What Does 1 Samuel 17:5 Mean in the King James?
And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Goliath’s armor is a garment of scales, and its stated weight makes protection a covering the body must bear.
THE MEANING
The verse shows protection worn on the body: a helmet over the head and scaled armor over the torso. Its precise weight makes the covering tangible; what guards the body is also something the body carries.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The assumption that protection is weightless: this armor covers the body, and its burden is measured.
THE ROOT
לָבוּשׁ
lāvūš
GROWS FROM
לבשׁ
L-B-Sh
to wear, clothe
“armed” in this verse is lāvūš. The Hebrew says he is clothed in armor: שִׁרְיוֹן קַשְׂקַשִּׂים (shiryon qasqassim, armor of scales). The root לבשׁ (lavash, to clothe or wear) connects battle defense to the ordinary act of dressing: this protection is a covering on a body.
ALSO GROWS
lāvaš: to wear, put on clothing
לָבַשׁ
The verb names the act expressed here: Goliath wears his armor.
levuš: garment, clothing
לְבוּשׁ
This branch makes the armor legible as something worn over the body.
מִשְׁקַל
mišqal
GROWS FROM
שקל
Sh-Q-L
to weigh, measure by weight
The verse gives the armor’s מִשְׁקַל (mishqal, weight) in שְׁקָלִים (sheqalim, shekels), words from the root שקל (shaqal, to weigh). The numerical detail makes the covering a measured burden, not only an image of strength.
ALSO GROWS
šeqel: shekel, a unit of weight
שֶׁקֶל
The armor’s burden is counted in this weight unit.
mišqal: weight, measure by weight
מִשְׁקָל
This is the word used for the armor’s stated heaviness.
THE PATTERN
Scripture presents protection as something put onto the body, a covering that is worn.
And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.THE THREAD
For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.Isaiah uses the same לבשׁ (lavash, clothe or wear) root in “put on” and “was clad.” The root links Goliath’s scaled armor to a wider scriptural image: protection is a covering worn on a body.
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