1 Samuel 17:5 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Bible Comments

The common shekel contained only a fourth part of an ounce; and so 5000 shekels made 1250 ounces, which make exactly 78 pounds; which weight is not unsuitable to a man of such vast greatness and strength, as his height speaks him to be.

1 Samuel 17:5

5 And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armedb with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.