David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem at that time.
Parallel translations
- KJV And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines’ garrison was then at Bethlehem.
- BSB At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem.
- NKJV David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
- NASB David was then in the stronghold, while the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
- NLT David was staying in the stronghold at the time, and a Philistine detachment had occupied the town of Bethlehem.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David was in the stronghold while a Philistine garrison held Bethlehem. The enemy occupied David's hometown.
Overview
The narrative notes that David's own town of Bethlehem was held by a Philistine garrison, intensifying his longing in the next verse. Bethlehem, the city of David's birth, is under enemy control, a poignant detail. Bethlehem will later be the birthplace of Jesus, the Son of David, whose coming brings deliverance to a world held captive by a greater enemy.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- 1 Sam 10:5“After that you will come to the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is; and it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a lute, a tambourine, a pipe, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying.
- 1 Sam 13:23The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.
- 1 Sam 13:4All Israel heard that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel was considered an abomination to the Philistines. The people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.
- Ps 142:1A contemplation by David, when he was in the cave. A Prayer. I cry with my voice to Yahweh. With my voice, I ask Yahweh for mercy.
- 1 Sam 23:25Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told, he went down to the rock, and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued David in the wilderness of Maon.
- 1 Sam 22:1David therefore departed from there, and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The genealogies and the everlasting covenant with David trace the single thread of promise running through the generations straight to the Christ in whom the line reaches its goal.
How 1 Chronicles 11:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.