At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem.
Parallel translations
- WEB David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem at that time.
- KJV And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines’ garrison was then 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 10:5After that you will come to Gibeah of God, where the Philistines have an outpost. As you approach the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place, preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres, and they will be prophesying.
- 1 Sam 13:23And a garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass at Michmash.
- 1 Sam 13:4And all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked an outpost of the Philistines, and now Israel has become a stench to the Philistines!” Then the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.
- Ps 142:1A Maskil of David, when he was in the cave. A prayer. I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift my voice to the LORD for mercy.
- 1 Sam 23:25and Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard of this, he pursued David there.
- 1 Sam 22:1So David left Gath and took refuge in the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and the rest of his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there.
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.