1 Samuel 17:52
ESV
And the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron, so that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron.
NIV
Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. Their dead were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron.
NASB
Then the men of Israel and Judah rose up and shouted, and they pursued the Philistines as far as the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the Philistine dead lay along the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath and Ekron.
CSB
The men of Israel and Judah rallied, shouting their battle cry, and chased the Philistines to the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. Philistine bodies were strewn all along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron.
NLT
Then the men of Israel and Judah gave a great shout of triumph and rushed after the Philistines, chasing them as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron. The bodies of the dead and wounded Philistines were strewn all along the road from Shaaraim, as far as Gath and Ekron.
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.
NKJV
Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Shaaraim, even as far as Gath and Ekron.
What does 1 Samuel 17:52 mean?
David, dressed in his shepherd's garb and confident in the Lord (1 Samuel 17:40, 45–47), has defeated (1 Samuel 17:50) the Philistine champion who had been taunting Israel for forty days (1 Samuel 17:4–10, 16). Though formerly the Israelites fled from the giant (1 Samuel 17:11, 24), it is now the Philistines who flee (1 Samuel 17:51). The men of the armies of Judah and Israel see what is happening, shout out their battle cries, and immediately begin to chase the Philistines down. This entire turn of events likely all happened over a few short moments. Israel runs down the panicked Philistines, wounding and killing them as they go.The Philistines run west toward their own territory. Ekron and Gath are two of the five major protected cities of the Philistines. Ekron was about north of Gath. Shaarim was a city, but also a road that could be travelled either to Gath or Ekron. The Israelites chased their enemies all the way back to their own territories and cities. David's defeat of Goliath was followed by Israel's victory over the Philistine invasion.
What is fascinating is that it only took the death of one imposing man to change the confidence of both armies and decide the battle. It wasn't just Goliath's removal from the battle that made the difference; it was obvious to every witness that the Lord God of Israel had given the victory and would fight for His people (1 Samuel 17:46–47). Both sides responded in a way that showed they knew that to be true.
First Samuel 17:41–54 describes a world-renowned fight. Goliath is a Philistine giant armed with massive weapons. David is a teenager armed only with his shepherd's sling: a long leather strap used to throw hand-sized stones at deadly speed. Goliath mocks David, and the Lord. David replies by expressing faith and vowing to cut off Goliath's head. As the two approach each other, David slings a stone into Goliath's forehead, crushing the giant's skull. The Philistine falls, and David runs up to remove Goliath's sword, making good on his promise to behead the enemy. The Philistine army panics, flees, and the Israelite army follows to complete the victory.
David, delivering food to his brothers at the Israelite army camp, hears the Philistine Goliath's defiant challenge. Single man combat could decide the battle, but no Israelite wanted to face the massive warrior. David is appalled that a Philistine would defy the armies of the living God. He volunteers to fight, and King Saul agrees. Before the battle, David declares that the Lord will give victory and thereby show the world that there is a God in Israel. David quickly kills and beheads Goliath. The Israelites chase the Philistines back to their own territory and plunder their camp. David brings Goliath's head to Saul.
