1 Samuel 17:11 kjv
When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
1 Samuel 17:11 nkjv
When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
1 Samuel 17:11 niv
On hearing the Philistine's words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
1 Samuel 17:11 esv
When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
1 Samuel 17:11 nlt
When Saul and the Israelites heard this, they were terrified and deeply shaken.
1 Samuel 17 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Prov 29:25 | The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. | Contrasts fear of man with trust in God. |
| Isa 41:10 | Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you... | God's command not to fear and His promise of help. |
| Ps 27:1 | The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? | Rhetorical question emphasizing faith over fear. |
| Matt 10:28 | And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body... | Prioritizes fear of God over fear of man. |
| Luke 12:4-5 | ...do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear... | Jesus instructing disciples not to fear persecutors. |
| Rev 21:8 | But as for the cowardly, the faithless... their portion will be in the lake that burns... | Cowardice listed among vices keeping from salvation. |
| Ps 20:7 | Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. | Reliance on divine power rather than physical might. |
| Ps 33:16-17 | The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation... | Underscores the futility of human strength in battle. |
| Ps 118:6 | The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? | Expresses confidence in God's presence against foes. |
| Heb 13:6 | So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” | Echoes Ps 118:6, urging trust in God. |
| Exod 14:13-14 | And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear... The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” | God's promise to fight for Israel against Egyptians. |
| Deut 20:3-4 | And he shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle... your God is He who goes with you to fight...’ | Reminder that God accompanies His people in battle. |
| 2 Chron 20:15 | ...Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s.’ | Divine reassurance in facing overwhelming odds. |
| Isa 40:6-8 | All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field... The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. | Highlights the transient nature of human might. |
| 2 Cor 12:9-10 | ...My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. | God's strength manifested through human weakness. |
| 1 Cor 1:27 | But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong... | God's method of using the insignificant to confound the powerful. |
| Phil 4:6-7 | Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. | Contrasts anxiety (fear) with trusting prayer. |
| Rom 8:15 | For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption... | Christians are not meant to live in fear. |
| 1 John 4:18 | There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment... | Love as an antidote to fear. |
| Prov 16:18 | Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. | Relates to Goliath's boastful pride. |
| 1 Sam 17:32 | And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” | David's fearless contrast to Israel's dismay. |
| 1 Sam 17:45-47 | Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord... and all this assembly shall know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's..." | David's declaration of faith and reliance on God. |
1 Samuel 17 verses
1 Samuel 17 11 Meaning
When King Saul and the entire Israelite army heard the defiant challenge and boastful words of Goliath, the Philistine giant, they were overwhelmed with profound terror. This terror led to a deep sense of internal collapse and loss of courage, leaving them utterly disheartened, shattered, and unable to respond effectively. Their fear paralyzed them, highlighting a significant spiritual weakness within the Israelite leadership and military, as they focused on the imposing threat rather than on God's power and faithfulness.
1 Samuel 17 11 Context
First Samuel chapter 17 sets the stage for the epic confrontation between David and Goliath. The Philistine army has gathered for war against Israel, and they are encamped on opposite hills with a valley in between. Goliath of Gath, a giant champion from the Philistine side, emerges daily to challenge Israel to single combat. He proposes that the outcome of this duel would decide the war, a common ancient Near Eastern practice to avoid large-scale bloodshed. However, Goliath's enormous stature, intimidating armor, and taunting words instill immense fear into the hearts of King Saul and the entire Israelite army. Verse 11 specifically describes their immediate and profound reaction to Goliath's sustained challenge, highlighting their complete demoralization and paralysis due to fear. This fear demonstrates the spiritual inadequacy of Saul, the appointed king, who, despite his physical height (1 Sam 9:2), lacks the faith required to lead God's people in such a moment. The context also implies a polemic against reliance on human strength and outward appearance; Israel, focusing on physical might, misses the divine resource available through faith, setting the stage for David, an unlooked-for hero chosen by God, to demonstrate God's power through weakness.
1 Samuel 17 11 Word analysis
- When Saul: Refers to King Saul, Israel's first king, known for his imposing physical stature. His fear here is significant as he is the leader and commander-in-chief, yet he, like his army, is paralyzed. This demonstrates his spiritual decline and inability to rely on God.
- and all Israel: Encompasses the entire army of Israel. This shows that the fear was pervasive, affecting every soldier, indicating a widespread spiritual problem rather than just individual cowardice. It signifies a collective failure of faith.
- heard: Hebrew: shama' (שָׁמַע). Means "to hear," but also often implies "to listen" or "to obey." In this context, they listened intently to the enemy's words, internalizing the threat, rather than focusing on God's commands or promises. This passive listening led to their dismay.
- these words: Hebrew: ha-devarim (הַדְּבָרִים). Refers specifically to Goliath's boastful challenge (1 Sam 17:8-10) — his taunts, his intimidating description of himself, and his call for a champion. These were words of human pride and defiance against God's people.
- of the Philistine: Refers to Goliath, the specific source of the terrifying words. The Philistines were perennial enemies of Israel, often militarily superior in this period.
- they were dismayed: Hebrew: chatath (חָתַת). This word means "to be shattered," "to be broken down," "to be terrified," or "to lose courage." It conveys a deep, internal collapse, a demoralization that drains all will to fight or resist. It is not just being scared, but being utterly broken in spirit.
- and greatly afraid: Hebrew: yare' (יָרֵא) used in an intensified form. While yare' can also mean "to revere" (a positive fear of God), here it explicitly means intense terror. The adverbial "greatly" emphasizes the extreme nature of their fear, suggesting paralysis and a complete inability to act. This deep fear stems from their focus on Goliath's might rather than on the Lord's omnipotence, contrasting sharply with the fear (reverence) of God.
Words-group Analysis:
- "When Saul and all Israel heard these words... they were dismayed and greatly afraid": This entire phrase vividly portrays the profound psychological impact of Goliath's challenge. It underscores the complete incapacitation of Israel's military leadership and army due to a lack of faith, setting a stark contrast with the later response of David, who operates by faith and divine perspective. The repetition of the negative emotional states ("dismayed and greatly afraid") amplifies the depth of their terror and helplessness. This shows the disastrous consequences of fearing man over God.
1 Samuel 17 11 Bonus section
- The Israelite fear was not just psychological but indicative of a broken covenantal relationship. Their fear revealed that they had forgotten the "battle belongs to the Lord" (1 Sam 17:47), a core theological truth in Israel's history (Exod 14:14; Deut 20:4).
- This intense fear positioned them squarely in opposition to God's repeated commands to "be strong and courageous" and "do not be afraid" when facing enemies (Deut 31:6; Josh 1:9).
- Saul's and Israel's reaction stands as a prefigurement of a "spirit of fear" that is not from God (2 Tim 1:7). Their focus on Goliath's stature instead of God's omnipresence led to their incapacitation.
1 Samuel 17 11 Commentary
1 Samuel 17:11 serves as a pivotal moment in the narrative, encapsulating Israel's spiritual nadir before the advent of their God-fearing king, David. The fear of Saul and the entire Israelite army was not merely an understandable human reaction to an imposing giant; it was a profound spiritual failure rooted in a lack of faith in Yahweh. Despite having witnessed God's mighty acts (e.g., against the Egyptians, or even recently against the Philistines through Samson, or during Samuel's judge-ship), their focus was solely on Goliath's overwhelming physical might. Saul, chosen for his outward appearance and physical strength, ironically exemplifies the very weakness of human reliance when faced with a crisis of faith. This verse highlights that the true battle was not merely physical prowess but a test of spiritual fortitude—a battle between reliance on human might versus trust in the living God. Their fear demonstrates a state of being "broken in spirit" rather than just outwardly cowering, indicating a pervasive absence of faith among God's chosen people and their leader at that time.