Watch out Hollywood and Indiana Jones for we are on a quest to find out all we can regarding the sword of the Philistine giant, Goliath. Jesus provides our first clue in Matthew 12:3; Mark 2:25; and Luke 6:3 when He asked the Pharisees, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?"

Jesus continued to respond to the Pharisees in Matthew 12:4 where we read, "He [David] entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread--which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests." You may be asking yourself, "So, what does David eating the consecrated shewbread have to do with the sword of Goliath?" This question leads us to our next clue where we embark on reading 1 Samuel 21:1-9.

Jesus, in the gospel accounts mentioned above, made reference to the 21st chapter of 1st Samuel. It is there where we read about David who has run away from King Saul and now arrives in the town of Nob. David met the priest, Ahimelech, and asked him for food. Ahimelech agreed to give David and his companions some of the consecrated shewbread. This act of kindness would later cost Ahimelech and the other priests of Nob their lives. (See 1 Samuel 22:9-19.)

In Exodus 25:30 we read, "Put the bread of the Presence [consecrated shewbread] on this table before Me at all times." The twelve loaves of bread were replaced weekly and only the priests were allowed to eat the "week old" bread. (See Leviticus 24:5-9.)

David was like an outlaw on the run. He ate the priests' food and then had the nerve to ask for a weapon. In 1 Samuel 21:8 we read, "David asked Ahimelech, 'Don't you have a spear or a sword here? I haven't brought my sword or any other weapon, because the king's business was urgent.'" Of course, we know David was lying regarding the king's business; however, Ahimelech did give David the sword of Goliath.

In 1 Samuel 21:9 we read, "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 it, take it; there is no sword here but that one.' David said, 'There is none like it; give it to me.'" Thus, David was again reunited with the sword, which had once belonged to Goliath.

Our next clue is found in the words of Ahimelech. "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah." To get the full impact of these words we must take a spiritual journey back, in time, to the Valley of Elah. In 1st Samuel chapter 17 we read of when David fought and killed Goliath.
In 1 Samuel 17:7 we read, "His [Goliath's] spear shaft was like a weaver's rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels." This weapon clearly was much more than your every day pocket knife.

David used the sword to cut off Goliath's head. (See 1 Samuel 17:51.) And in
1 Samuel 17:54 we read, "David took the Philistine's head and brought it to Jerusalem, and he put the Philistine's weapons in his own tent." The Bible is unclear as to how Goliath's sword got from David's tent to the house of God. It also does not state what happened after David acquired it in Nob. However, in our quest to find out all we could about Goliath's sword I hope your eyes have been opened to many Spiritual truths.

We have learned of the physical characteristics; it was a large weapon with the shaft bearing the resemblance of a weaver's rod. The iron point alone weighed six hundred shekels or about 15 pounds. This sword was indeed a deadly instrument; yet may we never forget the powerful and wise words of the young lad, David. In 1 Samuel 17:45 we read, "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 Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied."

I pray that we would also seek to truly understand Jesus' own words as we meditate upon Matthew 12:8, Mark 2:28, and Luke 6:5 as it is written, "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." Amen.