Bible Strands
1 Samuel 17:27
The people told him about the offer, saying, “That is what will be done for the man who kills him.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Israelite soldiers relay the king’s reward offer to David after he publicly questions who will defeat the Philistine champion. This exchange occurs in the Valley of Elah while the opposing armies remain paralyzed by fear.
The words — The Hebrew phrase כֹּה יֵעָשֶׂה (koh ye'aseh) literally translates to “thus it will be done,” affirming the certainty of the promised reward. The verb יֵעָשֶׂה (ye'aseh) functions as a passive form indicating that the authorities will execute the action.
The thread — This confirmation directly references the earlier proclamation recorded in 1 Samuel 17:25. The phrasing reinforces the legal weight of military promises within the broader covenant narrative of Israel’s monarchy.
Why it lands — The verse demands recognition that faithful action operates within established human structures of reward and accountability. It requires the reader to acknowledge that decisive steps are met with concrete, documented commitment rather than abstract encouragement.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 17:25 Now the men of Israel had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out to defy Israel? To the man who kills him the king will give great riches. And he will give him his daughter in marriage and exempt his father’s house from taxation in Israel.”