And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual:
Parallel translations
- WEB The raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned to the way that leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shual;
- BSB And raiders went out of the Philistine camp in three divisions. One headed toward Ophrah in the land of Shual,
- NKJV Then raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies. One company turned onto the road to Ophrah, to the land of Shual,
- NASB Then raiders came from the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned toward Ophrah, to the land of Shual,
- NLT Three raiding parties soon left the camp of the Philistines. One went north toward Ophrah in the land of Shual,
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
Philistine raiding parties spread out in three companies, ravaging the land and demonstrating their dominance over Israel.
Overview
The raiders moving freely through Israelite territory show how thoroughly the Philistines controlled the region. This oppression underscores Israel's helplessness apart from God's intervention. The detail of three companies fanning out paints the dire situation that makes the subsequent God-given victory all the more striking.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Josh 18:23And Avim, and Parah, and Ophrah,
- 1 Sam 14:15And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.
- 1 Sam 11:11And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
- Josh 19:3And Hazarshual, and Balah, and Azem,
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Christ at the center
The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.
How 1 Samuel 13:17 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
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