1 Samuel 17:52

1Sa 17:52 And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.

Ver. 52. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down.] Their fears betrayed them, as it commonly doth those that flee, into the hand of death. Semper in bello his maximum est periculum qui maxime timent; audacia est pro mare. {a}

{a} Sallust.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Sa_17:52-53

And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted and pursued the Philistines.

Keeping the victory

When General Wolfe was mortally wounded at the battle of Quebec, he said after his third injury, Hold me up; do not let my brave boys see I am wounded. A little later, as his blood was fast ebbing away, he said, in faint tones, The victory is ours! Oh! keep it. So, when our Lord died for our sins on the cross, He virtually said to His redeemed ones, The victory is ours. Oh! keep it. And this is the victory that makes His victory ours, and overcometh the world, even our faith. There must be no surrender by sin or unbelief of what He has obtained for us. (H. O. Mackey.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

17:52 The Israelites chased the Philistines to Gath, some six miles to the west. • Ekron was a Philistine city five miles north of Gath. • Shaaraim was a city of Judah near Azekah (17:1).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Or, Gath the city.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Shaaraim--(See Jos 15:36).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(52) To the valley.—More accurately, to a valley; there is no article in the Hebrew. This want of the article at once suggests that the “valley” here spoken of so indefinitely was not that well-known valley or ravine which divided the two armies; besides which, it is nowhere suggested that the Philistines had ever crossed the valley or ravine.

Keil remarks that it is strange that no further mention is made of this “valley of the pursuit. The LXX. render, instead of “to a valley,” “to Gath.” These Greek translators probably then had before them the true text: Gath, instead of gai, a valley. Gath is mentioned in the next sentence.

The way to Shaaraim.—This was a town in the lowlands of Judah (see Jos_15:36); the name has probably been preserved in the modern Kefr Zakariya. The LXX., however,” do not understand Shaaraim as a city at all, but render, instead of “by the way to Shaaraim,” “in the way of the gates.” The “gates” of Ekron are mentioned as one of the notable places of the flight in the preceding sentence.

If the LXX. interpretation be adopted, we must understand by this expression the space between the outer and the inner gates of Ekron.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

52. until thou come to the valley] Heb. gai, “the ravine,” as in 1Sa_17:3. But the ravine which separated the armies could not tie the terminus of the Philistine flight, and it seems most probable that gai is a copyist’s error for Gath, which is the reading of the Sept. (B). Shaaraim is mentioned in Jos_15:35-36 in connexion with Sochoh and Azekah among the towns of Judah. It is perhaps to be placed at Tell-Zakarîya, a conspicuous hill on the southern side of the main valley, between Shuweikeh (Sochoh) and Tell-es-Sâfi (Gath), exactly in the line which the Philistine flight would naturally take. It must originally have been an important outpost for Judah against Gath, but was now no doubt in the hands of the Philistines.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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 Jos 15:36. Josephus says (n), there were killed of the Philistines thirty thousand, and twice as many wounded:

even unto Gath, and unto Ekron; Josephus (o) has it, to the borders of Gath, and to the gates of Ashkelon, which were two other principalities of the Philistines; according to Bunting (p), 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.

(n) Antiqu. l. 6. c. 9. sect. 5. (o) Ibid. (p) Travels of the Patriarchs, &c. p. 128.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The men of Israel and Judah - See 1Sa 15:4 note.

Shaaraim - A town of Judah in the Shephelah (see the marginal reference), at this time probably in the possession of the Philistines.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

52. The valley — Where the Wady es-Sumt opens into the great western plain of Philistia.

Shaaraim — The site of this place is unknown. It is probably to be looked for somewhere between Gath and Ekron. On the two last named cities, see notes on 1Sa_5:8; 1Sa_5:10.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 52, 53. To the valley. Hebrew, gai. As we have seen, there was a gai or ravine between the two armies, but in the Hebrew there is no article, and the Israelites must also cross this before any fighting began. The panic which struck the Philistines when they saw their champion fall enabled the Israelites to do so, but the pursuit only then commenced. The Septuagint reads Gath, a very probable emendation, for, as we saw in the passage quoted from Condor on ver. 2, Gath was situated at the mouth of the terebinth valley. The Syriac and Vulgate retain valley, but the former understands it of the mouth of the valley of Elah. Shaaraim was a town assigned to Judah (Jos_15:36) in the Shephelah (see on ver. 1), but was now held by the Philistines. They spoiled their tents. More correctly, "their comp.

Vers. 52-58.

Unknown and yet well known.

The facts are

1. Stimulated by the exploit of David, the people complete their victoryover the Philistines.

2. David leaves his weapons in his tent and carries Goliath"s head toJerusalem.

3. During the conflict Saul inquires who David was, but obtains noinformation, till, on presentation, David declares himself to be the son of Jesse. The summary of events here given brings out incidentally a fair illustration of general truths.

I MULTITUDES ARE INSPIRED TO VIGOROUS ACTION BY THE INFLUENCE OF INDIVIDUAL HEROISM. The force of David"s character passed beyond the death of Goliath: it infused fear into the Philistines and aroused the spirit of his countrymen. In this stimulating power we have one of the prime qualities of true leadership. The value of our actions lies much in this moral force. One of the difficulties of conflict in a good cause is to arouse enthusiasm, nourish courage, and incline men to exchange their lethargy for action. In the cause of Christ we have need to pray that he would raise up men fitted, by their heroic spirit, to arouse the slumbering energies of his people.

II FORMER FRIENDS REAPPEAR UNDER A NEW GUISE. The stripling who befriended Saul in his military difficulties was the same as comforted him in his private sorrows. The deft fingers that once drew sweet music from the harp now used the stone that brought Saul"s enemy to the earth. This was the second of the many acts of kindness rendered by the future to the present king, though Saul recognised not his quondam comforter under the new guise of chivalry. It is a happy circumstance when a man can enrich others by the exercise of diverse and unlooked for gifts, even when not recognised. By such merciful providences does God sometimes mitigate the misfortunes even of the undeserving.

III THERE IS SOMETIMES IGNORANCE IN HIGH PLACES OF PERSONS AND QUALITIES WORTH KNOWING. For some time David had, next to Samuel, been the most beautiful character in Israel. This is a just inference from his choice and anointing by Samuel, the sweet charm of his music and song, his noble endurance of Eliab"s base imputation (vers. 28, 29), the simple story of the lion and bear, the tone of his address to Goliath, and the entire spirit displayed through the day. If moral and high spiritual qualities are of greatest permanent value to a nation, then David was, next to Samuel, Israel"s greatest benefactor. And yet Saul and his officers knew him not. Concerned with the arm of flesh and the framework of national life, great authorities are often unaware of the presence of persons most important on account of their elevation of character. This will ever be true until the time comes when moral and spiritual considerations have their proper place in the councils of kings and princes. But though "unknown" in earthly courts, the holy and Christly have their record in the court of heaven, and are held in everlasting remembrance by him who delighteth in his saints and guards them as the apple of his eye.

General lessons:

1. We should pray God that the spirit of his chosen servants may become more prevalent in the Church.

2. If our goodness is real, it will find out new forms of manifestation, andnot refrain because men see not the personality that blesses.

3. It may be useful to foster courage and hope for future conflicts in life bya frequent reminder of past victories, for the giant"s head in Jerusalem was not without moral intent.

4. It will be an encouragement to constancy in goodness to remember thatwhile "unknown" we are "well known". (2Co_5:9)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The dead Philistines lay along the way to Shaaraim

It can be stated clearly that the Israelites were killing the Philistines as they chased them. AT: "And they killed the Philistines as they chased them, and the bodies of the dead Philistines were on the ground along the way to Shaaraim" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

they plundered their camp

"the Israelites plundered the Philistines' camp"

he put his armor in his tent

"he put Goliath's armor in his own tent"

translationWords

Israel

Judah

Philistines

gate

Ekron

Gath

people group

Jerusalem

armor

tent

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.