So Saul mobilized his army at Telaim. There were 200,000 soldiers from Israel and 10,000 men from Judah.
Parallel translations
- WEB Saul summoned the people, and counted them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.
- KJV And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.
- BSB So Saul summoned the troops and numbered them at Telaim—200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.
- NKJV So Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah.
- NASB Then Saul summoned the people and counted them in Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah.
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
Saul musters a large army at Telaim to wage the campaign against Amalek. It shows Saul moving to obey, at least outwardly, with substantial force.
Overview
The numbering at Telaim shows Saul taking the command seriously enough to assemble a great host, including a distinct contingent from Judah. The detail underscores that Saul had every resource needed to complete the task fully. The narrative sets up the contrast between his ample capability and his partial, self-willed obedience that follows.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Josh 15:24Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,
- 1 Sam 11:8He counted them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
- 1 Sam 13:15Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul counted the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.
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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 15:4 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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