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1 Samuel 17:1
ESV Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. And they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.
NIV Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Sokoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Sokoh and Azekah.
NASB Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle; and they were gathered at Socoh which belongs to Judah, and they camped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.
CSB The Philistines gathered their forces for war at Socoh in Judah and camped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim.
NLT The Philistines now mustered their army for battle and camped between Socoh in Judah and Azekah at Ephes-dammim.
KJV Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim.
NKJV Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle, and were gathered at Sochoh, which belongs to Judah; they encamped between Sochoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim.

What does 1 Samuel 17:1 mean?

King Saul had great success in defeating Israel's enemies during his reign. Yet he was never able to completely overcome the Philistines (1 Samuel 14:47–48, 52). They muster their armies to attack Israel once again, encamping in large numbers between the towns of Socoh and Azekah in the Israelite territory of Judah.

Socoh has not been precisely located by modern archaeologists. It seems to be southwest of what would later become Jerusalem. This was territory then controlled by the Philistines. A fortress stood at Azekah, which was northwest of Socoh. Whomever controlled that fortress controlled the road that ran across the Elah Valley, where the Israelite army was camped to oppose the Philistine invasion. Ephes-dammim is a place between Socoh and Azekah, but the specific location is unknown today.
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