1 Samuel 17:16 — Word Study
WLCוַיִּגַּ֥שׁ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖י הַשְׁכֵּ֣ם וְהַעֲרֵ֑ב וַיִּתְיַצֵּ֖ב אַרְבָּעִ֥ים יֽוֹם׃ פ
BSAFor fortyʼarbâʻîym [a significant period of time, often marking trial or testing] daysyôwm the PhilistinePᵉlishtîy [an immigrant from a foreign land, a non-Israelite] came forwardnâgash▸ [to approach, to draw near] every morningshâkam [at the break of day, when the sun rises] and eveningʻârab [when the sun sets, at the end of the day] to take his standyâtsab▸ [to present himself, to station himself firmly]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיִּגַּ֥שׁ | and he drew near | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖י | the Philistine | Particle, noun gentilic masculine singular absolute |
| הַשְׁכֵּ֣ם | rising early | Verb, Hiphil, infinitive absolute |
| וְהַעֲרֵ֑ב | and [the] evening darkened | Conjunction, verb hiphil infinitive absolute |
| וַיִּתְיַצֵּ֖ב | and he took his stand | Verb, Hithpael, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| אַרְבָּעִ֥ים | forty | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| יֽוֹם׃ פ | day[s] | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening to take his stand. |
| KJV | And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days. |
| ASV | And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days. |
| YLT | And the Philistine draweth nigh, morning and evening, and stationeth himself forty days. |
| WEB | The Philistine came near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days. |
| BBE | And the Philistine came near every morning and evening for forty days. |
The translations agree on the Philistine's repeated actions without significant variation.
The sentence has a main clause followed by adverbial and infinitive phrases, indicating the timing and purpose of the Philistine's actions.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
verbנָגַשׁ
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — 1 Samuel 17:16
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Challenge of Goliathgenerated
1 Samuel 17:16 describes the Philistine's persistent challenge to the Israelites, coming forward every morning and evening for forty days. This period of time is significant as it emphasizes the ongoing threat posed by Goliath, the Philistine champion, against the backdrop of Israel's fear and hesitation. The narrative sets the stage for David's eventual confrontation with Goliath, highlighting themes of faith and courage amidst intimidation.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matthew 4:2 | After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. |
| 2 | Luke 4:2 | where for forty days He was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He was hungry. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — וַיִּגַּ֥שׁ, vai.yi.Gashgenerated
The verb נָגַשׁ (nagash) means to draw near or approach. It captures the action of the Philistine moving towards the Israelite camp, which can imply both a physical approach and a challenge to engage in combat.
This verb is used in various contexts, from physical proximity to worship. Here, it indicates the Philistine's boldness in confronting the Israelites, emphasizing his role as an antagonist in the narrative.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
All translations agree that the Philistine approached every morning and evening.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verbs וַיִּגַּ֥שׁ and וַיִּתְיַצֵּ֖ב govern the main actions of the verse, indicating the Philistine's approach and his stance. The sentence structure highlights the repeated actions occurring at specific times of day, emphasizing the ongoing challenge.
The word order places the time frame of 'forty days' at the beginning, underscoring the duration of the Philistine's intimidation.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Samuel 17:16 tells us that for forty days, the Philistine came forward every morning and evening to take his stand against the Israelites. This repeated challenge highlights the tension and fear among the Israelite soldiers, setting the stage for David's later confrontation with Goliath.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The number forty often represents a significant period of trial or testing, as seen in various biblical narratives.
The Philistine, Goliath, came forward daily to challenge the Israelites and instill fear, seeking to provoke them into combat.
Goliath's challenge represented not only a physical threat but also a spiritual one, as it questioned the power of Israel's God.
The Israelites were terrified and dismayed by Goliath's size and strength, which led to their hesitation and fear in confronting him.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does the repeated challenge from Goliath reveal about the nature of fear in our lives?
- How can we prepare ourselves to face challenges that seem overwhelming, like the Israelites faced with Goliath?
- In what ways can we draw near to God when we feel intimidated or afraid?
- How does this passage encourage us to respond to challenges in our own lives?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early commentary from Bede discusses the significance of the forty days of Goliath's challenge, relating it to the struggles of the Church in this life.
However, the Philistine came forward morning and evening, etc. The number of forty days, during which the Philistine came forward and stood against Israel, represents all the time of the Church, during which it struggles in this life and,Early Church Fathers on 1 Samuel 17 →
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Samuel 17:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd the Philistine drew near morning and evening,.... Twice a day he came near the camp, within the hearing of it.
Read John Gill on 1 Samuel 17 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryNow David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul. Compare the notes at 1 Samuel 16:14-23.
Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Samuel 17 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments1 Samuel 17:16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.Ver. 16. And presented himself forty days.] Braving and daring any one of them to a duel, which none durst adventure on till David came, whose victory is hereby made the more famous.
Read John Trapp on 1 Samuel 17 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(16) And presented himself forty days.—Wordsworth, following Augustine, sees here a reference to the temptation of the true David, who “was in the wilderness forty days, tempted of the devil.” “In David is Christ . . . do not, therefore, read this history of David as if it did not concern you who are members of Christ.” (Aug. in Psalms 143).
Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Samuel 17 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges16. And the Philistine, &c.] This remark resumes the narrative of vv, 4–11, with the additional information that Goliath’s defiance was repeated for a considerable time, and so prepares the way for what follows.
Read Cambridge on 1 Samuel 17 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible12-31. By many critics this passage has been regarded as an interpolation, chiefly for the following reasons:(1.) It is wanting in the Vatican Codex of the Septuagint.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on 1 Samuel 17 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening to take his stand.
The Philistine came near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening to take his stand.
Meanwhile for forty days the Philistine approached every morning and evening and took his position.
Tyndale line
And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
And the Philistim drew neere in the morning, and euening, and continued fourtie daies.
Strictly literal
And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
And the Philistine draweth nigh, morning and evening, and stationeth himself forty days.
And the Philistine draws near, morning and evening, and stations himself [for] forty days.
And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
For forty days the Philistine strong man came near morning and evening to present himself for battle.
From the Latin
Now the Philistine came out morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
Simplified
Every morning and evening for forty days the Philistine came out to take his stand.
And the Philistine came near every morning and evening for forty days.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in the wording of this verse, with all seven Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. This consistency indicates a shared understanding of the narrative across these texts.
וַיִּגַּ֥שׁ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖י הַשְׁכֵּ֣ם וְהַעֲרֵ֑ב וַיִּתְיַצֵּ֖ב אַרְבָּעִ֥ים יֽוֹם׃ פ
7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in 1 Samuel 17:16
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
נָגַשׁ (nagash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to draw near or approach. It can refer to humans or inanimate subjects and includes various forms such as causing to approach or being brought near. The term also has euphemistic uses, including sexual intercourse. The entries indicate a range of applications, from physical proximity to religious worship.
[נָגַשׁ] 125 vb. draw near, approach
Qal draw near or come near
Niph. draw near
Hiph. cause to approach, bring near, bring
Hoph. thy feet have not been brought near (put into) fetters; it (impers.) is offered to my name
Hithp. draw near!
base
H5066 [נָגַשׁ] draw near, approach .draw near or come near
. draw near
. cause to approach, bring near, bring
. thy feet have not been brought near (put into) fetters; it (impers.) is offered to my name
. draw near!
5066 nagash naw-gash'
a primitive root; to be or come (causatively, bring) near
(for any purpose); euphemistically, to lie with a woman; as an
enemy, to attack; relig. to worship; causatively, to present;
figuratively, to adduce an argument; by reversal, to stand
back:--(make to) approach (nigh), bring (forth, hither,
near), (cause to) come (hither, near, nigh), give place, go
hard (up), (be, draw, go) near (nigh), offer, overtake,
present, put, stand.
נָגַשׁ (na.gash) — to approach: approach.
: approach
1) to draw near, approach
1a) (Qal) to draw or come near
1a1) of humans
1a1a) of sexual intercourse
1a2) of inanimate subject
1a2a) to approach one another
1b) (Niphal) to draw near
1c) (Hiphil) to cause to approach, bring near, bring
1d) (Hophal) to be brought near
1e) (Hithpael) to draw near
Also means: na.gash (נָגַשׁ ": bring" H5066H)
נָגַשׁ (na.gash) — to approach: bring.
: bring/offer
1) to draw near, approach
1a) (Qal) to draw or come near
1a1) of humans
1a1a) of sexual intercourse
1a2) of inanimate subject
1a2a) to approach one another
1b) (Niphal) to draw near
1c) (Hiphil) to cause to approach, bring near, bring
1d) (Hophal) to be brought near
1e) (Hithpael) to draw near
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms
The Hebrew word פְּלִשְׁתִּי (*pelishtiy*) means 'Philistine' and refers to an inhabitant of Philistia, with roots indicating they are descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor. It is derived from the lemma for Philistia, פְּלֶ֫שֶׁת (*peleshet*), and is first mentioned in Genesis 10:14.
פְּלִשְׁתִּי 288 adj.gent. Philistine
base
H6430 פְּלִשְׁתִּי Philistine
6430 Plishtiy pel-ish-tee'
patrial from 6429; a Pelishtite or inhabitant of
Pelesheth:--Philistine.
see HEBREW for 06429
פְּלִשְׁתִּי (pe.lish.ti) — Philistine.
Philistine = "immigrants"
an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan
Another spelling of pe.le.shet (פְּלֶ֫שֶׁת "Philistia" H6429)
פְּלִשְׁתִּי (pe.lish.ti) — Philistine.
A Philistine living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.14;
son of: Casluhim (H3695)
§ Philistine = "immigrants"
an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan
פְּלִשְׁתִּי (pe.lish.ti) — (Sea of the) Philistines.
Philistine = "immigrants"
an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan
Another name of ga.dol (גָּדוֹל "Great( Sea)" H1419J)
Art | Ngmsa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ngmsa
שָׁכַם (shakam) is a verb that means to rise or start early. It is a denominative form derived from a root meaning to incline or load up. The entries indicate its use primarily in the Hiphil form, suggesting actions like getting up early or making an early start.
[שָׁכַם] 65 vb. Hiph. denom. start, rise, early
base
H7925 שָׁכַם vb. Hiph. denom. start, rise, early
7925 shakam shaw-kam'
a primitive root; properly, to incline (the shoulder to a
burden); but used only as denominative from 7926; literally,
to load up (on the back of man or beast), i.e. to start early
in the morning:--(arise, be up, get (oneself) up, rise up)
early (betimes), morning.
see HEBREW for 07926
שָׁכַם (sha.kham) — to rise.
1) to rise or start early
1a) (Hiphil)
1a1) to rise early, make an early start
1a2) early (as adverb)
V-Hiphil-Ptc — Verb · Hiphil · infinitive absoluteHVhaa
ur'-li (orthros, and related words; proi):
The word generally refers to the day, and means the hour of dawn or soon after (Ge 19:2; 2Ch 36:15; Ho 6:4; Lu 24:22). Sometimes it refers to the beginning of the season, eg. the early rain (Ps 84:6; Jas 5:7; see RAIN). It may also have the sense of "speedily" (Ps 46:5). The early morning is frequently commended as the hour for prayer. See examples of Jesus (Mr 1:35; Lu…
עָרַב (arab) is a verb meaning to grow dark or become evening. It can refer to the transition into evening or the act of spending time during that period. The entries suggest a connection to the idea of darkness associated with dusk, though the exact nuances may vary slightly among sources.
[עָרַב] vb. denom. become evening; grow dark (?)
Qal all joy has grown dark
Hiph. doing it at morning and at evening.
base
H6150 עָרַב vb. denom. become evening; grow dark (?)
6150 `arab aw-rab'
a primitive root (identical with 6148 through the idea of
covering with a texture); to grow dusky at sundown:--be
darkened, (toward) evening.
see HEBREW for 06148
עָרַב (a.rav) — to grow dark.
1) to become evening, grow dark
1a) (Qal) to become evening, grow dark
1b) (Hiphil) to spend the evening, do at evening
Conj | V-Hiphil-Ptc — Conjunction · verb hiphil infinitive absoluteHC/Vhaa
The Hebrew word יָצַב (yatsab) primarily means to stand or to station oneself, particularly in the Hithpael form, which indicates a reflexive action. It encompasses the ideas of placing, setting, or presenting oneself. The entries do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.
[יָצַב] vb. only Hithp. set or station oneself, take one's stand
base
H3320 יָצַב only Hithp. set or station oneself, take one's stand
3320 yatsab yaw-tsab'
a primitive root; to place (any thing so as to stay);
reflexively, to station, offer, continue:--present selves,
remaining, resort, set (selves), (be able to, can, with-)
stand (fast, forth, -ing, still, up).
יָצַב (ya.tsav) — to stand.
1) to place, set, stand, set or station oneself, present oneself
1a) (Hithpael) to station oneself, take one's stand, stand, present oneself, stand with someone
Aramaic equivalent: ye.tsav (יְצַב "to know" H3321)
Conj | V-Hithpael-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Hithpael · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vtw3ms
אַרְבָּעִים (arba`iym) simply means 'forty' in Hebrew. It is a multiple of the number 702 and is consistently defined across various lexicons. There are no significant disagreements among the entries regarding its meaning.
אַרְבָּעִים a forty
base
H705 אַרְבָּעִים a forty
705 'arba`iym ar-baw-eem'
multiple of 702; forty:---forty.
see HEBREW for 0702
אַרְבָּעִים (ar.ba.im) — forty.
forty
Adj — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
יוֹם (yowm) means 'day' and refers to a division of time, contrasting with night. It can denote a literal 24-hour period, a general time span, or even a year. The term is used in various contexts, including the 'day of Yahweh,' which signifies a time of divine judgment. It also appears in phrases indicating temporal references like today, yesterday, and tomorrow.
יוֹם 2285 n.m. day
day, opp. night
Day as division of time
יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous
Pl. days of anyone
Days
יוֹם = time
Phrases
base
H3117 יוֹם day . day, opp. night
. Day as division of time
. יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous
. Pl. days of anyone
. Days
. יוֹם = time
. Phrases
3117 yowm yome
from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm
hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one
sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by
an associated term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, +
chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to)
day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, +
(for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as
(... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually,
presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space,
then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble,
weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole
(+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.
יוֹם (yom) — day.
: day/when/time/period
1) day, time, year
1a) day (as opposed to night)
1b) day (24 hour period)
1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1
1b2) as a division of time
1b2a) a working day, a day's journey
1c) days, lifetime (pl.)
1d) time, period (general)
1e) year
1f) temporal references
1f1) today
1f2) yesterday
1f3) tomorrow
יוֹם (yom) — day: old.
: old/(full/many)[days]
1) day, time, year
1a) day (as opposed to night)
1b) day (24 hour period)
1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1
1b2) as a division of time
1b2a) a working day, a day's journey
1c) days, lifetime (pl.)
1d) time, period (general)
1e) year
1f) temporal references
1f1) today
1f2) yesterday
1f3) tomorrow
יוֹם (yom) — day: year.
: year[of_days]
1) day, time, year
1a) day (as opposed to night)
1b) day (24 hour period)
1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1
1b2) as a division of time
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa