On hearing the words of the Philistine, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and greatly afraid.
Parallel translations
- WEB When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
- KJV When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
- NKJV When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
- NASB When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and very fearful.
- NLT When Saul and the Israelites heard this, they were terrified and deeply shaken.
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 and all Israel are dismayed and terrified at Goliath's challenge. Israel's fear exposes the failure of faith under its rejected king.
Overview
The paralyzing fear of Saul and the army reveals a people trusting in human strength rather than in God. Saul, the tall king who should have led, is as cowed as everyone else. This vacuum of faith and courage sets the stage for David, the man after God's own heart, to act in confident trust.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Josh 1:9Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
- Deut 31:8The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”
- Ps 27:1Of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—whom shall I dread?
- Prov 28:1The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
- Isa 57:11Whom have you dreaded and feared, so that you lied and failed to remember Me or take this to heart? Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear Me?
- Isa 51:12–13“I, even I, am He who comforts you. Why should you be afraid of mortal man, of a son of man who withers like grass?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 17:11 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.