John Gill Bible Commentary

And David girded his, sword upon his armour,.... Which Saul also perhaps furnished him with: and he assayed to go; made an attempt, and had a mind to go thus accoutred; he at first showed an inclination to go in such an habit, but afterwards would not: for he had not proved it; as warriors were wont to do; so Achilles did (i); he never made trial of such armour before, he had not been used to it, and knew not how to behave in it, or walk with it on him; it was an encumbrance to him: Abarbinel renders it, "but he had not proved it"; he would have gone with it but for that reason; the Targum is,"because there was no miracle in them;''because if he had made use of this, there would have been no appearance of a miracle in getting the victory over the Philistine, as was by using only a sling and stones: and David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these, for I have not proved them; he thought fit to acquaint Saul with it that he could not go thus accoutred, and his reason for it, lest he should be offended with him: and David put them off him; took off the helmet from his head, ungirt the sword upon his armour, and stripped himself of his coat of mail, and went forth entirely unarmed. (i) Homer. Iliad. 19. ver. 384, 385. so Theocrit. Idyll. 10. ver. 61.