What Does 1 Samuel 17:50 Mean in the King James?

So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.

1 Samuel 17:50 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

The Hebrew verb for David’s prevailing shares the root of being strong and strengthening, while the verse makes clear that the expected sword is not in his hand.

THE MEANING

The verse places prevailing beside unexpected means: David uses a sling and stone, and no sword is in his hand. It also keeps the violence plain, he strikes the Philistine and kills him.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

The belief this verse undoes is that prevailing requires the expected weapon; David prevails without a sword in his hand.

THE ROOT

וַיֶּחֱזַק

wayyeḥĕzaq

GROWS FROM

חזק

To be strong or firm; to strengthen.

The word translated “prevailed” belongs to the same root as words for being strong and strengthening. English can make the victory sound like a simple outcome; the Hebrew also names strength taking hold, even though the expected sword is absent.

ALSO GROWS

ḥāzāq: Strong, firm.

חָזָק

This adjective shares the root ⁨חזק⁩ and gives “prevailed” the sense of strength or firmness.

ḥizzēq: Strengthened; made strong.

חִזֵּק

This verb shares the root ⁨חזק⁩ and shows that the same root can describe strength being imparted as well as being present.

חֶרֶב

ḥerev

GROWS FROM

חרב

A word family associated with the sword and with becoming dry or desolate.

The consonants ⁨חרב⁩ connect the sword in this verse with Hebrew words for dryness and desolation. The sword is absent from David’s hand, but the verse does not hide the violence of the victory he wins.

ALSO GROWS

ḥārēv: Dry or desolate.

חָרֵב

It shares all three consonants, ⁨חרב⁩, with ⁨חֶרֶב⁩, the sword named in the verse.

ḥōrev: Dryness or desolation.

חֹרֶב

This noun shares the same consonants and adds the word family’s association with ruin.

THE PATTERN

Prevailing is not tied to the expected instrument: the text can name an unlikely means and still state the victory plainly.

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

Zechariah 4:6 · KJVThe verse locates the outcome beyond the familiar measures of might and power.

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

1 Corinthians 1:27 · KJVWhat appears weak or unlikely can overturn what appears mighty.

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2 Corinthians 12:9 · KJVThe verse places strength alongside weakness rather than making strength depend on visible force.

THE THREAD

And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hands.

1 Samuel 17:47 · KJV

The same Hebrew word ⁨חֶרֶב⁩ (ḥerev, sword) appears in the declaration that the LORD does not deliver by sword and spear. Verse 50 makes the sword’s absence visible in David’s hand while naming the sling, the stone, and the killing plainly.

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