1 Samuel 17:3

3 [The] Philistines were standing on the hill on one side and [the army of] Israel was standing on the hill on the other side with the valley between them.

1 Samuel 17:3 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 17:3

And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and
Israel stood on a mountain on the other side,
&e.] Before the Israelites are said to encamp in or by the valley; but here they are said to take the higher ground, and face the Philistines, who were on a mountain or hill on the other side over against them, which Kimchi reconciles thus; the whole or the grand army lay encamped in the valley, and, they that were set in array, or the first ranks, the first battalion, ascended the mountain to meet the Philistines. Vatablus takes it to be the same mountain, that on one part of it the Philistines formed their first battalion, and the rest of the army was in the valley; and on the other part of the mountain the Israelites pitched their camp:

and there was a valley between them;
the same as in the preceding verse.

1 Samuel 17:3 In-Context

1 [The] Philistines gathered their camps for battle and they were gathered [at] Socoh which [belongs] to Judah. They camped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes Dammim.

2 Then Saul and the men of Israel were gathered and encamped in the valley of Elah, and they formed ranks [for the] battle to meet [the] Philistines.

3 [The] Philistines were standing on the hill on one side and [the army of] Israel was standing on the hill on the other side with the valley between them.

4 Then {a champion} went out from the camps of [the] Philistines, whose name was Goliath from Gath. His height was six cubits and a span.

5 A bronze helmet was on his head, and he was clothed with scale body armor; the weight of the body armor was five thousand bronze shekels.