The Meaning of 1 Samuel 17:52 Explained

1 Samuel 17:52

KJV: And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.

YLT: And the men of Israel rise -- also Judah -- and shout, and pursue the Philistines till thou enter the valley, and unto the gates of Ekron, and the wounded of the Philistines fall in the way of Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron,

Darby: And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou comest to the ravine and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down on the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath, and to Ekron.

ASV: And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou comest to Gai, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the men  of Israel  and of Judah  arose,  and shouted,  and pursued  the Philistines,  until thou come  to the valley,  and to the gates  of Ekron.  And the wounded  of the Philistines  fell down  by the way  to Shaaraim,  even unto Gath,  and unto Ekron. 

What does 1 Samuel 17:52 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 17:41-54 - He Wins The Lord's Battle
David did not wait until his enemy had crossed the valley, but hastened to the streamlet to select the pebbles needed for his sling. Goliath scouted such a champion and cursed him. To this boasting and blaspheming, David opposed the name of Jehovah of Hosts-the unseen hosts of heaven, the twelve legions of angels, of which our Lord spoke. That God-the God of Israel-would assuredly take up the challenge, and vindicate His servant's faith. Thus all Gentile nations would see that the God of Israel was a living reality, while Israel also would learn the too-long-forgotten lesson that Jehovah saveth not by sword nor spear.
So confident was the Philistine that he did not trouble to draw his sword nor let down the visor of his helmet. One thrust of his heavy spear, he reckoned, was all that would be required. But in a moment more Goliath was lying helpless on the ground. It is thus that God's champions, in every age, have gone out against giant wrongs, as Luther against Tetzel, or Garrison against slavery; and it is thus that we may confidently over-throw the inbred sins that claim supremacy over our lives. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 17

1  The armies of the Israelites and Philistines being ready to battle
4  Goliath challenges a combat
12  David, sent by his father to visit his brothers, takes the challenge
28  Eliab chides him
30  He is brought to Saul
32  shows the reason of his confidence
38  and slays the giant
55  Saul takes notice of David

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 17:52 mean?

And arose the men of Israel and Judah and shouted and pursued - the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron And fell the wounded of the Philistines along the road to Shaaraim and even as far as Gath and Ekron
וַיָּקֻ֣מוּ אַנְשֵׁי֩ יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל וִיהוּדָ֜ה וַיָּרִ֗עוּ וַֽיִּרְדְּפוּ֙ אֶת־ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים עַד־ בּוֹאֲךָ֣ גַ֔יְא וְעַ֖ד שַׁעֲרֵ֣י עֶקְר֑וֹן וַֽיִּפְּל֞וּ חַֽלְלֵ֤י פְלִשְׁתִּים֙ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ שַׁעֲרַ֔יִם וְעַד־ גַּ֖ת וְעַד־ עֶקְרֽוֹן

וַיָּקֻ֣מוּ  And  arose 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
אַנְשֵׁי֩  the  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וִיהוּדָ֜ה  and  Judah 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
וַיָּרִ֗עוּ  and  shouted 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רוּעַ  
Sense: to shout, raise a sound, cry out, give a blast.
וַֽיִּרְדְּפוּ֙  and  pursued 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רָדַף  
Sense: to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים  the  Philistines 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
עַד־  as  far  as 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
בּוֹאֲךָ֣  the  entrance 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
גַ֔יְא  of  the  valley 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: גַּיְא  
Sense: valley, a steep valley, narrow gorge.
וְעַ֖ד  and  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
שַׁעֲרֵ֣י  the  gates 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
עֶקְר֑וֹן  of  Ekron 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֶקְרֹון  
Sense: the most northerly of the 5 principal cities of the Philistines; located in the lowlands of Judah and later given to Dan.
וַֽיִּפְּל֞וּ  And  fell 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
חַֽלְלֵ֤י  the  wounded 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: חָלָל 
Sense: slain, fatally wounded, pierced.
פְלִשְׁתִּים֙  of  the  Philistines 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ  along  the  road 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, common singular construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
שַׁעֲרַ֔יִם  to  Shaaraim 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שַׁעֲרַיִם  
Sense: a town in Judah.
וְעַד־  and  even  as  far  as 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
גַּ֖ת  Gath 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: גַּת  
Sense: one of the five royal or chief cities of the Philistines and the native city of Goliath.
עֶקְרֽוֹן  Ekron 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֶקְרֹון  
Sense: the most northerly of the 5 principal cities of the Philistines; located in the lowlands of Judah and later given to Dan.