1 Samuel 17:52

52 And the sons of Israel and of Judah rose up together, and cried [out], and pursued the Philistines, till the time they came into the valley, and unto the gate(s) of Ekron. And the wounded men of the Philistines fell down in the way of Shaaraim, and unto Gath, and unto Ekron (And the wounded men of the Philistines fell down on the way to Shaaraim, and unto Gath, and unto Ekron).

1 Samuel 17:52 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 17:52

And the men of Israel and of Judah arose
From their encampment and entrenchment, or they prepared for a pursuit:

and shouted, and pursued the Philistines;
shouted when they first set out, and continued shouting as they pursued, to animate their own troops, and terrify the enemy:

until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron;
which was one of the five principalities of the Philistines; so that they pursued them to their own cities, and to the very gates of them:

and the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim;
a city in the tribe of Judah, and seems to be the same with Sharaim, (See Gill on Joshua 15:36). Josephus says F14, there were killed of the Philistines thirty thousand, and twice as many wounded:

even unto Gath, and unto Ekron;
Josephus F15 has it, to the borders of Gath, and to the gates of Ashkelon, which were two other principalities of the Philistines; according to Bunting F16, the whole chase was this, to the valley and river Sorek four miles; from thence to Ekron eight miles; to Ashkelon twenty miles, and to Gath twenty four miles; that is, from the place where Goliath was killed.


FOOTNOTES:

F14 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 9. sect. 5.
F15 Ibid.
F16 Travels of the Patriarchs p. 128.

1 Samuel 17:52 In-Context

50 And David had the mastery against the Philistine in a sling and a stone, and he killed the Philistine smitten. And when David had no sword in his hand, (And so David had the mastery against the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck down the Philistine, and killed him. And when David had no sword in his hand,)
51 he ran, and stood on the Philistine, and took (hold of) his sword; and David drew out the sword of his sheath, and killed him, and cut off his head (and David drew the sword out of its sheath, and killed him, and cut off his head). And the Philistines saw, that the strongest of them was dead, and they fled.
52 And the sons of Israel and of Judah rose up together, and cried [out], and pursued the Philistines, till the time they came into the valley, and unto the gate(s) of Ekron. And the wounded men of the Philistines fell down in the way of Shaaraim, and unto Gath, and unto Ekron (And the wounded men of the Philistines fell down on the way to Shaaraim, and unto Gath, and unto Ekron).
53 And the sons of Israel turned again, after that they had pursued the Philistines, and they assailed their tents. (And the Israelites returned, after that they had pursued the Philistines, and they looted their camp.)
54 Forsooth David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it into Jerusalem; soothly he putted his armours in the tabernacle of the Lord (but he put Goliath's arms, or his weapons, in his own tent).
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.