And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines’ garrison was then at Bethlehem.
Parallel translations
- WEB David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem at that time.
- 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 10:5After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy:
- 1 Sam 13:23And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.
- 1 Sam 13:4And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.
- Ps 142:1I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.
- 1 Sam 23:25Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.
- 1 Sam 22:1David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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.