New American Standard Bible 1995

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1 Samuel

Note Journal Prayer

17

:

40

“

He took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
He took to take Verb H3947 וַיִּקַּ֨ח vai·yik·kach
his stick a rod, staff Noun H4731 מַקְלֹ֜ו mak·lov
in his hand hand Noun H3027 בְּיָדֹ֗ו be·ya·dov
and chose to choose Verb H977 וַיִּבְחַר־ vai·yiv·char-
for himself five five Noun H2568 חֲמִשָּׁ֣ה cha·mi·shah
Analysis:

Five: Incompletion or lacking

For a person to understand the meaning of the number “five”, one must first realize that the meaning of the number ten is completion or wholeness. Since five is half of ten, the idea is that the number five represents incompletion or that which is lacking. A Scripture that expresses this idea is found in the book of John. At a place called Beit Chesed (Bethesda), there was a pool whose waters healed the sick. The reader is told that around the pool there were five porches. It is stated that on these five porches laid individuals who were not whole. Some were paralyzed and the rest of them had a variety of health problems. It is not a chance happening that these people who were lacking their health were on five porches. Another well-known passage that contains the number five is found in I Samuel 17. In the account of David and Goliath, David picks up five stones (see I Samuel 17:40). Why is the reader told the specific number and not simply that David had gathered a few stones? The answer is to assist the reader in understanding that the stone, which David hurled at Goliath, was not the source of victory. Rather, this was only the means that God used to accomplish His victory. In other words, the stone and even David, who hurled this stone at Goliath, were insufficient to bring about this victory.

One of the first places where the idea of "lacking" or "incompleteness" is seen regarding the number five is in the book of Genesis. In chapter 18, two angels are sent to Sodom to destroy the city. God tells Abraham that if 50 righteous people are found in the city, then the city will be free of this punishment (We will learn that the number 50 is related to freedom when this number is studied). This is revealed to Abraham and he responds saying, perhaps the city will lack 50 righteous people by five. It is significant that Abraham uses the number five when referring to the city lacking enough righteous people. 

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smooth smooth Noun H2512 חַלֻּקֵֽי־ chal·lu·kei-
stones a stone Noun H68 אֲבָנִ֣ים a·va·nim
from the brook, torrent, torrent-valley, wadi Noun H5158 הַנַּ֡חַל han·na·chal
and put to put, place, set Verb H7760 וַיָּ֣שֶׂם vai·ya·sem
them in the shepherd's to pasture, tend, graze Verb H7462 הָרֹעִ֧ים ha·ro·'im
bag an article, utensil, vessel Noun H3627 בִּכְלִ֨י bich·li
which who, which, that Particle H834 אֲשֶׁר־ a·sher-
he had, even in [his] pouch, receptacle, perhaps a wallet Noun H3219 וּבַיַּלְק֖וּט u·vai·yal·kut
and his sling a sling Noun H7050 וְקַלְּעֹ֣ו ve·kal·le·'ov
was in his hand; hand Noun H3027 בְיָדֹ֑ו ve·ya·dov;
and he approached to draw near, approach Verb H5066 וַיִּגַּ֖שׁ vai·yig·gash
the Philistine. inhab. of Philistia Adjective H6430 הַפְּלִשְׁתִּֽי׃ hap·pe·lish·ti.

Locations

Put

PUTput (puT; Phoud, in Genesis and Chronicles, variant for Genesis Phout, for Chronicles, Phouth):1. Renderings:In consequence of the identification at the time, the prophets have "Libya" (Libues), except Nab 3:9, where the Greek renders the word as phuge, "flight." The Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) has "Phut," "Phuth," and in the Prophets "Li... View Details

People

Put

a son of Ham, also his desc. and their land

Parallel Verses

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Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 He took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.
King James Bible He And he took his stick staff in his hand hand, and chose for himself him five smooth stones from out of the brook, and put them in the a shepherd's bag which he had, even in his pouch, a scrip; and his sling was in his hand; hand: and he approached drew near to the Philistine.
Hebrew Greek English He took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.