Bible Strands
1 Samuel 17:42
When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him because he was just a boy, ruddy and handsome.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The Philistine champion advances toward David on the battlefield and fixes his gaze on the young shepherd before combat begins.
The words — The narrative records וַ/יִּבְזֵ֑/הוּ (va/i.yiv.Ze./hu), meaning "and he despised him," directly following the observation that David was merely a boy, ruddy and handsome.
The thread — This visual dismissal connects to David’s physical description in 1 Samuel 16:12, Saul’s warning in 1 Samuel 17:33, and the broader scriptural pattern of God’s people enduring scorn as seen in Psalms 123:3.
Why it lands — The text states that physical youth and attractiveness prompted contempt, requiring the reader to confront how human judgment dismisses divine appointments based on superficial metrics.
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 when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 16:12 So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”
- 1 Samuel 17:33 But Saul replied, “You cannot go out against this Philistine to fight him. You are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”
- Psalms 123:3 Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy, for we have endured much contempt.
- Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
- 2 Corinthians 11:27 in labor and toil and often without sleep, in hunger and thirst and often without food, in cold and exposure.
- 1 Kings 20:18 “If they have marched out in peace,” he said, “take them alive. Even if they have marched out for war, take them alive.”
- 2 Kings 18:23 Now, therefore, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you two thousand horses—if you can put riders on them!
- Nehemiah 4:2 before his associates and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore the wall by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?”