1 Samuel 17 · Verse 51

1 Samuel 17:51

Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.
1 Samuel 17:51, King James Version

1 Samuel 17:51 in other translations

BSBDavid ran and stood over him. He grabbed the Philistine’s sword and pulled it from its sheath and killed him; and he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.
WEBThen David ran, stood over the Philistine, took his sword, drew it out of its sheath, killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.
ASVThen David ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.
YLTand David runneth and standeth over the Philistine, and taketh his sword, and draweth it out of its sheath, and putteth him to death, and cutteth off with it his head; and the Philistines see that their hero is dead, and flee.
DARBYAnd David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of its sheath, and killed him completely, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they fled.
BBESo running up to the Philistine and putting his foot on him, David took his sword out of its cover, and put him to death, cutting off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their fighter was dead, they went in flight.
WebsterTherefore David ran and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of its sheath, and slew him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

What does 1 Samuel 17:51 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
51. cut off his head--not as an evidence of the giant's death, for his slaughter had been effected in presence of the whole army, but as a trophy to be borne to Saul. The heads of slain enemies are always regarded in the East as the most welcome tokens of victory.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 51 When the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled - They were panic-struck; and not being willing to fulfill the condition which was stipulated by Goliath, they precipitately left the field. The Israelites took a proper advantage of these circumstances, and totally routed their enemies.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 17:48-58

See how frail and uncertain life is, even when a man thinks himself best fortified; how quickly, how easily, and by how small a matter, the passage may be opened for life to go out, and death to enter! Let not the strong man glory in his strength, nor the armed man in his armour. God resists the proud, and pours contempt on those who defy him and his people. No one ever hardened his heart against God and prospered…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 17:48-58 →

1 Samuel 17:51 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיָּ֣רָץvai.Ya.rotzand he ranH7323
דָּ֠וִדDa.vidDavidH1732
וַיַּעֲמֹ֨דvai.ya.'a.Modand he stoodH5975
אֶל\־'el-toH413
הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֜יha.pe.lish.Tithe PhilistineH6430
וַיִּקַּ֣חvai.yi.Kachand he tookH3947
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
חַ֠רְבּוֹchar.bosword hisH2719
וַֽיִּשְׁלְפָ֤הּvai.yish.le.Fahand he drew out itH8025
מִתַּעְרָהּ֙mi.ta'.Rahfrom sheath itsH8593
וַיְמֹ֣תְתֵ֔הוּvay.Mo.te.Te.huand he killed himH4191
וַיִּכְרָת\־vai.yikh.rot-and he cut offH3772
בָּ֖הּbahwith <the> it
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
רֹאשׁ֑וֹro.Shohead hisH7218
וַיִּרְא֧וּvai.yir.'Uand they sawH7200
הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֛יםha.pe.lish.Timthe PhilistinesH6430
כִּֽי\־ki-thatH3588
מֵ֥תmethe had diedH4191
גִּבּוֹרָ֖םgi.bo.Rammighty [man] theirH1368
וַיָּנֻֽסוּ\׃vai.ya.Nu.suand they fledH5127

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 17:51

  • Hebrews 11:34

    Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

  • 1 Samuel 21:9

    And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.

  • 2 Samuel 23:21

    And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear.

  • Esther 7:10

    So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.

  • Psalms 7:15-16

    He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.

  • Hebrews 2:14

    Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
his sword.
21:9; 2Sa 23:21; Es 7:10; Ps 7:15,16; Heb 2:14
cut off.
46
fled.
Heb 11:34

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 17:50

    So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.

  • 1 Samuel 17:51

    Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

  • 1 Samuel 17:52

    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.

Read all of 1 Samuel 17

1 Samuel 17:51 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Mas corrió David y púsose sobre el Filisteo, y tomando la espada de él, sacándola de su vaina, matólo, y cortóle con ella la cabeza. Y como los Filisteos vieron su gigante muerto, huyeron.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et David courut, et se tint sur le Philistin, et prit son épée, et la tira de son fourreau, et le tua, et lui coupa la tête. Et les Philistins, voyant que leur homme fort était mort, s’enfuirent.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und David lief und trat zu dem Philister hin, und er nahm sein Schwert und zog es aus seiner Scheide und tötete ihn, und hieb ihm den Kopf damit ab. Als aber die Philister sahen, daß ihr Held tot war, da flohen sie.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
cucurrit, et stetit super Philisthæum, et tulit gladium ejus, et eduxit eum de vagina sua: et interfecit eum, præciditque caput ejus. Videntes autem Philisthiim quod mortuus esset fortissimus eorum, fugerunt.