And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.
He took his staff in his hand, х maqlow (H4731)] - his shoot, rod, staff (cf. Genesis 32:2; Exodus 12:2). [Septuagint, elabe teen bakteerian, he took the stick.]
And chose him five smooth stones, х wayibchar (H977) low (H3807a)] - and selected for himself five smooth stones; i:e., smoothed by the action of the water.
Out of the brook, х min (H4480) hanachal (H5158)] from the torrent, wady.
And put them in a shepherd's bag, х bikliy (H3627) haaro`iym (H7462)] - in the dress-scrip hung round the neck of shepherds.
Sling. The sling consisted of a double rope with a thong, probably of leather, to receive the stone. The slinger held a second stone in his left hand. David chose five stones, as a reserve in case the first should fail. Shepherds in the East carry a sling and stones still for the purpose both of driving away or killing the enemies that prowl about the flock. It was and is a favourite weapon in Syria and Arabia. Polybius says, 'The arms which the Achaeans principally employed were slings. They were educated in the use of these weapons from their childhood; and, by dint of long-continued practice, they could take so accurate an aim that they could throw the stone on the head of an enemy or on any other part of his body they chose.'