Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 17:24
And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.
And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man,…. Even as it should seem before they heard him; knowing who he was, and what he was about to say, having seen and heard him forty days running:
fled from him, and were sore afraid; it is pretty much a whole army should be afraid of one man, and flee from him; they must be greatly forsaken of God, and given up by him, see De 32:30; but perhaps they were not so much afraid of personal danger from him, as that they could not bear to hear his blasphemy.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(24) Fled from him, and were sore afraid.The student of the history can hardly understand this great fear of a giant Philistine which seems to have come upon the warriors of Saul. When we remember the gallant deeds of the people in former years, it reads like a page out of the story of another race. A dull, cowardly torpor had come over Saul, the punishment for his self-will and disobedience, and the kings helpless lethargy had settled now on the hearts of the soldiers he had trained so well in his earlier and nobler days.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
24. Fled from him, and were sore afraid The Israelitish host shrunk backward and trembled before the insolent giant. The whole context shows that there was no actual flight of the whole army, but skirmishing parties may have gone down to the valley, and when Goliath came forth they made a rapid retreat to the camp.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Sa 17:24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.
Ver. 24. Fled from him. ] As from a bugbear. This was their want of faith in God’s power and promises; the property whereof is, to quell and kill distrustful fears.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
men. Hebrew. ‘ish. App-14.
man. Hebrew. ‘ish. App-14.
were sore afraid = feared exceedingly. Compare 1Sa 17:11.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
him: Heb. his face, 1Sa 13:6, 1Sa 13:7
sore: 1Sa 17:11, Lev 26:36, Num 13:33, Deu 32:30, Isa 7:2, Isa 30:17
Reciprocal: Rev 13:4 – who is able