The text has it, that David was made "armor-bearer" to Saul. Probably the rank was little more than
nominal. We know that in military monarchies, such as in Russia, every civil official has also a nominal
military rank.
166
This measurement is of course approximative, as we are not quite sure of the exact equivalent of Hebrew
measures and weights. Pliny mentions an Arab giant who measured exactly the same as Goliath, and a man
and a woman in the time of Augustus who were even an inch taller (Hist. Nat., 7. 16). Josephus speaks of a
Jew who was even taller (Ant., 18. 4, 5); and Keil refers to a giant of nearly the same proportions who visited
Berlin in 1859. The LXX. however, characteristically change the measurement from six to four cubits.
167
A corselet of this kind, belonging to Rameses III., is in the British Museum.
168
A mediaeval corselet preserved in Dresden weighs more than a third of that of Goliath, which seems
proportionate to his size.
169
This is the meaning of the word, and not "target," as in our Authorised Version.
170
The expression, ver. 18, "take a pledge of them," need not, as by most commentators, be taken literally,
but may be a figurative expression for bringing back an assurance of their welfare.
171
"Ten cheeses," or rather, "cuts of curdled milk;" possibly resembling our so-called cream-cheese.
172
There is considerable difficulty about the text as it now stands. That the narrative is strictly historical
cannot be doubted. But, on the other hand, vers. 12-14, and still more vers. 55-58, read as if the writer had
inserted this part of his narrative from some other source, perhaps from a special chronicle of the event. The
LXX. solve the difficulty by simply leaving out vers. 12-31, and again vers. 55-58; that is, they boldly treat
that part as an interpolation; and it must be confessed that the narrative reads easier without it. And yet, on
the other hand, if these verses are interpolated, the work has been clumsily done; and it is not easy to see
how any interpolator would not have at once seen the difficulties which he created, especially by the
addition of vers. 55- 58. Besides, the account, vers. 12-31, not only fits in very well with the rest of the
narrative - bating some of the expressions in vers. 12- 14 - but also bears the evident impress of truthfulness.
The drastic method in which the LXX. dealt with the text, so early as about two centuries before Christ, at
least proves that, even at that time, there were strong doubts about the genuineness of the text. All this
leads to the suggestion, that somehow the text may have become corrupted, and that later copyists may
have tried emendations and additions, by way of removing difficulties, which, as might be expected in such
a case, would only tend to increase them. On the whole, therefore, we are inclined to the opinion that, while
the narrative itself is strictly authentic, the text, as we possess it, is seriously corrupted in some of the
expressions, especially in the concluding verses of the chapter. At the same time it should be added, that its
correctness has been defended by very able critics.
173
The same term is used in 1 Samuel 17:38, 39; Judges 3:16; 2 Samuel 20:8. But I cannot see how (as in The
Speaker's Commentary, vol. 2, p. 325) it can be supposed to comprise "the sword, bow, and girdle." These
three are expressly connected with it by a threefold repetition of the expression, "even to."