Bible Strands
1 Samuel 17:7
The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. In addition, his shield bearer went before him.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Goliath stands before the battle lines of Israel and Judah, his full armor and weaponry detailed as he prepares to confront the opposing ranks.
The words — The Hebrew מְנוֹר (menor) literally means “beam,” describing the spear’s shaft as resembling a weaver’s loom beam. The phrase שֵׁשׁ מֵאֹת (shesh me’ot) translates directly to “six hundred,” specifying the weight of the iron point in shekels.
The thread — The weaver’s beam comparison reappears in 1 Chronicles 11:23 regarding an Egyptian warrior’s spear, and 1 Samuel 17:41 notes the shield bearer’s position as the champion advances. 2 Samuel 21:19 records a later Philistine battle at Gob involving a similarly described combatant.
Why it lands — The text records the physical dimensions and equipment of the Philistine champion to establish the scale of the impending conflict. It requires the reader to acknowledge the concrete reality of the threat before the narrative presents the resolution.
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 staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.
Cross-references
- 2 Samuel 21:19 Once again there was a battle with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan son of Jair the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.
- 1 Samuel 17:41 Now the Philistine came closer and closer to David, with his shield-bearer before him.
- 1 Chronicles 11:23 He also struck down an Egyptian, a huge man five cubits tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver’s beam in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club, snatched the spear from his hand, and killed the Egyptian with his own spear.
- 1 Chronicles 20:5 Once again there was a battle with the Philistines, and Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.