Sling, Slinger

A sling was a weapon used to throw stones or small lead pieces. A slinger was a person who used a sling.

Shepherds first used slings to protect their sheep from wild animals (see 1 Samuel 17:40). Later, the sling became an important weapon of war.

The sling was simple to make. It did not require much skill to produce, and stones were easy to find. A trained slinger could throw a stone as far as 183 meters, 600 feet.

The sling was useful when soldiers attacked fortified cities. A slinger could throw stones high into the air and over steep slopes or walls. However, a person needed much practice to use the sling accurately (see Judges 20:16).

A sling usually had two leather straps and a small pocket in the middle. The pocket held the stone. The slinger held the pocket in one hand and the ends of the straps in the other.

To use the sling, the slinger placed a stone in the pocket. He then swung the sling to build speed. When he released one end of the strap, the stone flew toward the target.

Slingers used smooth stones or small pieces of lead as projectiles, or objects thrown as weapons. They carried these in a bag or placed them on the ground near their feet.

The story of David and Goliath shows the value of the sling as a long-range weapon (see Samuel 17:40–51). The Philistines had many advanced weapons, but Goliath carried weapons for medium-range and close combat. These included a javelin and a sword (see 1 Samuel 17:4–7, 45, 51). Using a sling, David could attack Goliath from farther away. This gave David an advantage over Goliath’s stronger weapons and armor (1 Samuel 17:48–49).

See also Armor and Weapons; Javelin; Sword.