1 Samuel 17:1

Contextual Overview

¹Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Socoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah.¹ Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Sokoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Sokoh and Azekah. ¹Now the Philistines gathered their camps for battle; and they were gathered at Socoh which belongs to Judah, and they camped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. ¹ Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle; and they were gathered at Socoh which belongs to Judah, and they camped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.¹ The Philistines gathered their hoast to battayle, and came together to Socho which is in Iuda, and pytched betweene Socho and Azekah, in the coaste of Dammim. ¹ The Philistines gathered their armies together for war. They met at Socoh in Judah. Their camp was between Socoh and Azekah, at a town called Ephes Dammim. ¹ And the Philistines had gathered their armies for battle, and were gathered at Socoh of Judah. And they camped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim. ¹ Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle; and they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Aze'kah, in E'phes-dam'mim. ¹ Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle; and they were gathered together at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. ¹ Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battell, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Iudah, and pitched betweene Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-Dammim.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

gathered: 1 Samuel 7:7, 1 Samuel 13:5, 1 Samuel 14:46, 1 Samuel 14:52, Judges 3:3

Shochoh: Joshua 15:35, Socoh, 2 Chronicles 11:7, Shoco, 2 Chronicles 28:18, Shocho

Azekah: Joshua 10:10, Joshua 10:11, Joshua 15:35, Jeremiah 34:7

Ephesdammim: or, the coast of Dammim, 1 Chronicles 11:13, Pas-dammim

Reciprocal: Genesis 49:27 - a wolf 1 Samuel 28:1 - that the 1 Chronicles 4:18 - Socho 2 Chronicles 13:3 - set Ezekiel 25:15 - to destroy Hebrews 11:32 - David

Cross-References

Genesis 5:22
And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:22
After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:22
Then Enoch walked with God 300 years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he became the father of other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:22
Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:22
And Henoch walked with God after he begate Methuselah three hundreth yeres, and begate sonnes & daughters.

Genesis 5:22
After Methuselah was born, Enoch walked with God for 300 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:22
Enoch walked with God after the birth of Methu'selah three hundred years, and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:22
And Enoth yede with God; and Enoth lyuede after that he gendride Matusalem thre hundrid yeer, and gendride sones and douytris.

Genesis 5:22
And Enoch walked with God, after he begate Methuselah, three hundred yeeres, and begate sonnes and daughters.

Genesis 5:22
And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle,.... Josephus s says this was not long after the things related in the preceding chapter were transacted; and very probably they had heard of the melancholy and distraction of Saul, and thought it a proper opportunity of avenging themselves on Israel for their last slaughter of them, and for that purpose gathered together their dispersed troops:

and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah; a city of the tribe of Judah, Joshua 15:35, which shows that, notwithstanding their last defeat, they had great footing in the land of Israel, or however had penetrated far into it in this march of theirs:

and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah; which were both in the same tribe, and near one another, of which Joshua 15:35- :,

Joshua 15:35- :.

in Ephesdammim; which, by an apocope of the first letter, is called Pasdammim, 1 Chronicles 11:13 which the Jews t say had this name because there blood ceased.

s Antiqu. l. 6. c. 9. sect. 1. t Midrash Ruth, fol. 48. 2. Kimchi in loc.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The narrative reverts to the Philistine wars 1 Samuel 14:52; the other introductory details concerning Saul’s rejection, and David’s introduction upon the stage of the history, having been disposed of in the intermediate chapters.

Shochoh which belongeth to Judah - See the marginal reference which places Shochoh and Azekah in the “Shephelah” or maritime plain, and 2 Chronicles 28:18, “Shochoh” now “Shuweikeh,” “nine miles from Eleutheropolis,” Jerome.

Ephes-dammim - Called “Happas-dammim” (Pas-dammim, 1 Chronicles 11:13), “the end of bloodshed,” now “Damun,” about 4 miles northeast of Shuweikeh.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XVII

The Philistines gather together against Israel at Ephes-dammim,

and Saul and his men pitch their camp near the valley of Elah,

1-3.

Goliath of Gath, a gigantic man, whose height was six cubits and

a span, defies the armies of Israel, and proposes to end all

contests by single combat; his armour is described, 4-11.

Saul and his host are greatly dismayed, 12.

David, having been sent by his father with provisions to his

brethren in the army, hears the challenge, inquires into the

circumstances, thinks it a reproach to Israel that no man can

be found to accept the challenge, is brought before Saul, and

proposes to undertake the combat, 13-32.

Saul objects to his youth and inexperience, 33.

David shows the grounds on which he undertakes it, 34-37.

Saul arms him with his own armour: but David, finding them an

encumbrance, puts them off, and takes his staff, his sling,

and five stones out of the brook, and goes to meet Goliath,

38-40.

The Philistine draws near, despises, defies, and curses him,

41-44.

David retorts his defiance, 45-47.

They draw near to each other, and David slings a stone, hits

Goliath in the forehead, slays him, and cuts off his head with

his own sword, 48-51.

The Philistines flee, and are pursued by the Israelites, 52, 53.

David brings the head of the Philistine to Jerusalem, 54.

Conversation between Saul and Abner concerning David, who is in

consequence brought before Saul, 55-58.

NOTES ON CHAP. XVII

Verse 1 Samuel 17:1. Now the Philistines gathered together — Calmet thinks that this war happened eight years after the anointing of David, and ten or twelve years after the war with the Amalekites. We have already seen that there was war between Saul and the Philistines all his days. See 1 Samuel 14:52.

Shochoh and Azekah — Places which lay to the south of Jerusalem and to the west of Bethlehem; about five leagues from the former. Ephes-dammim was somewhere in the vicinity, but it is not known where. See Calmet.