1 Samuel 17:47

And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.

Cross-references

1 Samuel 14:6 says 'nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few'—same confidence in God's power.

1 Samuel 13:22 Historical context

1 Samuel 13:22 notes that on battle day no sword or spear was found with Saul's men — illustrating the very situation David says the Lord overcomes.

In 1 Samuel 18:17, Saul uses the same phrase 'fight the LORD's battles' from David's declaration, but with ulterior motives.

In 1 Samuel 25:28, Abigail echoes David's statement about fighting the LORD's battles, affirming his divine mission.

Psalm 33:16 Parallel

Psalm 33:16 declares that no king is saved by army size—directly matching David's statement that salvation is not by sword or spear.

Romans 8:31 Related theme

Romans 8:31 affirms that if God is for us, no one can prevail — reinforcing David's confidence that the Lord gives the enemy into his hand.

In Zechariah 4:6, the same principle is stated explicitly: victory comes 'not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit' — echoing David's declaration that the battle is the Lord's.

Hosea 1:7 Parallel

Hosea 1:7 states God will save not by bow, sword, horses, or battle—identical rejection of military means.

Proverbs 21:31 explicitly says the horse is prepared but safety comes from the Lord—directly supporting the same point.

Psalm 44:6 Parallel

Psalm 44:6 directly states 'my sword shall not save me,' echoing the rejection of human weapons for deliverance.

Psalm 33:17 Parallel

Psalm 33:17 echoes that the horse (military strength) cannot save—only God gives victory, reinforcing the same truth.

2 Chronicles 20:15 declares 'the battle is not yours but God's'—a near‐verbatim parallel to the main verse.

Judges 1:4 Parallel

In Judges 1:4, the Lord 'gave the Canaanites and Perizzites into their hand' — the same phrase David uses, reinforcing the pattern of God granting victory.

Judges 7:18 Parallel

In Judges 7:18, Gideon's men shout 'A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!' — a battle cry that declares the fight belongs to the Lord, just as David asserts.

Judges 3:28 Parallel

Judges 3:28 reports that 'the Lord has given your enemies the Moabites into your hand' — directly paralleling David's claim that the battle belongs to the Lord.

Judges 3:31 Parallel

In Judges 3:31, Shamgar defeats 600 Philistines with an oxgoad — illustrating the same truth that the Lord saves without conventional weapons.

Psalm 59:13 Parallel

In Psalm 59:13, the psalmist asks that enemies know God rules, echoing David's theme of making God known through victory.

In Psalm 109:27, the plea for others to recognize God's hand echoes David's desire for the assembly to see God's deliverance.

In 2 Kings 5:15, Naaman confesses God's exclusive power, mirroring the recognition David calls for after Goliath's fall.

Isaiah 45:6 Parallel

In Isaiah 45:6, God declares His exclusive lordship, reinforcing the exclusive power David proclaims in the battle.