Bible Strands
1 Samuel 17:2
Saul and the men of Israel assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah, arraying themselves for battle against the Philistines.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The biblical narrator describes the Israelite army under Saul assembling in the Valley of Elah at the moment the Philistine forces have already positioned themselves for war.
The words — נֶאֶסְפּוּ (ne'essu) means they were gathered, and וַיַּעַרְכוּ (wayya'arkhu) means they deployed or arrayed themselves for battle.
The thread — The Valley of Elah reappears in 1 Samuel 17:19 as the active battlefield and in 1 Samuel 21:9 as the location where Goliath was killed.
Why it lands — The verse establishes the precise geographical and military standoff that precedes the individual combat, requiring the reader to recognize the tension between two organized armies.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 21:9 The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want, you may take it. For there is no other but this one here.” And David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.”
- 1 Samuel 17:19 They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.”