1 Samuel 17:43

⁴¹ Now the Philistine came closer and closer to David, with his shield-bearer before him.

⁴² When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him because he was just a boy, ruddy and handsome.

“Am I a dog,” he said to David, “that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

⁴⁴ “Come here,” he called to David, “and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!”

⁴⁵ But David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: “Am I a dog,” he said to David, “that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
KJV: And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
WEB: The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” The Philistine cursed David by his gods.
ASV: And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
DARBY: And the Philistine said to David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
BLB: And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you would come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

ÅB: Og filisteren sa til David: Er jeg en hund, siden du kommer mot meg med kjepper? Og filisteren bante David ved sin gud.
OTB: Filisteren sa til David: "Er jeg en hund, siden du kommer til meg med staver?" Og han forbannet David ved sine guder.
B1930: Og filisteren sa til David: Er jeg en hund, siden du kommer mot mig med kjepper? Og filisteren bante David ved sin gud.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

2 Samuel 9:8
Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog like me?”
Read in context
2 Samuel 3:8
Abner was furious over Ish-bosheth’s accusation. “Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah?” he asked. “All this time I have been loyal to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends. I have not delivered you into the hand of David, but now you accuse me of wrongdoing with this woman!
Read in context
1 Samuel 24:14
Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?
Read in context
2 Kings 8:13
“But how could your servant, a mere dog, do such a monstrous thing?” said Hazael. And Elisha answered, “The LORD has shown me that you will be king over Aram.”
Read in context
Proverbs 26:2
Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
Read in context
Genesis 27:29
May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. May you be the master of your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed.”
Read in context
2 Samuel 16:9
Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head!”
Read in context
Numbers 22:6
So please come now and put a curse on this people, because they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.”
Read in context