2 Samuel 23:14 — Word Study
WLCוְדָוִ֖ד אָ֣ז בַּמְּצוּדָ֑ה וּמַצַּ֣ב פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים אָ֖ז בֵּ֥ית לָֽחֶם׃
BSAAt that timeʼâz [then, in a past moment] DavidDâvid [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] was in the strongholdmâtsûwd [a fortress, a safe place] and the garrisonmatstsâb [a military post, a station] of the PhilistinesPᵉlishtîy [people from the region of Philistia] was at BethlehemBêyth Lechem [the house of bread, a place of abundance]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְדָוִ֖ד | and David | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| אָ֣ז | then | Adverb |
| בַּמְּצוּדָ֑ה | [was] in the stronghold | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| וּמַצַּ֣ב | and a garrison of | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct |
| פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים | Philistines | Noun gentilic, masculine plural absolute |
| אָ֖ז | then | Adverb |
| בֵּ֥ית | [was] Beth- | Noun proper |
| לָֽחֶם׃ | -lehem | Noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem. |
| KJV | And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem. |
| ASV | And David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem. |
| YLT | and David [is] then in a fortress, and the station of the Philistines [is] then in Beth-Lehem, |
| WEB | David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. |
| BBE | And at that time David had taken cover in the strong place, and an armed force of the Philistines was in Beth-lehem. |
The translations agree on the rendering of the verse, with no significant differences noted.
The structure of the sentence places David's situation first, followed by the Philistine threat, highlighting the contrast between safety and danger.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
subjectדָּוִד
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 — 2 Samuel 23:14
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 — David's Stronghold and the Philistinesgenerated
2 Samuel 23:14 describes a moment in David's life when he was in a stronghold, indicating a time of conflict with the Philistines. This verse highlights the tension between David's position and the Philistine threat, as they had established a garrison at Bethlehem, a significant location for David's heritage. The surrounding verses illustrate David's leadership and the loyalty of his men during this challenging period.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Samuel 22:1–4 | So David left Gath and took refuge in the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and the rest of his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there. |
| 2 | 1 Samuel 24:22 | So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold. |
| 3 | 1 Chronicles 12:16 | Other Benjamites and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold. |
| 4 | 1 Samuel 10:5 | After that you will come to Gibeah of God, where the Philistines have an outpost. As you approach the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place, preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres, and they will be prophesying. |
| 5 | 1 Samuel 13:4–23 | And all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked an outpost of the Philistines, and now Israel has become a stench to the Philistines!” Then the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — דָּוִד, ve.da.Vidgenerated
The name דָּוִד (David) refers to the second king of Israel, known for his significant lineage and military prowess. David was the youngest son of Jesse and is recognized as a central figure in Israel's history, with his name meaning 'beloved.' His story is foundational in the biblical narrative, as he is an ancestor of Jesus.
The parsing shows that דָּוִד is a proper masculine noun, indicating a specific individual rather than a common noun. This emphasizes his importance in the text and the lineage from which he comes.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the phrase David was in the stronghold, consistent across the KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main finite verb is הָיָה (was), which governs the entire sentence. The structure presents David's location first, followed by the situation of the Philistines, indicating a juxtaposition of safety and threat.
The sentence is constructed with a subject (David) followed by an adverbial clause indicating time and location, leading to the description of the Philistine garrison. This order emphasizes David's position in the stronghold relative to the Philistine threat.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates דָּוִד as δαυιδ, maintaining the name's significance and recognition. This choice reflects the continuity of David's identity across both Hebrew and Greek texts.
The word for stronghold in the Septuagint is rendered differently, indicating a potential interpretive choice by the translators that may reflect their understanding of David's situation.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
2 Samuel 23:14 tells us that David was in a stronghold while the Philistine garrison was stationed at Bethlehem. This verse highlights David's military context and the challenges he faced from the Philistines, who were a constant threat during his reign.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
A stronghold refers to a fortified place where David could find safety and security from his enemies.
Bethlehem is significant as it is David's birthplace and later becomes known as the birthplace of Jesus.
The Philistine garrison indicates ongoing conflict and military tension between David's forces and the Philistines.
David's situation illustrates the challenges of leadership and the need for strategic positioning in times of conflict.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does David's position in the stronghold teach us about seeking safety during difficult times?
- How can we apply the lessons of leadership from David's experiences to our own lives?
- In what ways does the conflict with the Philistines reflect struggles we face today?
- How does understanding the historical context of Bethlehem enhance our appreciation of its significance?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers have commented on this verse, often reflecting on David's strength and the challenges he faced, using this moment as a teaching point in their writings.
Finally, whom among men shall we consider better and stronger than the holy David, who could not take for himself the water he desired from the Bethlehem lake, which was cut off by the enemy army,Early Church Fathers on 2 Samuel 23 →
And certainly when we are disturbed at this very anger because it has stolen upon us against our brother, and we angrily cast out its deadly suggestions and do not permit it to maintain its noxious lair in the recesses of our heart.Early Church Fathers on 2 Samuel 23 →
A fish is caught by being enticed with a hook. A bird falls into a net while trying to get food. Animals that are tough by nature’s endowment fall into a pit from desire to eat, and what nature does not soften, food deceives.Early Church Fathers on 2 Samuel 23 →
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 2 Samuel 23:14 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd David [was] then in an hold,.... In a strong hold; the strong hold of Zion, as Josephus (x), or one on a rock near the cave of Adullam, see 1 Chronicles 11:15; and the garrison of the Philistines
Read John Gill on 2 Samuel 23 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were
Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Samuel 23 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments2 Samuel 23:14 And David [was] then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines [was] then [in] Bethlehem.Ver. 14. In an hold.] In the cave of Adullam. And the garrison of the Philistines, &c.] This difficulty did but edge and whet on those heroic spirits to venture.
Read John Trapp on 2 Samuel 23 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges14. in a hold] In the strong-hold, probably the same as that mentioned in ch. 2 Samuel 5:17, where see note. The ruins bearing the name Aid el Ma, which is supposed to be a corruption of Adullam, lie at the foot of a high rounded hill almost isolated by subordinate valleys. This forms a natural fortress, and may have been “the rock” which was the site of David’s stronghold; while numerous caves, still used for habitations, are found in the neighbouring valleys. the garrison of the Philistines] The same term is used of the military posts of the Philistines in Israelite territory in 1 Samuel 13:23; 1 Samuel 14:1 ff; and a similar word in 1 Samuel 10:5; 1 Samuel 13:3.
Read Cambridge on 2 Samuel 23 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleIn an hold - In “the hold” 1 Chronicles 11:16 close to the cave of Adullam (marginal reference note). It shows the power and daring of the Philistines that they should hold a post so far in the country as Bethlehem.
Read Albert Barnes on 2 Samuel 23 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible14. David… in a hold — Rather, in the hold; that is, the cave of Adullam.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on 2 Samuel 23 →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
At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem.
David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem.
David was in the stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem.
Tyndale line
And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.
And David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.
And David was then in the hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.
And David was then in a hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.
And Dauid was then in an holde, and the garison of ye Philistims was then in Beth-lehem.
Strictly literal
And David was then in the stronghold; and the Philistines' garrison was then at Bethlehem.
and David [is] then in a fortress, and the station of the Philistines [is] then in Beth-Lehem,
and David [is] then in a fortress, and the station of the Philistines [is] then in Beth-Lehem,
And David was then in the strong-hold, and an outpost of the Philistines was then in Beth-lechem.
At that time David was in his stronghold, a cave, while the Philistines had established at Bethlehem.
From the Latin
And David was then in a hold. and there was a garrison of the Philistines then in Bethlehem.
Simplified
At the time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem.
And at that time David had taken cover in the strong place, and an armed force of the Philistines was in Beth-lehem.
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 largely agree, with six out of eight words matching. The Dead Sea Scrolls provide partial restoration, showing some textual consistency but also indicating areas of damage and editorial restoration.
וְדָוִ֖ד אָ֣ז בַּמְּצוּדָ֑ה וּמַצַּ֣ב פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים אָ֖ז בֵּ֥ית לָֽחֶם׃
6 of the 8 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.
[ודויד] אז [במצודה] [ומצב] [פלשתים] [אז] בית לחם
1 word on the leather — 2 partly restored, 5 supplied entire by an editor.
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 2 Samuel 23:14
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.
דָּוִד (David) refers to the second king of Israel, known as the youngest son of Jesse. The name means 'beloved' and is associated with a significant lineage, including many siblings and notable descendants like Solomon. The entries highlight his familial connections and historical context, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
דָּוִד, דָּוִיד 1066 n.pr.m. David
base
H1732 דָּוִד, דָּוִיד David
1732 David daw-veed'
rarely (fully); Daviyd {daw-veed'}; from the same as 1730;
loving; David, the youngest son of Jesse:--David.
see HEBREW for 01730
דָּוִד (da.vid) — David.
A king of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at Rut.4.17;
son of: Jesse (H3448) and Nahash (H5176I);
brother of: Eliab (H0446I), Abinadab (H0041I), Shimeah (H8093), Zeruiah (H6870), Abigail (H0026H)(?), Nethanel (H5417H), Raddai (H7288), Ozem (H0684) and Elihu (H0453J); married to Michal (H4324), Abigail (H0026), Ahinoam (H0293H), Maacah (H4601I), Haggith (H2294), Abital (H0037), Eglah (H5698) and Bathsheba (H1339);
father of: Amnon (H0550), Chileab (H3609), Absalom (H0053), Adonijah (H0138), Shephatiah (H8203), Ithream (H3507), Shammua (H8051H), Shobab (H7727), Nathan (H5416), Solomon (H8010), Ibhar (H2984), Elishua (H0474), Nepheg (H5298H), Japhia (H3309I), Elishama (H0476H), Eliada (H0450), Eliphelet (H0467), Tamar (H8559H), Elpelet (H0467I), Nogah (H5052) and Jerimoth (H3406N)
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
da'-vid (dawidh, or dawidh, "beloved"; Daueid, also in New Testament, Dauid, Dabid; see Thayer's Lexicon):
I. NAME AND GENEALOGY
II. EARLY YEARS
1. Shepherd
2. Slinger
3. Harpist
4. Poet
5. Psalmist
6. Tribesman
III. IN THE SERVICE OF SAUL
1. David First Meets Saul
2. His First Exploit
3. Envy of Saul and Flight of David
4. Jonathan and David
IV. DAVID IN EXILE
1. David as Outlaw
2. David Joins the Philistines
V. DAVID AS KING
1. Civil War
2. Conquests Abroad
3. Political Situation
4. The Ark
VI. DOMESTIC LIFE
1. His Wives and Children
2. Domestic Troubles
VII. HIS OFFICIALS
1. Prophets
2. Priests
3. Military Officers
4. Other Officials
5. Mutual Rivalry
VIII. PERSONAL CHARACTER OF DAVID
1. Chronicles
2. Psalms
3. Complex Character
4. Physical Courage
5. Moral Courage
6. Prudence
7. Strategy
8. Nobility
9. David in Relation to His Family
10. David in Relation to His Friends
11. His Success
12. His Foreign Friends
13. Nemesis
David
Beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother’s name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25. As to his personal appearance, we only know that he was red-haired, with beautiful eyes and a fair face (1 Sam. 16:12; 17:42).
His early occupation was that of tending his father’s sheep on the uplands of Judah. From what we know of his after history, doubtless he frequently beguiled his time, when thus engaged, with his shepherd’s flute, while he drank in the many lessons taught him by the varied scenes spread around him. His first recorded exploits were his encounters with the wild beasts of the field. He mentions that with his own unaided hand he slew a lion and also a…
(well-beloved), the son of Jesse. His life may be divided into three portions: His youth before his introduction to the court of Saul; His relations with Saul; His reign. The early life of David contains in many important respects the antecedents of his future career. It appears that David was the youngest son, probably the youngest child, of a family of ten, and was born in Bethlehem B.C. 1085. The first time that David appears in history at once admits us to the whole family circle. The annual sacrificial feast is being held when Samuel appears, sent by God to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as they pass before him, (1 Samuel 16:6-10) Samuel sends for the youngest, David, who was "keeping the sheep," and anoints him. (1 Samuel 16:11-13) As David stood before Samuel we are enabled to…
Beloved, the youngest son of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah, born in Bethlehem B. C. 1085; one of the most remarkable men in either sacred of secular history. His life is fully recorded in 1Sa 16:1 1Ki 2:46. He was "the Lord’s anointed," chosen by God to be king of Israel instead of Saul, and consecrated to that office by the venerable prophet Samuel long before he actually came to the throne, 1Sa 16:1-13, for which God prepared him by the gift of his Spirit, and a long course of vicissitudes and dangers. In his early pastoral life he distinguished himself by his boldness, fidelity, and faith in God; and while yet a youth was summoned to court, as one expert in music, valiant, prudent in behavior, and comely in person. He…
אָז (az) is a demonstrative adverb meaning 'at that time' or 'then,' used for both temporal and logical expressions. It can refer to past events or indicate a condition for future actions. The related form מֵאָז (me.az) means 'from that time' or 'since.' The entries highlight its use in various contexts without significant disagreement.
אָז adv. at that time, then whether expressing duration, or inception (= thereupon).
strictly temporal
expressing logical sequence strictly
base
מֵאָז lit. from that time
base
H227a אָז at that time, then H227b מֵאָז, once
227 'az awz
a demonstrative adverb; at that time or place; also as a
conjunction, therefore:--beginning, for, from, hitherto, now,
of old, once, since, then, at which time, yet.
אָז (az) — then.
1) then, at that time
1a) temporal expressions
1a1) then (past)
1a2) then, if...then (future)
1a3) earlier
1b) logical expressions
1b1) in that case
1b2) that (being so)
מֵאָז (me.az) — the past.
1) in time past, of old
2)from time of, since
Adv — AdverbHD
מְצוּדָה (matsuwdah) refers to both a net or prey and a stronghold or fastness. The word encompasses concepts of capture and defense, indicating a place of safety or a means of hunting. It appears in contexts related to both physical capture and strategic locations.
מְצוּדָה n.f. net, prey
base
מְצוּדָה n.f. fastness, stronghold
base
H4686a מְצוּדָה net, prey H4686b מְצוּדָה fastness, stronghold
4686 matsuwd maw-tsood'
or (feminine) mtsuwdah {mets-oo-daw'}; or mtsudah
{mets-oo-daw'}; for 4685; a net, or (abstractly) capture; also
a fastness; --castle, defense, fort(-ress), (strong) hold, be
hunted, net, snare, strong place.
see HEBREW for 04685
מְצוּדָה (ma.tsu.dah) — net.
1) net, prey, net prey
1a) net
1b) prey
מְצוּדָה (ma.tsu.dah) — fortress.
fastness, stronghold
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHRd/Ncfsa
strong'-hold.
See FORTIFIED CITIES, IV, 1.
The Hebrew word מַצָּב (matstsab) refers to a standing-place or station, often in a military context, such as a garrison or post. It is derived from a root meaning 'to stand' and can also denote an office or position. The entries consistently emphasize its use in describing fixed locations or roles.
מַצָּב n.m. standing-place, station, garrison
base
H4673 מַצָּב standing-place, station, garrison
4673 matstsab mats-tsawb'
from 5324; a fixed spot; figuratively, an office, a military
post:--garrison, station, place where...stood.
see HEBREW for 05324
מַצָּב (mats.tsav) — station.
1) station, garrison, standing-place
1a) standing-place (of feet)
1b) station, office, position
1c) garrison, post, outpost
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular constructHC/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
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)
Ngmpa — Noun gentilic · masculine plural absoluteHNgmpa
fi-lis'-tinz, fil'-is-tinz, fil'-is-tinz (pelishtim; Phulistieim, allophuloi):
I. OLD TESTAMENT NOTICES
1. Race and Origin
2. Religion
3. Individual Philistines Mentioned
4. Title of Ruler and Circumcision
5. History in the Old Testament to Death of Saul
6. History Continued to Time of Ahaz
7. Later Notices
II. MONUMENTAL NOTICES
1. Palestinian Excavations
2. Egyptian Monuments
3. Assyrian Texts
III. THE CRETAN THEORY
1. Cherethim and Kretes
2. Caphtor and Keft
IV. DAVID'S GUARDS
1. The "Cherethi" and the "Pelethi" Not Mercenaries
2. Meaning of These Terms
3. Native Hebrews
4. Review
LITERATURE
I. Old Testament Notices.
1. Race and Origin:
The Philistines were an uncircumcised people inhabiting the shore plain between Gezer and Gaza in Southwestern Palestine (see PHILISTIA). The name Palestine itself (Hebrew pelesheth) refers to their country. The word means "migrants," and they came from another country. They…
Philistines
(Gen. 10:14, R.V.; but in A.V., “Philistim”), a tribe allied to the Phoenicians. They were a branch of the primitive race which spread over the whole district of the Lebanon and the valley of the Jordan, and Crete and other Mediterranean islands. Some suppose them to have been a branch of the Rephaim (2 Sam. 21:16-22). In the time of Abraham they inhabited the south-west of Judea, Abimelech of Gerar being their king (Gen. 21:32, 34; 26:1). They are, however, not noticed among the Canaanitish tribes mentioned in the Pentateuch. They are spoken of by Amos (9:7) and Jeremiah (47:4) as from Caphtor, i.e., probably Crete, or, as some think, the Delta of Egypt. In the whole record from Exodus to Samuel they are…
(immigrants), The origin of the Philistines is nowhere expressly stated in the Bible; but as the prophets describe them as "the Philistines-from Caphtor," (Amos 9:7) and "the remnant of the maritime district of Caphtor" (Jeremiah 47:4) it is prima facie probable that they were the Caphtorim which came out of Caphtor" who expelled the Avim from their territory and occupied it; in their place, (2:23) and that these again were the Caphtorim mentioned in the Mosaic genealogical table among the descendants of Mizraim. (Genesis 10:14) It has been generally assumed that Caphtor represents Crete, and that the Philistines migrated from that island, either directly or through Egypt, into Palestine. But the name Caphtor is more probably…
A celebrated people, who inhabited the southern seacoast of Canaan, which from them took the name of Philistia, Ps 60:8 108:9, or Palestine. They seem originally to have migrated form Egypt to Caphtor, by which some understand Crete, and others with the ancients Cappadocia, Ge 10:14, and thence to have passed over to Palestine under the name of Caphtorim, where they drove out the Avim, who dwelt from Hazerim to Azzah, that is, Gaza, and swelt in their stead, De 2:23. The country they inhabited lay between the higher land of Judea and the Mediterranean, and was in the main a level and fertile territory. It resembles our own western prairies; and bears splendid crops year after year, though miserably cultivated and never manured.
אָז (az) is a demonstrative adverb meaning 'at that time' or 'then,' used for both temporal and logical expressions. It can refer to past events or indicate a condition for future actions. The related form מֵאָז (me.az) means 'from that time' or 'since.' The entries highlight its use in various contexts without significant disagreement.
אָז adv. at that time, then whether expressing duration, or inception (= thereupon).
strictly temporal
expressing logical sequence strictly
base
מֵאָז lit. from that time
base
H227a אָז at that time, then H227b מֵאָז, once
227 'az awz
a demonstrative adverb; at that time or place; also as a
conjunction, therefore:--beginning, for, from, hitherto, now,
of old, once, since, then, at which time, yet.
אָז (az) — then.
1) then, at that time
1a) temporal expressions
1a1) then (past)
1a2) then, if...then (future)
1a3) earlier
1b) logical expressions
1b1) in that case
1b2) that (being so)
מֵאָז (me.az) — the past.
1) in time past, of old
2)from time of, since
HD — AdverbHD
בֵּית לֶ֫חֶם (Beyth Lechem) means 'house of bread' and refers to two locations in ancient Palestine: one in Judah, known as the birthplace of David, and another in Zebulun, northwest of Nazareth. The word is built from the roots for 'house' and 'bread'.
בֵּית לֶ֫חֶם 41 n.pr.loc.
in Judah, 2 hours south of Jerusalem; birth-place of David
in Zeb., 7 m. NW. of Nazareth
base
H1035 בֵּית לֶ֫חֶם . in Judah, 2 hours south of Jerusalem; birth-place of David
. in Zeb., 7 m. NW. of Nazareth
1035 Beyth Lechem bayth leh'-khem
from 1004 and 3899; house of bread; Beth- Lechem, a place in
Palestine:--Beth-lehem.
see HEBREW for 01004
see HEBREW for 03899
בֵּית לֶ֫חֶם (bet le.chem) — Bethlehem.
§ Beth-lehem = "house of bread (food)"
a city in Judah, birthplace of David
בֵּית לֶ֫חֶם (bet le.chem) — Bethlehem.
§ Beth-lehem = "house of bread (food)"
a place in Zebulun
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
Beth
Occurs frequently as the appellation for a house, or dwelling-place, in such compounds as the words immediately following:
the most general word for a house or habitation. It has the special meaning of a temple or house of worship Beth is more frequently employed in compound names of places than any other word.
House, forms a part of many compounds names of places, and sometimes means the place or dwelling; and at others the temple. This word becomes Beit in modern Arabic.
בֵּית לֶ֫חֶם (Beyth Lechem) means 'house of bread' and refers to two locations in ancient Palestine: one in Judah, known as the birthplace of David, and another in Zebulun, northwest of Nazareth. The word is built from the roots for 'house' and 'bread'.
בֵּית לֶ֫חֶם 41 n.pr.loc.
in Judah, 2 hours south of Jerusalem; birth-place of David
in Zeb., 7 m. NW. of Nazareth
base
H1035 בֵּית לֶ֫חֶם . in Judah, 2 hours south of Jerusalem; birth-place of David
. in Zeb., 7 m. NW. of Nazareth
1035 Beyth Lechem bayth leh'-khem
from 1004 and 3899; house of bread; Beth- Lechem, a place in
Palestine:--Beth-lehem.
see HEBREW for 01004
see HEBREW for 03899
בֵּית לֶ֫חֶם (bet le.chem) — Bethlehem.
§ Beth-lehem = "house of bread (food)"
a city in Judah, birthplace of David
בֵּית לֶ֫חֶם (bet le.chem) — Bethlehem.
§ Beth-lehem = "house of bread (food)"
a place in Zebulun
HNpl — Noun properHNpl