God’s Word Translation
1 Samuel 17:1
1The Philistines assembled their armies for war. They assembled at Socoh, which is in Judah, and camped between Socoh and Azekah at Ephes Dammim.
1 Samuel 17:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes–dammim.
- New International Version (NIV)Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Sokoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Sokoh and Azekah.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. And they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle, and were gathered at Sochoh, which belongs to Judah; they encamped between Sochoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim.
Context of 1 Samuel 17:1
The Philistines assembled their armies for war. They assembled at Socoh, which is in Judah, and camped between Socoh and Azekah at Ephes Dammim. 2So Saul and the army of Israel assembled and camped in the Elah Valley. They formed a battle line to fight the Philistines. 3The Philistines were stationed on a hill on one side, and the Israelites were stationed on a hill on the other side. There was a ravine between the two of them.
Read all of 1 Samuel 171 Samuel 17:1 word by word
וַיַּאַסְפ֨וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֤ים אֶת־מַֽחֲנֵיהֶם֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וַיֵּאָ֣סְפ֔וּ שֹׂכֹ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר לִיהוּדָ֑ה וַֽיַּחֲנ֛וּ בֵּין־שׂוֹכֹ֥ה וּבֵין־עֲזֵקָ֖ה בְּאֶ֥פֶס דַּמִּֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Now the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
- gathered togetherאָסַף'âsaph · to gatherH622
- their armiesמַחֲנֶהmachăneh · campH4264
- to battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
- at Shochohשׂוֹכֹה, שֹׂכֹהώôkôh ώôkôh ώôkô · SocohH7755
- to Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
- and pitchedחָנָהchânâh · to campH2583
- and Azekahעֲזֵקָה‛ăzêqâh · AzekahH5825
- in Ephes–dammimאֶ֫פֶס דַּמִּים'ephes dammîym · Ephes-dammimH658
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 17:1
- 1 Samuel 7:7When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, the Philistine rulers came to attack Israel. The Israelites heard ⌞about the Philistine plan⌟ and were afraid of them.
- 1 Samuel 13:5The Philistines assembled to fight against Israel. They had 30,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and as many soldiers as the sand on the seashore. They camped at Michmash, east of Beth Aven.
- 1 Samuel 14:46Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines. So the Philistines returned to their own land.
- Judges 3:3He left the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon from Mount Baal Hermon to the border of Hamath.
- Joshua 15:35Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,
- 2 Chronicles 11:7Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam,
- 1 Samuel 28:18The Lord is doing this to you today because you didn’t listen to him or unleash his burning anger on Amalek.
- Joshua 10:10The Lord threw the enemy into disorder in front of Israel and defeated them decisively at Gibeon. He chased them along the road that goes to the slope of Beth Horon and continued to defeat them all the way to Azekah and Makkedah.
- Jeremiah 34:7He did this when the army of the king of Babylon was attacking Jerusalem and the cities of Lachish and Azekah. These were the only fortified cities of Judah that were left.
- 1 Chronicles 11:13Eleazar was with David at Pas Dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. There was a field of ripe barley. When the troops fled from the Philistines,
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 17:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Now the Philistines gathered together - Calmet thinks that this war happened eight years after the anointing of David, and ten or twelve years after the war with the Amalekites. We have already seen that there was war between Saul and the Philistines all his days. See 1 Samuel 14:52. Shochoh and Azekah - Places which lay to the south of Jerusalem and to the west of Bethlehem; about five leagues from the former. Ephes-dammim was somewhere in the vicinity…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1The narrative reverts to the Philistine wars 1 Samuel 14:52; the other introductory details concerning Saul‘s rejection, and David‘s introduction upon the stage of the history, having been disposed of in the intermediate chapters. Shochoh which belongeth to Judah - See the marginal reference which places Shochoh and Azekah in the “Shephelah” or maritime plain, and 2 Chronicles 28:18, “Shochoh” now “Shuweikeh,” “nine miles from Eleutheropolis,” Jerome…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Goliath's challenge. (1-11) David comes to the camp. (12-30) David undertakes to fight Goliath. (31-39) and goes to meet him. (40-47) He kills Goliath. (48-58) Verses 1-11 Men so entirely depend upon God in all things, that when he withdraws his help, the most valiant and resolute cannot find their hearts or hands, as daily experience shows.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1The Philistines were a constant threat during Saul’s rule (see 1 Samuel 14:47–52). Socoh in Judah was 22.5 kilometers (14 miles) west of Bethlehem, near Philistine land. Azekah was a few kilometers northwest of Socoh (the exact location of Ephes-dammim is unknown). The Philistines were invading Israelite territory.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-31Sa 17:1-3. The Israelites and Philistines Being Ready to Battle. 1. the Philistines gathered together their armies--twenty-seven years after their overthrow at Michmash. Having now recovered their spirits and strength, they sought an opportunity of wiping out the infamy of that national disaster, as well as to regain their lost ascendency over Israel. Shocoh--now Shuweikeh, a town in the western plains of Judah (Jos 15:35), nine Roman miles from…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 17:1
In the dictionaries
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
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