◄ 1 Samuel 17:19 ►
They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines."
Study Bible
They are with Saul
This phrase indicates the presence of David's brothers, who were part of Saul's army. Saul, the first king of Israel, was chosen by God to lead His people. The Hebrew root for "Saul" is "Sha'ul," meaning "asked for" or "prayed for," reflecting Israel's desire for a king. Saul's leadership is a pivotal moment in Israel's history, marking the transition from a theocracy to a monarchy. This context sets the stage for understanding the dynamics of leadership and God's sovereignty in appointing leaders.

and all the men of Israel
This phrase emphasizes the collective involvement of the Israelites in the battle. The "men of Israel" refers to the tribes united under Saul's kingship, highlighting the national identity and unity in the face of external threats. Historically, the Israelites were often in conflict with neighboring nations, and this unity was crucial for their survival. The phrase underscores the importance of communal faith and action in overcoming challenges.

in the Valley of Elah
The Valley of Elah is a significant geographical location in the biblical narrative. It is situated between the territories of the Philistines and the Israelites, serving as a battleground for their conflicts. Archaeological findings in this area have provided insights into the historical context of the battles described in the Bible. The valley symbolizes a place of confrontation and decision, where God's people are called to stand firm in their faith.

fighting against the Philistines
The Philistines were a formidable enemy of Israel, often representing opposition to God's purposes. The Hebrew term for "Philistines" is "P'lishtim," which can be associated with the idea of invasion or encroachment. This ongoing conflict with the Philistines is emblematic of the spiritual battles believers face, where faith and reliance on God are essential for victory. The narrative encourages believers to trust in God's power and deliverance, even when facing seemingly insurmountable odds.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Saul
The first king of Israel, chosen by God but later rejected due to disobedience. He is leading the Israelite army against the Philistines.

2. The Men of Israel
The soldiers of Israel who are under King Saul's command, engaged in battle against their long-time enemies, the Philistines.

3. The Valley of Elah
A significant geographical location where the battle between the Israelites and the Philistines takes place. It is a valley in the territory of Judah.

4. The Philistines
A formidable enemy of Israel, often in conflict with them throughout the Old Testament. They are known for their military strength and opposition to God's people.

5. David
Although not mentioned in this specific verse, David is a central figure in this chapter. He is sent by his father to bring provisions to his brothers and ends up facing Goliath.
Teaching Points
Trust in God's Sovereignty
Despite the intimidating presence of the Philistines, believers are reminded to trust in God's control over all circumstances.

Courage in the Face of Adversity
Like the Israelites facing the Philistines, Christians are called to stand firm in faith when confronted with challenges.

The Importance of Leadership
Saul's role as king highlights the impact of leadership on the morale and direction of God's people.

Spiritual Warfare
The physical battle in the Valley of Elah serves as a metaphor for the spiritual battles believers face, emphasizing the need for reliance on God's strength.

God's Faithfulness
The account encourages believers to remember God's past faithfulness as a source of confidence in present struggles.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the setting of the Valley of Elah contribute to the account of David and Goliath, and what can we learn from this about facing our own "valleys"?

2. In what ways does Saul's leadership impact the morale of the Israelite army, and how can this inform our understanding of godly leadership today?

3. How does the conflict with the Philistines illustrate the ongoing spiritual battles Christians face, and what strategies can we employ to stand firm?

4. Reflect on a time when you faced a "giant" in your life. How did your faith in God influence the outcome, and what lessons did you learn?

5. How can the account of David and the Israelites in 1 Samuel 17 inspire us to trust in God's faithfulness in our current circumstances?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Samuel 16
Provides background on David's anointing as king, which sets the stage for his role in the battle against the Philistines.

1 Samuel 17:4-7
Describes Goliath, the Philistine giant, emphasizing the challenge Israel faces and setting up the context for David's faith-driven victory.

Ephesians 6:10-18
Relates to the spiritual battle believers face, drawing a parallel to the physical battle in the Valley of Elah and the need for spiritual armor.

Psalm 23
Written by David, this psalm reflects his trust in God, which is evident in his courage against Goliath.
Sermons
The Battle of ElahT. Kirk.1 Samuel 17:1-27
The PhilistinesW. J. Knox Little, M. A.1 Samuel 17:1-27
Self-ConquestB. Dale 1 Samuel 17:19-31
People
Abinadab, Abner, David, Elah, Eliab, Ephah, Goliath, Israelites, Jesse, Saul, Shammah
Places
Azekah, Bethlehem, Ekron, Ephes-dammim, Gath, Jerusalem, Shaaraim, Socoh, Valley of Elah
Topics
Elah, Fighting, Philistines, Saul, Terebinths, Vale, Valley
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Samuel 17:17-22

     5661   brothers

1 Samuel 17:17-26

     5086   David, rise of

Library
The victory of Unarmed Faith
'And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. 33. And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 34. And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock; 35. And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

April the Thirtieth the Test of victory
"David behaveth himself wisely." --1 SAMUEL xvii. 55--xviii. 5. The hour of victory is a more severe moral test than the hour of defeat. Many a man can brave the perils of adversity who succumbs to the seductions of prosperity. He can stand the cold better than the heat! He is enriched by failure, but "spoilt by success." To test the real quality of a man, let us regard him just when he has slain Goliath! "David behaved himself wisely"! He was not "eaten up with pride." He developed no "side." …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

April the Twenty-Ninth the Mood of Triumph
"I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts." --1 SAMUEL xvii. 38-54. The man who comes up to his foes with this assurance will fight and win. Reasonable confidence is one of the most important weapons in the warrior's armoury. Fear is always wasteful. The man who calmly expects to win has already begun to conquer. Our mood has so much to do with our might. And therefore does the Word of God counsel us to attend to our dispositions, lest, having carefully collected our material implements, …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

The Call of David.
"So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone."--1 Samuel xvii. 50. These words, which are taken from the chapter which you heard read just now in the course of the Service[1], declare the victory which David, the man after God's own heart, gained over Goliath, who came out of the army of the Philistines to defy the Living God; and they declare the manner of his gaining it. He gained it with a sling and with a stone; that is, by means, which to man might seem weak and …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII

How David Prevailed.
"So David prevailed over the Philistine!"--1 SAMUEL xvii. 50. Yes, he did, but he would not have done so if he had remained as quiet as the other Israelites. David was one of those who could not be easy so long as the enemies of his country were in the ascendant. To see a Philistine strutting about, defying the armies of the living God, was more than he could bear. Is not this the spirit which should animate Christians to-day? It is not one GOLIATH merely, there are many. DRUNKENNESS, PROFANITY, …
Thomas Champness—Broken Bread

Knox -- the First Temptation of Christ
John Knox, the great Scottish reformer, was born at Giffordgate, four miles from Haddington, Scotland, in 1505. He first made his appearance as a preacher in Edinburgh, where he thundered against popery, but was imprisoned and sent to the galleys in 1546. In 1547 Edward VI secured his release and made him a royal chaplain, when he acquired the friendship of Cranmer and other reformers. On the accession of Mary (1553) he took refuge on the Continent. In 1556 he accepted the charge of a church in Geneva, …
Various—The World's Great Sermons, Volume I

Hwochow Women's Bible Training School
COURSE OF STUDY FIRST TERM Book of Genesis. Gospel according to St. Luke or St. Mark. Acts of the Apostles, chapters i. to ix. "A Synopsis of the Central Themes of the Holy Bible." Reading Lessons, with necessary Explanation and Writing of Chinese Character. Arithmetic. Singing and Memorisation of Hymns. SECOND TERM Book of Exodus, Numbers, and 1 Samuel i. to xvi. The Gospel according to St. John. The Epistle of St James. "A Synopsis of the Central Themes of the Holy Bible"--(continued). Reading …
A. Mildred Cable—The Fulfilment of a Dream of Pastor Hsi's

He Does Battle for the Faith; He Restores Peace among those who were at Variance; He Takes in Hand to Build a Stone Church.
57. (32). There was a certain clerk in Lismore whose life, as it is said, was good, but his faith not so. He was a man of some knowledge in his own eyes, and dared to say that in the Eucharist there is only a sacrament and not the fact[718] of the sacrament, that is, mere sanctification and not the truth of the Body. On this subject he was often addressed by Malachy in secret, but in vain; and finally he was called before a public assembly, the laity however being excluded, in order that if it were …
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh

The Shepherd-King
'And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt them mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel! fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite: for I have provided Me a king among his sons. 2. And Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord. 3. And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Temporal Advantages.
"We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content."--1 Tim. vi. 7, 8. Every age has its own special sins and temptations. Impatience with their lot, murmuring, grudging, unthankfulness, discontent, are sins common to men at all times, but I suppose one of those sins which belongs to our age more than to another, is desire of a greater portion of worldly goods than God has given us,--ambition and covetousness …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII

The Quotation in Matt. Ii. 6.
Several interpreters, Paulus especially, have asserted that the interpretation of Micah which is here given, was that of the Sanhedrim only, and not of the Evangelist, who merely recorded what happened and was said. But this assertion is at once refuted when we consider the object which Matthew has in view in his entire representation of the early life of Jesus. His object in recording the early life of Jesus is not like that of Luke, viz., to communicate historical information to his readers. …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

The Blessing of Jacob Upon Judah. (Gen. Xlix. 8-10. )
Ver. 8. "Judah, thou, thy brethren shall praise thee; thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies; before thee shall bow down the sons of thy father. Ver. 9. A lion's whelp is Judah; from the prey, my son, thou goest up; he stoopeth down, he coucheth as a lion, and as a full-grown lion, who shall rouse him up? Ver. 10. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and unto Him the people shall adhere." Thus does dying Jacob, in announcing …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners:
A BRIEF AND FAITHFUL RELATION OF THE EXCEEDING MERCY OF GOD IN CHRIST TO HIS POOR SERVANT, JOHN BUNYAN; WHEREIN IS PARTICULARLY SHOWED THE MANNER OF HIS CONVERSION, HIS SIGHT AND TROUBLE FOR SIN, HIS DREADFUL TEMPTATIONS, ALSO HOW HE DESPAIRED OF GOD'S MERCY, AND HOW THE LORD AT LENGTH THROUGH CHRIST DID DELIVER HIM FROM ALL THE GUILT AND TERROR THAT LAY UPON HIM. Whereunto is added a brief relation of his call to the work of the ministry, of his temptations therein, as also what he hath met with …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Man's Chief End
Q-I: WHAT IS THE CHIEF END OF MAN? A: Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever. Here are two ends of life specified. 1: The glorifying of God. 2: The enjoying of God. I. The glorifying of God, I Pet 4:4: That God in all things may be glorified.' The glory of God is a silver thread which must run through all our actions. I Cor 10:01. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.' Everything works to some end in things natural and artificial; …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Samuel
Alike from the literary and the historical point of view, the book[1] of Samuel stands midway between the book of Judges and the book of Kings. As we have already seen, the Deuteronomic book of Judges in all probability ran into Samuel and ended in ch. xii.; while the story of David, begun in Samuel, embraces the first two chapters of the first book of Kings. The book of Samuel is not very happily named, as much of it is devoted to Saul and the greater part to David; yet it is not altogether inappropriate, …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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