1 Samuel 17:6

1Sa 17:6 And [he had] greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders.

Ver. 6. And he had greaves (or leg-harness) of brass.] So that he was substantially armed cap-a-pie, {head to foot} as they say, and might seem to be a walking armory.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Or, greaves.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

greaves of brass--boots, terminating at the ankle, made in one plate of metal, but round to the shape of the leg, and often lined with felt or sponge. They were useful in guarding the legs, not only against the spikes of the enemy, but in making way among thorns and briers.

a target of brass--a circular frame, carried at the back, suspended by a long belt which crossed the breast from the shoulders to the loins.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 6. Greaves of brass upon his legs] This species of armour may be seen on many ancient monuments. It was a plate of brass (though perhaps sometimes formed of laminae or plates, like the mail) which covered the shin or fore part of the leg, from the knee down to the instep, and was buckled with straps behind the leg. From ancient monuments we find that it was commonly worn only on one leg. VEGETIUS, de Re Militari, says, Pedites Scutati etiam ferreas ocreas in dextris cruribus copebantur accipere. "The foot soldiers, called Scutati, from their particular species of shield, were obliged to use iron greaves on their right legs." One of these may be seen in the monument of the gladiator Buto, in Montfaucon; and another in the Mosaic pavement at Bognor, in Surrey.

A target of brass between his shoulders.] When not actually engaged, soldiers threw their shields behind their back, so that they appeared to rest or hang between the shoulders.

There are different opinions concerning this piece of armour, called here כידון kidon. Some think it was a covering for the shoulders; others, that it was a javelin or dart; others, that it was a lance; some, a club; and others, a sword. It is certainly distinguished from the shield, 1Sa 17:41, and is translated a spear, Jos 8:18.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

6. greaves] Armour for the legs and feet: from Fr. grève, ‘the shin.’ “Greaves” from the Assyrian monuments are figured in Layard’s Nineveh II. 337. The following passage from Philemon Holland’s translation of Pliny’s Nat. Hist. VII. 20, quoted in the Bible Word-Book, illustrates both the matter and the language:

“My selfe haue seene one named Athanatus do wonderful strange matters in the open shew and face of the world, namely to walke his stations vpon the stage with a cuirace of lead weighing 500 pound [= 360 lbs. avoirdupois], booted besides with a pair of buskins or greiues (cothurni) about his legges that came to as much in weight.”

brass] The word translated brass means copper in such passages as Deu_8:9, where a natural metal is spoken of. In some instances the compound metal bronze (copper and tin) may be meant, but brass (copper and zinc) was unknown to the ancients.

a target] Rather, a javelin, which was slung across his shoulders, as the Greeks sometimes carried their swords (Hom. Il. II. 45).Roman soldiers were often similarly armed with both pilum (javelin) and hasta (spear). The E. V. follows the Sept. and Vulg. in rendering “target,” i.e. a kind of small shield. The marginal rendering “gorget,” = “a piece of armour for the throat,” from Fr. gorge, has nothing in its favour.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he had greaves of brass upon his legs,.... Which were a sort of boots, or leg harnesses, which covered the thighs and legs down to the heels; such as Iolaus (k) and the Grecians usually wore, as described by Homer; which are supposed to be double the weight of the helmet, reckoned at fifteen pounds, so that these must weigh thirty pounds of avoirdupois weight:

and a target of brass between his shoulders; the Targum is,"a spear or shield of brass, which came out of the helmet, and a weight of brass upon his shoulders.''Jarchi says the same, and that it was in the form of a spear to defend the neck from the sword; it seems to be a corslet of brass, worn between the helmet and the coat of mail for the defence of the neck, supposed to weigh thirty pounds (l).

(k) Hesiod. Scutum Herc. ver. 122. (l) Vid. Hostii Monomach. David & Goliath, c. 5.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

A target ... - Rather, “a javelin.” as in 1Sa 17:45, and placed between the shoulders, as the quiver was.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Legs, on the forepart, from the knee to the ankle. Vegetius observes, that the infantry wore such greaves of iron, only on one leg. (Calmet) --- Shoulders, when he marched. (Menochius) -- Some understand a dart, &c., but without any proof. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

6. Greaves of brass upon his legs — Rather, upon his feet. These were shin covers bound by thongs around and above the ankles. Among the ancient Greeks they were elastic behind, and extended upward above the knees.

Target — Margin, gorget. This word is elsewhere variously translated — shield, (1Sa_17:45, and Job_39:23;) spear, (Jos_8:18; Jos_8:26; Job_41:29; Jer_6:23;) lance, (Jer_50:42.)

The word is best translated spear, and this Goliath carried between his shoulders, that is, slung upon his back, as the ancients often carried their heavy swords. (Homer, Iliad, book 2:45.) So Josephus understood it: “His spear was such as was not carried like a light thing in his right hand, but he carried it as lying on his shoulders.”

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Greaves - Boots.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

a javelin of bronze

A "javelin" is a small spear that is meant to be thrown.

staff of his spear

"the handle of his spear"

loop of cord

"rope rolled up into a circle"

His spear's head

"The point of his spear"

six hundred shekels of iron

A shekel is a unit of weight equal to about 11 grams. AT: "about 7 kilograms" (See: Biblical Weight)

translationWords

bronze

armor

spear

shield

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

Copper shields. A sort of iron handle, extending from the helmet, opposite the nose, called nasal in O.F., and it reached his feet.

A copper guard. Targum Yonoson renders, וּמְסַחֲפָא דִּנְחָשָׁא נָפֵיק מִן קוֹלְסָא וּמְטַל בֵּין כַּתְפוֹהִי, meaning, 'a sort of copper javelin, protruding from the helmet, and extending between his shoulders,' to protect his neck from [injury by] the sword.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.