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Hello again: thanks for joining me here! This week, the Spirit worked with me to focus on three key repeated concepts, a handful of special statements, and three lists. Let’s look at them now.

Last Week’s Work

REPETITION

The first repeated concept I noticed was the conflict between Israel and the Philistines. It’s the backdrop of all the action involving David and his brothers. I discovered four synonyms: fighting (v19), battle (vv20-21, 47-48), war (vv20, 33), and fight (vv32-33). I didn’t learn how the conflict began, but the Spirit pointed out David talked to King Saul about his plan to fight Goliath, and Saul quickly tried to dissuade him (vv32-33)… but Saul changed his mind when David asserted that the LORD would deliver him (v37).

Next, the word host got my attention. In vv20 and 46 it seems to refer first to Israel’s army (v20), and then the Philistine army. The author also used army/armies (v21/vv26, 36), and ranks (vv22-23) to denote these two fighting forces. In addition, David invoked the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel in v45. This verse led me to the connection between army and host, and made me wonder if one of those armies of Israel is heavenly? I’m not sure I’ll be able to confirm that, but I’m sure it will be interesting to dig into!

Finally, I saw some repetition with deliver/delivered (vv35, 37, 46). As I considered those verbs, the Spirit helped me see that God, in His goodness, chose a boy making a delivery for his earthly father to be the conduit through which our Heavenly Father delivered his sons, Israel, from the Philistines. That gave me goosebumps!!

SPECIAL STATEMENTS

I noted four promises:

• Goliath’s “promise” to Israel’s army: If [your warrior] is able to fight … and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if [he dies], then you shall be our servants…” (v9).
• King Saul’s three promises to Goliath’s killer:
  (1) great riches,
  (2) [the king’s] daughter [in marriage], and
  (3) [the champion’s] father’s house would be free (v25).
• David’s promise to King Saul:
  (1) [I] will go and fight with this Philistine (v32),
  (2) … this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of [the predators I’ve struck down] (v36),
  (3) The LORD … will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine (v37).
• David’s “promise” to Goliath:
  (1) This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand,
  (2) I will strike you down and cut off your head,
  (3) I will give the [Philistine army’s] dead bodies … this day to the birds … and … beasts of the earth (v46).
  NOTE: vv9 and 46 could probably also be considered warnings.

LISTS

In addition to the enumerated lists under the last three promises above, the Spirit showed me David’s battle equipment (v40):
(1) his staff,
(2) five stones, and
(3) his sling.

These present an interesting contrast (more on that next week) to Goliath’s arms (v45):
(1) a sword,
(2) a spear, and
(3) a javelin.

Dig-In Challenges

This week, let’s wrap up Step 3 by:

1. PRAYING the prayer we wrote for Step 1.
2. MINING comparisons by reading through the passage again looking for certain statements in or related to your focus verses. These may be statements of similarity featuring key words such as like, as, so, is, are, or of; qualitative comparisons indicating how one item is more or less than another; and/or contrasts that highlight or discuss how one concept differs from another.
3. MINING: Next, look for causes or motives by focusing on key words or phrases I call cause connectors. In the ESV translation of this study text, look for the connectors because, for (meaning because), that (meaning so that), and to (meaning in order to). Then check the text surrounding the connector for an action and the reason or explanation for that action. For example: in the sentence,
   I went to the store, for I was out of milk:
   the action = I went to the store     for [because]    the reason = I was out of milk.
   NOTE: the words for, to, and that don’t always connect actions and reasons. To determine if they do here, read the sentences containing them while substituting the word because in place of for, or the phrases in order to (in place of to) and so that (in place of that). If the sentence(s) created from this exercise make(s) sense and mean(s) the same as the original, look for the action statement before the for, to, or that and the stated reason after the for, to, or that.
4. MINING: Finally, see if you can find any conditions for action in this narrative, and/or descriptions of how action happens or should happen.
   – For example, does the text say if or when a certain condition exists, some action takes place?
   And/or
   – Does the author describe a method or process (for example, specific steps) taken to achieve something?
   Or
   – Does he indicate how action is accomplished more generally by or through attributes or actions (e.g., saved by grace, through faith (Ephesians 2:8))?
   Finally,
   – Does the text include any adverbs (typically words ending in –ly) that describe how action happens?
   

These exercises are a bit more involved, but I’m confident you can do this with the Holy Spirit! Don’t forget to check your How to Dig Into Scripture Ourselves guide, and you can always reach out to me at [email protected] if you have questions.