1 Samuel 17:21 kjv
For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.
1 Samuel 17:21 nkjv
For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army.
1 Samuel 17:21 niv
Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other.
1 Samuel 17:21 esv
And Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army.
1 Samuel 17:21 nlt
Soon the Israelite and Philistine forces stood facing each other, army against army.
1 Samuel 17 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 4:1-11 | Now Israel went out against the Philistines for battle… fell there of Israel thirty thousand footmen. The ark of God was captured… | Prior defeat by Philistines, God's sovereignty |
| 1 Sam 7:7-11 | The Philistines went up against Israel, and the men of Israel went out against the Philistines in battle. | Another Israel-Philistine battle, divine help |
| 1 Sam 13:5 | And the Philistines mustered to fight with Israel… thirty thousand chariots… | Philistine military might |
| 1 Sam 14:1 | One day Jonathan… said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let us go over to the Philistine garrison…” | Israel taking initiative against Philistines |
| Deut 20:1 | When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots… do not be afraid… | God's command not to fear superior enemies |
| Deut 20:4 | For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies… | Divine presence in battle |
| Josh 8:2 | You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Only its spoil… | Joshua setting up an ambush/battle lines |
| Jdg 7:16 | He divided the 300 men into three companies… "When I blow the trumpet, then you blow yours also…" | Gideon's tactical military arrangement |
| Jdg 20:20 | And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel arrayed themselves… | Inter-tribal war with battle arrays |
| 2 Sam 10:9 | When Joab saw that the battle was set against him… he selected some of the choicest men of Israel and arrayed them… | Joab arranging battle formations |
| 2 Chr 20:15 | “Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s." | God fighting Israel's battles |
| 2 Chr 32:7-8 | Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed… for there is a greater power with us… | Reliance on God's strength in war |
| Ps 20:7 | Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. | Trust in God over military might |
| Ps 33:16-17 | The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength… | Emphasizes futility of human might alone |
| Isa 31:1 | Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help… who trust in chariots… but do not look to the Holy One of Israel… | Rebuke for trusting human alliances |
| Eph 6:11-12 | Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil… against spiritual forces of evil… | Spiritual battle echo |
| 2 Cor 10:3-4 | For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh… weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh… | Nature of spiritual warfare |
| 1 Tim 6:12 | Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called… | Christian's enduring spiritual struggle |
| Heb 12:1-4 | Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us… resisting to the point of shedding your blood. | Enduring hardship as spiritual struggle |
| Rev 16:16 | And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. | Future battle preparations |
1 Samuel 17 verses
1 Samuel 17 21 Meaning
1 Samuel 17:21 succinctly describes the immediate scene preceding the monumental confrontation in the Valley of Elah: the armies of Israel and the Philistines stood in full battle formation, meticulously arrayed against each other. It conveys a tense and prepared stalemate, with both forces strategically positioned, ready for direct combat. This arrangement sets the stage for the dramatic intervention that will determine the outcome of the impending conflict.
1 Samuel 17 21 Context
1 Samuel 17 describes a crucial confrontation between Israel and the Philistines. Verse 21 occurs after the armies have gathered in the Valley of Elah (1 Sam 17:1-3) and before David's full involvement. The chapter sets the scene of a tense military standoff where the Philistines, historically formidable enemies, had challenged Israel not through conventional warfare but through the champion Goliath. Israel's army, led by King Saul, despite being "the Lord's army," was paralyzed by fear. This verse underscores the physical proximity and formal preparation of both sides, heightening the tension and vulnerability of Israel as they face a powerful adversary without divine prompting to engage in battle.
1 Samuel 17 21 Word analysis
- For Israel: (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל, ve-Yisra'el) Represents God's chosen nation, now led by King Saul. Their presence signifies a conflict for the survival and independence of the nascent kingdom. The context implicitly highlights their current fear and lack of faith despite being the Lord's people.
- and the Philistines: (וּפְלִשְׁתִּים, u-Pelishtim) A powerful, warlike people of Aegean origin who had settled on the coastal plain of Canaan. They were Israel's persistent enemies, technologically superior with iron weapons, symbolizing a formidable and pagan adversary. Their presence underscores a long-standing threat to Israel's territorial and religious identity.
- drew up: (וְעָרְכוּ, ve-'arekhu) From the root עָרַךְ (‘arakh), meaning "to arrange, to set in order, to array in battle." This verb signifies deliberate and strategic preparation for conflict, not a spontaneous clash. It implies a structured military formation, showing both armies were ready for pitched battle.
- their battle lines: (מַעֲרָכָה, ma'arakhah) A noun derived from the same root as 'drew up', referring to a military formation, an array, or a battle line. The repetition in thought emphasizes the formal organization of both armies, demonstrating their readiness for combat and the absence of any retreat or dispersal. It speaks to a military posture fully committed to confrontation.
- army against army: (חַיִל אֶל־חָיִל, chayil el-chayil) Literally "force to force" or "might to might." Chayil (חָיִל) can refer to military strength, an army, or valiant warriors. This phrase powerfully conveys the direct, face-to-face opposition and the close proximity of the two armies. It indicates that the entire military strength of both sides was arrayed, ready to engage without any barrier or distance, signifying an imminent clash of powers.
1 Samuel 17 21 Bonus section
- The military formations described were common for ancient armies, designed to maximize combat effectiveness and maintain cohesion.
- This verse captures the stalemate moment before a resolution, intensifying the narrative's tension.
- The setup here is crucial for highlighting the contrast between human strategy and God's unconventional victory through David. The "army against army" prepares the reader for the eventual "man against man" encounter.
1 Samuel 17 21 Commentary
1 Samuel 17:21 paints a precise military picture: two well-ordered forces, Israel and the Philistines, stood eyeball-to-eyeball, arrayed in full readiness for battle. This meticulous deployment emphasizes the severity and imminence of the conflict, demonstrating a conventional military standoff where armies engaged in strategic formations. The verse subtly underscores the immediate and formidable challenge Israel faced, setting the stage for the dramatic display of divine intervention that would bypass conventional military strength through the faith and obedience of David. It highlights the human preparation for war, making the subsequent God-empowered victory through an unlooked-for champion all the more striking and undeniable.