1 Samuel 17:53 (GNV)

Passage

And the children of Israel returned from pursuing the Philistims, and spoyled their tents.

Nearby Context

1 Samuel 17:51 Then Dauid ranne, and stood vpon the Philistim, and tooke his sword and drew it out of his sheath, and slewe him, and cut off his head therewith. So whe the Philistims saw, that their champion was dead, they fled.

1 Samuel 17:52 And the men of Israel and Iudah arose, and shouted, and followed after the Philistims, vntill they came to the valley, and vnto the gates of Ekron: and the Philistims fell downe wounded by the way of Shaaraim, euen to Gath and to Ekron.

1 Samuel 17:53 And the children of Israel returned from pursuing the Philistims, and spoyled their tents.

1 Samuel 17:54 And Dauid tooke the head of ye Philistim, and brought it to Ierusalem, and put his armour in his tent.

1 Samuel 17:55 When Saul sawe Dauid go forth against the Philistim, he sayd vnto Abner the captaine of his hoste, Abner, whose sonne is this yong man? and Abner answered, As thy soule liueth, O King, I can not tell.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "children", "israel", "returned", "pursuing", "philistims", "spoyled", and "tents". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "children" and "israel", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 52's "And the men of Israel and Iudah..." into verse 54's "And Dauid tooke the head of ye...", so "children" and "israel" belong inside that flow. In 1 Samuel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "children" and "israel" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.