The staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron.† His shield bearer went before him.
THE SURROUNDING PASSAGE
1 Samuel 17:7 in context
1 Samuel 17:4–10
5
He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he wore a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze.
6
He had bronze shin armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders.
7
Selected verse
The staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron.† His shield bearer went before him.
8
He stood and cried to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to set your battle in array? Am I not a Philistine, and you servants to Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.
9
If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then will we be your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you will be our servants and serve us.”
10
The Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel today! Give me a man, that we may fight together!”
Source notes
Notes from World English Bible Updated
- A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces, so 600 shekels is about 6 kilograms or about 13 pounds.
Continue with 1 Samuel 17
Read the complete chapter in World English Bible Updated.
Open 1 Samuel 17