1 Samuel 17:39 nasb — David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So David said to Saul, "I cannot g…

NASB

"David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them." And David took them off."

— 1 Samuel 17:39, NASB

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1 Samuel 17:39 in Other Translations

7 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.”

  • ASV

    “And David girded his sword upon his apparel, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him. ”

  • WEB

    “David strapped his sword on his clothing, and he tried to move; for he had not tested it. David said to Saul, "I can't go with these; for I have not tested them." David took them off.”

  • NET

    “David strapped on his sword over his fighting attire and tried to walk around, but he was not used to them. David said to Saul,“I can’t walk in these things, for I’m not used to them.” So David removed them.”

  • DRB

    “And David having girded his sword upon his armour, began to try if he could walk in armour: for he was not accustomed to it. And David said to Saul: I cannot go thus, for I am not used to it. And he laid them off,”

  • BBE

    “And David took Saul's sword and put the band round him over the metal coat, and was unable to go forward; for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, It is not possible for me to go out with these, for I am not used to them. So David took them off.”

  • KJVA

    “And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.”

1 Samuel 17 — Context

36

"Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God."

37

And David said, "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and may the LORD be with you."

38

Then Saul clothed David with his garments and put a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with armor.

39

David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them." And David took them off.

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.

41

Then the Philistine came on and approached David, with the shield-bearer in front of him.

42

When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance.

1 Samuel 17:39 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 1 Samuel 17:39 say?
1 Samuel 17:39 in the NASB reads: “David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them." And David took them off.”
Where is 1 Samuel 17:39 in the Bible?
1 Samuel 17:39 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 17, verse 39.
Who wrote 1 Samuel?
1 Samuel is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Samuel, Nathan, and Gad). It was written c. 930–722 BC.
What is the book of 1 Samuel about?
1 Samuel marks Israel's transition from judges to kings. It traces the births and ministries of the prophet Samuel, the rise and tragic fall of Saul as Israel's first king, and the anointing of the shepherd boy David, whose faith makes him a man after God's own heart.
What are the major themes of 1 Samuel?
1 Samuel explores themes including Kingship, Prophet, Faith vs. Fear, God's Sovereign Choice, Anointing. These themes shape the meaning and context of 1 Samuel 17:39.
What translation should I read 1 Samuel 17:39 in?
1 Samuel 17:39 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 1 Samuel 17:39?
1 Samuel 17:39 reads (NASB): “David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them." And David took them off.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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