1 Samuel 17:24
New International Version
Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear.

New Living Translation
As soon as the Israelite army saw him, they began to run away in fright.

English Standard Version
All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid.

Berean Standard Bible
When all the men of Israel saw Goliath, they fled from him in great fear.

King James Bible
And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.

New King James Version
And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid.

New American Standard Bible
When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were very fearful.

NASB 1995
When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were greatly afraid.

NASB 1977
When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were greatly afraid.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now all the men of Israel saw the man, and they fled from him and were greatly afraid.

Amplified Bible
When the men of Israel all saw the man, they fled from him, and were very frightened.

Christian Standard Bible
When all the Israelite men saw Goliath, they retreated from him terrified.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When all the Israelite men saw Goliath, they retreated from him terrified.

American Standard Version
And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.

Contemporary English Version
When the Israelite soldiers saw Goliath, they were scared and ran off.

English Revised Version
And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When all the men of Israel saw Goliath, they fled from him because they were terrified.

Good News Translation
When the Israelites saw Goliath, they ran away in terror.

International Standard Version
When all the Israelis saw the man, they fled from him and were very frightened.

Majority Standard Bible
When all the men of Israel saw Goliath, they fled from him in great fear.

NET Bible
When all the men of Israel saw this man, they retreated from his presence and were very afraid.

New Heart English Bible
All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were terrified.

Webster's Bible Translation
And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were exceedingly afraid.

World English Bible
All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were terrified.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and all the men of Israel, when they see the man, flee from his presence, and are greatly afraid.

Young's Literal Translation
and all the men of Israel when they see the man flee from his presence, and are greatly afraid.

Smith's Literal Translation
And every man of Israel in their seeing the man, will flee from his face, and they will fear greatly.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And all the Israelites when they saw the man, fled from his face, fearing him exceedingly.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then all the Israelites, when they had seen the man, fled from his face, fearing him greatly.

New American Bible
When the Israelites saw the man, they all retreated before him, terrified.

New Revised Standard Version
All the Israelites, when they saw the man, fled from him and were very much afraid.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And all the men of Israel, when they saw the mighty man, were afraid and fled from him.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And all the men of Israel, when they saw the giant, they were afraid, and they fled from before him
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David Accepts the Challenge
23And as he was speaking with them, suddenly the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, came forward from the Philistines and shouted his usual words, which David also heard. 24When all the men of Israel saw Goliath, they fled from him in great fear. 25Now the men of Israel had been saying, “Do you see this man who keeps coming out to defy Israel? To the man who kills him the king will give great riches. And he will give him his daughter in marriage and exempt his father’s house from taxation in Israel.”…

Cross References
Numbers 13:31-33
But the men who had gone up with him replied, “We cannot go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are!” / So they gave the Israelites a bad report about the land that they had spied out: “The land we explored devours its inhabitants, and all the people we saw there are great in stature. / We even saw the Nephilim there—the descendants of Anak that come from the Nephilim! We seemed like grasshoppers in our own sight, and we must have seemed the same to them!”

Deuteronomy 1:28
Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying: ‘The people are larger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the heavens. We even saw the descendants of the Anakim there.’”

Joshua 2:9-11
and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you. / For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites across the Jordan, whom you devoted to destruction. / When we heard this, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below.

Judges 7:3
Now, therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the men: ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand of them turned back, but ten thousand remained.

1 Samuel 14:15
Then panic struck the Philistines in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even those in the outposts and raiding parties trembled. Indeed, the earth quaked, and panic spread from God.

1 Samuel 21:12
Now David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

2 Samuel 22:46
Foreigners lose heart and come trembling from their strongholds.

2 Kings 7:6-7
For the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots, horses, and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel must have hired the kings of the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us.” / Thus the Arameans had arisen and fled at twilight, abandoning their tents and horses and donkeys. The camp was intact, and they had run for their lives.

2 Chronicles 20:15
And he said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God.

Psalm 27:1-3
Of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—whom shall I dread? / When the wicked came upon me to devour my flesh, my enemies and foes stumbled and fell. / Though an army encamps around me, my heart will not fear; though a war breaks out against me, I will keep my trust.

Psalm 46:2-3
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth is transformed and the mountains are toppled into the depths of the seas, / though their waters roar and foam and the mountains quake in the surge. Selah

Isaiah 41:10
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Isaiah 51:12-13
“I, even I, am He who comforts you. Why should you be afraid of mortal man, of a son of man who withers like grass? / But you have forgotten the LORD, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth. You live in terror all day long because of the fury of the oppressor who is bent on destruction. But where is the fury of the oppressor?

Jeremiah 1:8
Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.

Matthew 14:26-27
When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and cried out in fear. / But Jesus spoke up at once: “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”


Treasury of Scripture

And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.

him [heb] his face

1 Samuel 13:6,7
When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits…

sore

1 Samuel 17:11
When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

Leviticus 26:36
And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth.

Numbers 13:33
And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

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Afraid Exceedingly Israel Israelites Overcome Presence Ran Sore
1 Samuel 17
1. The armies of the Israelites and Philistines being ready to battle
4. Goliath challenges a combat
12. David, sent by his father to visit his brothers, takes the challenge
28. Eliab chides him
30. He is brought to Saul
32. shows the reason of his confidence
38. and slays the giant
55. Saul takes notice of David














When all the men of Israel
This phrase sets the stage by identifying the collective group involved—"all the men of Israel." The Hebrew word for "men" here is "אִישׁ" (ish), which can refer to men in general or warriors specifically. The context of this passage is a military one, as these men are part of the Israelite army. Historically, Israel was a nation chosen by God, often facing battles against surrounding nations. The phrase underscores the unity and collective identity of the Israelites, who were bound by covenant to God and shared a common heritage and destiny.

saw the man
The "man" referred to here is Goliath, the Philistine giant. The Hebrew word for "saw" is "רָאָה" (ra'ah), which means to see, perceive, or consider. This seeing is not just physical but also involves an assessment of the situation. Goliath's imposing stature and armor would have been intimidating, and the Israelites' perception of him was one of overwhelming threat. This highlights the human tendency to focus on visible circumstances rather than spiritual truths.

they fled from him
The reaction of the Israelites is one of retreat. The Hebrew word for "fled" is "נָסוּ" (nasu), indicating a hurried escape or retreat. This response reveals a lack of faith and courage among the Israelites, who were God's chosen people. Historically, this reflects a moment of crisis in Israel's faith journey, where fear overshadowed their trust in God's power and promises. It serves as a reminder of the importance of faith in the face of daunting challenges.

in great fear
The phrase "in great fear" captures the intensity of the Israelites' reaction. The Hebrew word for "fear" is "יָרֵא" (yare), which can mean fear, reverence, or awe. In this context, it denotes terror and dread. The Israelites' fear was not just of Goliath's physical prowess but also of the potential consequences of facing him. This fear contrasts with the biblical call to fear the Lord above all else, highlighting a moment where the Israelites' focus shifted from divine assurance to human intimidation.

(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 king's helpless lethargy had settled now on the hearts of the soldiers he had trained so well in his earlier and nobler days.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When all
וְכֹל֙ (wə·ḵōl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the men
אִ֣ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

of Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

saw Goliath,
בִּרְאוֹתָ֖ם (bir·’ō·w·ṯām)
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7200: To see

they fled
וַיָּנֻ֙סוּ֙ (way·yā·nu·sū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5127: To flit, vanish away

from him
מִפָּנָ֔יו (mip·pā·nāw)
Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

in great fear.
וַיִּֽירְא֖וּ (way·yî·rə·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten


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OT History: 1 Samuel 17:24 All the men of Israel when they (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 17:23
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