1 Samuel 17:54
New International Version
David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem; he put the Philistine’s weapons in his own tent.

New Living Translation
(David took the Philistine’s head to Jerusalem, but he stored the man’s armor in his own tent.)

English Standard Version
And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.

Berean Standard Bible
David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, and he put Goliath’s weapons in his own tent.

King James Bible
And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.

New King James Version
And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.

New American Standard Bible
And David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his weapons in his tent.

NASB 1995
Then David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his weapons in his tent.

NASB 1977
Then David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his weapons in his tent.

Legacy Standard Bible
And David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his weapons in his tent.

Amplified Bible
Then David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his weapons in his tent.

Christian Standard Bible
David took Goliath’s head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put Goliath’s weapons in his own tent.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
David took Goliath’s head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put Goliath’s weapons in his own tent.

American Standard Version
And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent.

Contemporary English Version
David took Goliath's head to Jerusalem, but he kept Goliath's weapons in his own tent.

English Revised Version
And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
David took the Philistine's head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he kept Goliath's armor in his tent.

Good News Translation
David got Goliath's head and took it to Jerusalem, but he kept Goliath's weapons in his own tent.

International Standard Version
David took the Philistine's head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put Goliath's weapons in his tent.

Majority Standard Bible
David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, and he put Goliath’s weapons in his own tent.

NET Bible
David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, and he put Goliath's weapons in his tent.

New Heart English Bible
David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent.

Webster's Bible Translation
And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent.

World English Bible
David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And David takes the head of the Philistine, and brings it to Jerusalem, and he has put his weapons in his own tent.

Young's Literal Translation
And David taketh the head of the Philistine, and bringeth it in to Jerusalem, and his weapons he hath put in his own tent.

Smith's Literal Translation
And David will take the head of the rover, and bring it to Jerusalem; and he put his utensils in his tent.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And David taking the head of the Philistine brought it to Jerusalem: but his armour he put in his tent.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then David, taking up the head of the Philistine, brought it to Jerusalem. Yet truly, he placed his armor in his own tent.

New American Bible
David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem; but he kept Goliath’s armor in his own tent.

New Revised Standard Version
David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, and his armor he put in his tent
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And David took the head of the philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David Slays Goliath
53When the Israelites returned from their pursuit of the Philistines, they plundered their camps. 54David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, and he put Goliath’s weapons in his own tent. 55As Saul had watched David going out to confront the Philistine, he said to Abner the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?” “As surely as you live, O king,” Abner replied, “I do not know.”…

Cross References
1 Samuel 21:9
The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want, you may take it. For there is no other but this one here.” And David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.”

1 Samuel 18:6-7
As the troops were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs, and with tambourines and other instruments. / And as the women danced, they sang out: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”

2 Samuel 5:7
Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the City of David).

2 Samuel 21:9
And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill before the LORD. So all seven of them fell together; they were put to death in the first days of the harvest, at the beginning of the barley harvest.

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 Chronicles 11:4-5
Then David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus), where the Jebusites inhabited the land. / The people of Jebus said to David, “You will never get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the City of David).

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.

1 Kings 8:1
At that time Solomon assembled before him in Jerusalem the elders of Israel—all the tribal heads and family leaders of the Israelites—to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Zion, the City of David.

2 Kings 11:10
Then the priest gave to the commanders of hundreds the spears and shields of King David from the house of the LORD.

Psalm 78:68
But He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved.

Psalm 132:13
For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His home:

Matthew 21:9
The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed were shouting: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”

Matthew 21:15
But the chief priests and scribes were indignant when they saw the wonders He performed and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”

Mark 11:9-10
The ones who went ahead and those who followed were shouting: “Hosanna!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” / “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest!”

Luke 1:32
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,


Treasury of Scripture

And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent.

took the head

1 Samuel 21:9
And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.

Exodus 16:33
And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations.

Joshua 4:7,8
Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever…

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Armor Armour Arms David Head Jerusalem Metal Philistine Philistine's Tent War-Dress Weapons
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Armor Armour Arms David Head Jerusalem Metal Philistine Philistine's Tent War-Dress Weapons
1 Samuel 17
1. The armies of the Israelites and Philistines being ready to battle
4. Goliath challenges a combat
12. David, sent by his father to visit his brothers, takes the challenge
28. Eliab chides him
30. He is brought to Saul
32. shows the reason of his confidence
38. and slays the giant
55. Saul takes notice of David














David took the head of the Philistine
This phrase highlights David's victory over Goliath, the Philistine giant. The act of taking the head signifies complete triumph and serves as a tangible proof of God's deliverance. In ancient Near Eastern culture, displaying the head of a defeated enemy was a common practice to demonstrate victory and instill fear in adversaries. David's action here is not just a personal victory but a testament to the power of God working through him. The Hebrew root for "took" (לָקַח, laqach) implies a deliberate and authoritative action, underscoring David's role as God's chosen instrument.

and brought it to Jerusalem
At this time, Jerusalem was not yet the political and spiritual center of Israel, as it would become under David's reign. This act of bringing Goliath's head to Jerusalem is prophetic, foreshadowing the city's future significance. It symbolizes the eventual unification of Israel under David's kingship and the establishment of Jerusalem as the capital. Historically, this act can be seen as a strategic move to rally the tribes of Israel around a common victory and future hope.

and he put Goliath’s weapons in his own tent
By placing Goliath's weapons in his tent, David is making a personal claim to the spoils of victory. The tent, in this context, represents David's personal space and future leadership. The Hebrew word for "tent" (אֹהֶל, ohel) often signifies a dwelling place or temporary shelter, but here it also symbolizes David's emerging authority and the beginning of his journey from shepherd to king. The act of keeping the weapons can be seen as a reminder of God's faithfulness and the miraculous nature of the victory, serving as a personal testament to God's provision and protection.

(54) The head of the Philistine.--There is no real difficulty here, for although the fortress of Jebus, on Mount Zion, was in the hands of the Jebusites, and continued to be so until David captured the stronghold, many years later, the city of Jerusalem already belonged to the Israelites. (See Joshua 15:63; Judges 1:21.) This "place of arms" was naturally selected for the home of the famous trophy, being the nearest stronghold to the scene of the victory.

But he put his armour in his tent.--Ohel, the Hebrew word rendered here "tent," is the ancient word for "dwelling." If we understand that David kept for the present the armour of his mighty adversary, we must suppose he took it to his dwelling at Bethlehem, and after a time presented it to the sanctuary at Nob. In 1Samuel 21:9 we read of the "sword of Goliath wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod." Abarbanel, however, with great probability, believes that by the expression "in his tent" the "tabernacle of Jehovah" is meant--"His tabernacle," so termed pointedly by the compiler of the history, because David, in later days, with great ceremony, "pitched it" in his own city (2Samuel 6:17). In Acts 15:16 the writer of this New Testament Book expressly calls the sacred tent "the Tabernacle of David." . . .

Verse 54. - David...brought it to Jerusalem. This is an anticipation of later history. The Jebusites at this time held Jerusalem; but when David had taken it from them, he removed the head of Goliath thither, and the narrator, following the usual custom of Hebrew historians, mentions the ultimate fate of this trophy here (see on 1 Samuel 16:21). He put his armour in his tent. I.e. he carried it to his home (see on 1 Samuel 2:35; 4:10; 13:2, etc.), where it became his private property. The mistranslation of camp by tents in ver. 53 might lead an English reader to suppose that it meant a tent in the camp of Israel; but most probably the men all slept under their wagons. Abravanel supposes that by David's tent was meant the tabernacle of Jehovah, but this would surely have been stated more fully. Either, however, now, or at some later period, David must have presented the sword as an offering to the tabernacle, as it was laid up at Nob, whence he took it with him in his flight (see 1 Samuel 21:9). SAUL'S INQUIRY CONCERNING DAVID'S PARENTAGE (vers. 55-58).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
David
דָּוִד֙ (dā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

took
וַיִּקַּ֤ח (way·yiq·qaḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

the head
רֹ֣אשׁ (rōš)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7218: The head

of the Philistine
הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔י (hap·pə·liš·tî)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6430: Philistines -- inhabitants of Philistia

and brought
וַיְבִאֵ֖הוּ (way·ḇi·’ê·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

it to Jerusalem,
יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם (yə·rū·šā·lim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel

but
וְאֶת־ (wə·’eṯ-)
Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

he put
שָׂ֥ם (śām)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

Goliath’s weapons
כֵּלָ֖יו (kê·lāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3627: Something prepared, any apparatus

in his own tent.
בְּאָהֳלֽוֹ׃ (bə·’ā·ho·lōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 168: A tent


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OT History: 1 Samuel 17:54 David took the head of the Philistine (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 17:53
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