1 Samuel 17:38

38 Then Saul gave David his own armor—a bronze helmet and a coat of mail.

1 Samuel 17:38 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 17:38

And Saul armed David with his armour
Not with what he wore himself; for it cannot be thought he would strip himself of his armour in the field of battle, and when just going to it; and besides what suited the one would not be fit for the other, their bulk and stature being different i but this was some armour Saul had brought with him, besides what he himself wore, to furnish any with that might want it:

and he put an helmet of brass upon his head;
such an one, though not so large as Goliath had, these being usually made of brass; (See Gill on 1 Samuel 17:5);

also he armed him with a coat of mail;
which probably was of brass also, and like that of Goliath's too, only lesser, ( 1 Samuel 17:5 ) .

1 Samuel 17:38 In-Context

36 I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God!

37 The LORD who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the LORD be with you!”

38 Then Saul gave David his own armor—a bronze helmet and a coat of mail.

39 David put it on, strapped the sword over it, and took a step or two to see what it was like, for he had never worn such things before. “I can’t go in these,” he protested to Saul. “I’m not used to them.” So David took them off again.

40 He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine.