All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid.
Forty days the two armies lay encamped facing one another, each advantageously posted, but neither forward to engage. Either they were parleying and treating of an accommodation or they were waiting for recruits; and perhaps there were frequent skirmishes between small detached parties.
Commenting on 1 Samuel 17:12-30
And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man,.... Even as it should seem before they heard him; knowing who he was, and what he was about to say, having seen and heard him forty days running: fled from him, and were sore afraid; it is pretty much a whole army should be afraid of one man, and flee from him; they must...
1Sa 17:24-25 All the Israelites fled from Goliath, and were so afraid. They said (ישׂראל אישׁ is a collective noun), “Have ye seen this man who is coming? (הרּאיתם, with Dagesh dirim as in 1Sa 10:24. Surely to defy Israel is he coming; and whoever shall slay him, the king will enrich him with great wealth, and give him his daughter, and make his father’s...
Commenting on 1 Samuel 17:24-25