1 Samuel 28 · Verse 5

1 Samuel 28:5

And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.
1 Samuel 28:5, King James Version

1 Samuel 28:5 in other translations

BSBWhen Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid and trembled violently.
WEBWhen Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.
ASVAnd when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.
YLTand Saul seeth the camp of the Philistines, and feareth, and his heart trembleth greatly,
DARBYAnd when Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.
BBEAnd when Saul saw the Philistine army he was troubled, and his heart was moved with fear.
WebsterAnd when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.

What does 1 Samuel 28:5 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 When Saul saw - He saw from the superiority of his enemies, from the state of his army, and especially from his own state towards God, that he had every thing to fear.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 28:1-6

David could not refuse Achish without danger. If he promised assistance, and then stood neuter, or went over to the Israelites, he would behave with ingratitude and treachery. If he fought against Israel, he would sin greatly. It seemed impossible that he should get out of this difficulty with a clear conscience; but his evasive answer, intended to gain time, was not consistent with the character of an Israelite…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 28:1-6 →

1 Samuel 28:5 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.

וַיַּ֥רְאvai.Yar'and he sawH7200
שָׁא֖וּלsha.'UlSaulH7586
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
מַחֲנֵ֣הma.cha.Neh[the] camp ofH4264
פְלִשְׁתִּ֑יםfe.lish.Tim[the] PhilistinesH6430
וַיִּרָ֕אvai.yi.Ra'and he was afraidH3372
וַיֶּחֱרַ֥דvai.ye.che.Radand it trembledH2729
לִבּ֖וֹli.Boheart hisH3820
מְאֹֽד\׃me.'OdexceedinglyH3966

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

Cross references for 1 Samuel 28:5

  • Isaiah 7:2

    And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.

  • Job 18:11

    Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet.

  • Isaiah 57:20-21

    But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

  • Psalms 73:19

    How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.

  • Psalms 48:5-6

    They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away. Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.

  • Isaiah 21:3-4

    Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it. My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.

  • Proverbs 10:24

    The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.

  • Daniel 5:6

    Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

  • Job 15:21

    A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
he was afraid.
Job 15:21; 18:11; Ps 48:5,6; 73:19; Pr 10:24; Isa 7:2; 21:3,4
Isa 57:20,21; Da 5:6

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

Context

  • 1 Samuel 28:4

    And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa.

  • 1 Samuel 28:5

    And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.

  • 1 Samuel 28:6

    And when Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

Read all of 1 Samuel 28

1 Samuel 28:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y cuando vió Saúl el campo de los Filisteos, temió, y turbóse su corazón en gran manera.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Saül vit le camp des Philistins, et il eut peur, et son cœur trembla très fort.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und als Saul das Heer der Philister sah, fürchtete er sich, und sein Herz zitterte sehr.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et vidit Saul castra Philisthiim, et timuit, et expavit cor ejus nimis.