When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid and trembled violently.
Parallel translations
- WEB When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.
- KJV And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.
- NKJV When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.
- NASB When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly.
- NLT When Saul saw the vast Philistine army, he became frantic with fear.
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
Seeing the Philistine host, Saul is gripped by fear and trembling. His dread exposes a heart without God's assurance.
Overview
The sight of the enemy army fills Saul with deep terror, his heart trembling greatly. The fear reveals a man cut off from the LORD's peace, lacking the confidence that David found in God. Saul's panic drives him toward desperate, unlawful measures rather than humble repentance.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Isa 7:2When it was reported to the house of David that Aram was in league with Ephraim, the hearts of Ahaz and his people trembled like trees in the forest shaken by the wind.
- Isa 21:3–4Therefore my body is filled with anguish. Pain grips me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am bewildered to hear, I am dismayed to see.
- Ps 48:5–6They saw and were astounded; they fled in terror.
- Prov 10:24What the wicked man dreads will overtake him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
- Ps 73:19How suddenly they are laid waste, completely swept away by terrors!
- Isa 57:20–21But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waves churn up mire and muck.
- Dan 5:6his face grew pale and his thoughts so alarmed him that his hips gave way and his knees knocked together.
- Job 18:11Terrors frighten him on every side and harass his every step.
- Job 15:21Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him.
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 28:5 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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