What does 1 Samuel 17:52 mean?
David, dressed in his shepherd's garb and confident in the Lord (1 Samuel 17:40, 45–47), has defeated (1 Samuel 17:50) the Philistine champion who had been taunting Israel for forty days (1 Samuel 17:4–10, 16). Though formerly the Israelites fled from the giant (1 Samuel 17:11, 24), it is now the Philistines who flee (1 Samuel 17:51). The men of the armies of Judah and Israel see what is happening, shout out their battle cries, and immediately begin to chase the Philistines down. This entire turn of events likely all happened over a few short moments. Israel runs down the panicked Philistines, wounding and killing them as they go.The Philistines run west toward their own territory. Ekron and Gath are two of the five major protected cities of the Philistines. Ekron was about north of Gath. Shaarim was a city, but also a road that could be travelled either to Gath or Ekron. The Israelites chased their enemies all the way back to their own territories and cities. David's defeat of Goliath was followed by Israel's victory over the Philistine invasion.
What is fascinating is that it only took the death of one imposing man to change the confidence of both armies and decide the battle. It wasn't just Goliath's removal from the battle that made the difference; it was obvious to every witness that the Lord God of Israel had given the victory and would fight for His people (1 Samuel 17:46–47). Both sides responded in a way that showed they knew that to be true.