1 Samuel 17:21

1 Samuel 17:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.
• New International Version (NIV)Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army.

Context of 1 Samuel 17:21

19Now they are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.” 20So David got up early in the morning, left the flock with a keeper, picked up the provisions and went just as Jesse had directed him. And he came to the encampment as the army was going out in battle formation shouting the battle cry. Israel and the Philistines drew up in battle formation, army against army. 22Then David left his provisions in the care of the supply keeper, and ran to the ranks and came and greeted his brothers. 23As he was talking with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine of Gath named Goliath, was coming up from the army of the Philistines, and he spoke these same words again; and David heard him.

1 Samuel 17:21 word by word

וַתַּעֲרֹ֤ךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים מַעֲרָכָ֖ה לִקְרַ֥את מַעֲרָכָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• and the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
• had put the battle in arrayעָרַךְ‛ârak · to arrangeH6186
• armyמַעֲרָכָהma‛ărâkâh · rankH4634
• againstקִרְאָהqir'âh · befallH7125

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 17:21

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-30Verses 12-30 Jesse little thought of sending his son to the army at that critical juncture; but the wise God orders actions and affairs, so as to serve his designs. In times of general formality and lukewarmness, every degree of zeal which implies readiness to go further, or to venture more in the cause of God than others, will be blamed as pride and ambition, and by none more than by near relations, like Eliab, or negligent superiors. It was a trial of…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 17:21

• Armies
• Championship
• Decision
• Jesse

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Philistines
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Arise
• Assay
• Carriage
• Cause
• Coat
• David

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings