Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

The Biblical Illustrator

1 Samuel 17:11

When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

The insulting attitude of worldliness towards religion

The insult was a symbol of the insulting attitude of worldliness towards religion. Brute force and power paraded themselves as contemptuous of the power of the Spirit. Religion cannot hold its own against the powers of the world except by spiritual forces and trust in God. When the guardians of religion, or those who should witness its inward power, fail in this trust, and in using the right weapons, then the world has its way. The symbol in this case is singularly vivid and complete. (W. J. Knox Little, M. A.)

Continues after advertising

See also 1 Samuel 17:11 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 1 Samuel 17:11. _SAUL AND ALL ISRAEL - WERE DISMAYED_] They saw no man able to accept the challenge....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    2. DAVID AND GOLIATH CHAPTER 17 _ 1. Goliath of Gath, the Philistine (1 Samuel 17:1)_ 2. David's errand and inquiry (1 Samuel 17:12) 3. David's offer to fight Goliath (1 Samuel 17:31)

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    1 SAMUEL 17:1 TO 1 SAMUEL 18:5. DAVID AND GOLIATH (E, with additione by R). In this section two narratives seem to have been interwoven. For the sake of convenience, we may denote one set of passages...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    GREATLY AFRAID. feared exceedingly. Compare 1 Samuel 17:24....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Goliath's Challenge 4. _a champion_ Lit. " THE (well-known) man of the interspaces," or "interval between two camps" (Gr. μεταίχμιον : see Eur. _Phoen_. 1361, in the account of the combat between Ete...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _Goliath's Challenge._ 1 Samuel 17:1-11 Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which _belongeth_ to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh an...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _WHEN SAUL AND ALL ISRAEL HEARD THOSE WORDS OF THE PHILISTINE, THEY WERE DISMAYED, AND GREATLY AFRAID._ No JFB commentary on this verse....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DAVID SLAYS GOLIATH 1 Samuel 17:1 to 1 Samuel 18:5 is evidently taken from a different document from 1 Samuel 16:14. In 1 Samuel 16:

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ISRAEL’S FIRST KING 1 SAMUEL _HELEN POCOCK_ CHAPTER 17 DAVID AND GOLIATH V1 The *Philistines gathered their army ready for a battle. They met at Sucoh in the land of *Judah. They camped in the...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THEY WERE DISMAYED, AND GREATLY AFRAID. — Saul the king, perhaps, was restrained from personally accepting the challenge by motives of dignity, but the marked silence on his part, and the utter hopele...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יִּשְׁמַ֤ע שָׁאוּל֙ וְ כָל ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XXIV. _ DAVID'S CONFLICT WITH GOLIATH_ 1 Samuel 17:1. THESE irrepressible Philistines were never long recovering from their disasters. The victory of Jonathan had been impaired by the exhaus...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    ISRAEL DEFIED BY THE PHILISTINE CHAMPION 1 Samuel 17:1 When their king lost the special consciousness of God's presence and power, the whole kingdom became demoralized, and the Hebrews had the humili...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The story contained in this chapter is one of the most familiar of the Old Testament narratives. It places Saul and David in sharp contrast as each stands out in clear relief. In the presence of the e...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (8) And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    Now that we have heard the prophet's judgment of king Saul, there follows next the choice of Jehovah. The chapter gives us in a very striking manner the manifest sentence of death on all the thoughts...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    The Philistines, that type of the enemy's power, present themselves again with their champion at their head, against whom no one dares to fight. David had returned home, and was living in the simplici...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    WHEN SAUL AND ALL ISRAEL HEARD THESE WORDS OF THE PHILISTINE,.... For they were delivered with such a tone and strength of voice, as to be heard very generally, at least by many, and which soon was re...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid. Ver. 11. _They were dismayed, and greatly afraid._] Even valiant Jonathan also, who both knew the...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Let him come down to me_ That the battle may be decided by us two alone. _They were greatly afraid_ This may seem strange, considering the glorious promises of God, and their late experience of divin...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The armies of the Israelites, and Philistines beeing readie to battell, 4 Goliath commeth proudly forth, to chalenge a combate. 12 Dauid sent by his father to visit his brethren, taketh the chalen...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Goliath's Defiance of Israel...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, cast down, terrified, AND GREATLY AFRAID. "Israel is afraid because its king Isaiah They dare not in childlike spirit...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    DAVID PLAYS FOR SAUL...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    The time comes when both Saul and David are to be publicly proven as regards their fitness to rule over Israel. The Philistines, though previously defeated through Jonathan's faith, return to challeng...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-11 Men so entirely depend upon God in all things, that when he withdraws his help, the most valiant and resolute cannot find their hearts or hands, as daily experience shows....

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Which may seem strange, considering the glorious promises, and their late experiences of Divine assistance. But the truth is, all men do so entirely depend upon God in all things, that when he withdra...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Samuel 17:11 Saul H7586 Israel H3478 heard H8085 (H8799) words H1697 Philistine H6430 dismayed H2865 (H8735) g

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    GOLIATH CHALLENGES ISRAEL WITH NO TAKERS. DAVID IS SENT TO TAKE HIS BROTHERS FOOD (1 SAMUEL 17:1). This passage brings us face to face with two figures, the first the formidable Philistine warrior, Go...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    1 Samuel 17 Notice: I. David was on God's side. This was a religious war. Goliath fought for Dagon and cursed David by his gods. David fought for Jehovah. Let every child know for certain that he is...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Defiance of Israel by Goliath and David's victory over him. CHARACTERS: God, David, Saul, Goliath, Eliab, Abinadab, Shammah. CONCLUSION: The battle is God's battle. If our confidence is pur...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Samuel 17:4. _There went out a champion, Goliath of Gath;_ a military character well known to the Hebrews. More than thirty years before he had scattered the army of Israel, slain the sons of Eli, a...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 17:1 David has been chosen by the Lord, anointed as king privately, and has been serving in Saul’s court. Now, he defeats Goliath and, as a result, becomes publicly known. Da...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 17:4 A CHAMPION in ancient Near Eastern literature is a man who steps out to fight between two battle lines. Here Goliath offers to fight, on behalf of his side, against any...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 17:11 It was Saul’s job to accept the challenge on behalf of Israel. Instead he was GREATLY AFRAID (see 1 Samuel 15:24), along with everyone

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITITCAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES— 1 Samuel 17:1. “THE PHILISTINES GATHERED TOGETHER THEIR ARMIES.” Jamieson considers that this was twenty-seven years after their overthrow at Michmash. “SHOCHOH,” now _...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    ADVANCE OF DAVID IN REPUTATION BY THE SLAUGHTER OF GOLIATH (1 Samuel 17:1.). EXPOSITION GOLIATH'S DEFIANCE OF ISRAEL ...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Shall we turn in our Bibles to the seventeenth chapter of first Samuel? In the seventeenth chapter of first Samuel, we read where, The Philistines had gathered their armies together [against the child...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Deuteronomy 31:8; Isaiah 51:12; Isaiah 51:13; Isaiah 57:11; Joshua 1:9

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Afraid — This may seem strange, considering the glorious promises, and their late experience of divine assistance. And where was Jonathan, who in the last war had so bravely engaged an whole army of t...

Continues after advertising