1 Samuel 17:38-40 Meaning: Why David Set Aside Saul's Armor
38Saul dressed David with his clothing. He put a helmet of bronze on his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail.
39David 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.” Then David took them off.
40He took his staff in his hand, and chose for himself five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag which he had. His sling was in his hand; and he came near to the Philistine.
38And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.
39And 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.
40And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.
38And Saul clad David with his apparel, and he put a helmet of brass upon his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail.
39And 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.
40And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had, even in his wallet; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.
38And Saul clotheth David with his long robe, and hath put a helmet of brass on his head, and doth clothe him with a coat of mail.
39And David girded his sword above his long robe, and beginneth to go, for he hath not tried it ; and David saith unto Saul, `I am not able to go with these, for I had not tried;' and David turneth them aside from off him.
40And he taketh his staff in his hand, and chooseth for him five smooth stones from the brook, and putteth them in the shepherds' habiliments that he hath, even in the scrip, and his sling is in his hand, and he draweth nigh unto the Philistine.
38And Saul clothed David with his dress, and put a helmet of bronze upon his head, and clothed him with a corselet.
39And David girded his sword upon his dress, and endeavoured to go; for he had not yet tried [it]. And David said to Saul, I cannot go in these; for I have never tried [them]. And David put them off him.
40And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the shepherd's bag that he had, into the pocket; and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine.
Meaning in one sentence
David tried Saul's armor but removed it, choosing his shepherd's staff and sling.
Context
David has just told Saul he will fight Goliath. The king, desperate for a champion, tries to outfit David with his own military gear, a bronze helmet, a coat of armor, and a sword. David straps them on and tries to walk, but he cannot move freely. He has never used such things. So he takes them off. Then he picks up his shepherd's staff, gathers five smooth stones from the stream, and carries only his sling as he walks toward the giant. The scene sits between David's declaration of faith, when he recalls how God delivered him from the lion and the bear, and Goliath's mocking of his boyish appearance. It is a hinge moment: a boy in royal armor trying to move, then choosing instead to be a shepherd with a sling.
Key Words
The Hebrew word for tested here is nasah, to put something to the proof, to try it out and know it works. David says he has not nasah the armor. He is not being stubborn or dramatic; he simply knows what he can trust. The word for took off the armor is sur, which means to turn aside or remove something that is in the way. David sets aside what would slow him down, not out of pride but out of honesty. And the stones are described as smooth, chalak, worn by water, ready to fly true from a sling. These are tools David has proved a thousand times guarding his father's sheep. The armor belonged to a king whose faith was failing. But the staff and sling belonged to a boy who had already seen God deliver him from the lion and the bear.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have long seen in this passage a lesson about relying on God's strength rather than human methods. Wesley notes that David chose the shepherd's staff because he had no skill with other arms. Matthew Henry suggests David's confidence came from faith, not from the weight of armor. Other readers point out that Saul's own faith had already wavered, and David was wise to avoid the trappings of a faltering king. Both traditions agree: David did not reject all preparation. He simply chose the tools God had already blessed in his life, and he walked forward trusting the Lord who had delivered him before.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers think David refused the armor out of a dramatic sense that God would fight without any human effort. In fact, David did not reject preparation. He carefully chose five smooth stones. He took his staff and his sling. The mistake is to think God's power means we do nothing. David did plenty, he just did what he knew how to do, trusting God to work through it. The problem was not the armor itself; it was that David had never proved it. He went with what he had proved.
Living This Out
This passage asks you a question this week: What armor are you wearing that does not fit? Maybe it is a method someone else swears by, a skill you envy but do not have, a way of being that was never meant for you. David's example invites you to set those things down. Not because preparation is wrong, but because God's deliverance comes through what He has already proved in your life. You may not be the most armored soldier, but you know your shepherd's staff. That is enough when God stands with you. Look back at what He has already done for you. That is what you carry into battle.
Main takeaway: We do not need to borrow someone else's armor when God has already proven His strength in the tools He has given us.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
David tried on heavy armor and a helmet, but he could hardly move. So he took it all off and picked up his shepherd's staff and his sling. He knew God would help him with what he already knew how to do.
For ages 9, 12
David refused Saul's armor because he had never practiced fighting in it. Instead, he chose five smooth stones from the stream and his sling, tools he had used for years protecting sheep. He trusted God to work through what he knew, not through what looked impressive. When you face something hard, you do not have to pretend to be someone else. God can use the experiences He has already given you.
Questions People Ask
Why did David take five stones if he only needed one?
The text does not say for certain. Some suggest he might have needed more for Goliath's relatives or simply wanted a reserve. What is clear is that David prepared thoughtfully within his own expertise, gathering what he knew would work.
What does the word 'tested' mean in the Hebrew?
It comes from the word nasah, meaning to put something to the proof, to try it out and know it can be trusted. David had not practiced with armor, so he did not trust it in battle.
Was David being disrespectful by taking off Saul's armor?
No. David explained politely: 'I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.' He was honest, not rude. He returned the armor respectfully and then used what he knew.
Does this story mean we should never plan or prepare?
Not at all. David prepared carefully, he chose his stones. But he prepared with tools God had already blessed in his life, rejecting methods that did not fit his call. Planning is good; pretending to be someone else is not.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study