Bible Strands
1 Samuel 28:5
When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid and trembled violently.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Saul observes the assembled Philistine forces at Shunem and reacts to the imminent battle while encamped at Gilboa with his own troops. The narrative describes his physical and emotional response immediately before he attempts to seek divine guidance.
The words — The Hebrew verb וַ/יִּרָ֕א (va/i.yi.Ra') translates literally as "and he was afraid," while וַ/יֶּחֱרַ֥ד (va/i.ye.che.Rad) means "and it trembled," specifically referring to his לִבּ֖/וֹ (li.B/o) or heart. These terms describe a visceral, physical reaction to the sight of the opposing camp.
The thread — This motif of sudden terror and trembling appears in Job 18:11, where terrors harass every step, and in Psalms 48:5 and 73:19, which describe astounded flight and sudden devastation by terrors. The pattern links military confrontation with overwhelming dread and divine judgment.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition of Saul’s psychological collapse before his failed attempt to consult the LORD. It establishes that fear precedes spiritual inquiry, showing how human dread operates independently of divine communication.
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 when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.
Cross-references
- Job 18:11 Terrors frighten him on every side and harass his every step.
- Psalms 48:5 They saw and were astounded; they fled in terror.
- Psalms 73:19 How suddenly they are laid waste, completely swept away by terrors!
- Proverbs 10:24 What the wicked man dreads will overtake him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
- Isaiah 7:2 When it was reported to the house of David that Aram was in league with Ephraim, the hearts of Ahaz and his people trembled like trees in the forest shaken by the wind.
- Isaiah 21:3 Therefore my body is filled with anguish. Pain grips me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am bewildered to hear, I am dismayed to see.
- Isaiah 57:20 But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waves churn up mire and muck.
- Daniel 5:6 his face grew pale and his thoughts so alarmed him that his hips gave way and his knees knocked together.
- Job 15:21 Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him.