1 Samuel 17:52

52 The men of Israel and Judah shouted and ran after them, pursuing them all the way to Gath and to the gates of Ekron. The Philistines fell wounded all along the road that leads to Shaaraim, as far as Gath and 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 so, without a sword, David defeated and killed Goliath with a sling and a stone!
51 He ran to him, stood over him, took Goliath's sword out of its sheath, and cut off his head and killed him. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they ran away.
52 The men of Israel and Judah shouted and ran after them, pursuing them all the way to Gath and to the gates of Ekron. The Philistines fell wounded all along the road that leads to Shaaraim, as far as Gath and Ekron.
53 When the Israelites came back from pursuing the Philistines, they looted their camp.
54 David got Goliath's head and took it to Jerusalem, but he kept Goliath's weapons in his own tent.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. [One ancient translation] Gath; [Hebrew] a valley.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.