1 Samuel 17:11

11 Al oír lo que decía el filisteo, Saúl y todos los israelitas se consternaron y tuvieron mucho miedo.

1 Samuel 17:11 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 17:11

When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine,
&c.] For they were delivered with such a tone and strength of voice, as to be heard very generally, at least by many, and which soon was reported through the whole army:

they were dismayed, and greatly afraid;
which may seem strange, when there were so many valiant men among them, as Saul himself, who had behaved with so much courage against the Ammonites, Philistines, and Amalekites; but now the Spirit of God was departed from him, and he was become timorous and fearful; and though he was much better than he had been, yet still he was not the man of spirit and resolution as before: there was also Abner, the general of his army, a very valiant man, a great man in Israel, and yet appears not on this occasion; and, what is more wonderful, Jonathan the son of Saul was present, as appears from ( 1 Samuel 18:1 ) who had not only smitten a garrison of the Philistines, but with one man more only had attacked another garrison, and routed the whole army of the Philistines, and yet now shows not his head against a single man: so it is when God cuts off the spirits of princes, or takes away their courage; victory over this man, and the glory of it, were reserved for David; and all this fear and dread throughout the armies of Israel were suffered, that he might appear the more glorious.

1 Samuel 17:11 In-Context

9 Si es capaz de hacerme frente y matarme, nosotros les serviremos a ustedes; pero si yo lo venzo y lo mato, ustedes serán nuestros esclavos y nos servirán».

10 Dijo además el filisteo: «¡Yo desafío hoy al ejército de Israel! ¡Elijan a un hombre que pelee conmigo!»

11 Al oír lo que decía el filisteo, Saúl y todos los israelitas se consternaron y tuvieron mucho miedo.

12 David era hijo de Isaí, un efrateo que vivía en Belén de Judá. En tiempos de Saúl, Isaí era ya de edad muy avanzada, y tenía ocho hijos.

13 Sus tres hijos mayores habían marchado a la guerra con Saúl. El primogénito se llamaba Eliab; el segundo, Abinadab; el tercero, Sama.