1 Samuel 4:9

9 So seid nun getrost ihr Männer, ihr Philister, daß ihr nicht dienen müßt den Hebräern, wie sie euch gedient haben! Seid Männer und streitet!

1 Samuel 4:9 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 4:9

Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines
Since this was all they had to depend upon, their manly courage; if they did not exert that it was all over with them; and seeing their case was desperate, having gods as well as men to fight with, it became them to exert themselves to the uttermost; which did they, there was a possibility still of gaining victory, and so immortal honour to themselves; these words seem to be spoken by the generals and officers of the army of the Philistines to the common soldiers:

that ye be not servants to the Hebrews, as they have been to you;
that is, before and in the times of Samson; but it appears from hence that at this time neither the Philistines ruled over the Israelites, nor the Israelites over them; but as there was danger of their becoming subject to Israel, they had better die gloriously in the field of battle than to be in the base state of servitude:

quit yourselves like men, and fight;
this is repeated to animate them to battle, which they supposed was not far off by the shoutings of the Israelites, and which they must prepare for.

1 Samuel 4:9 In-Context

7 fürchteten sie sich und sprachen: Gott ist ins Lager gekommen; und sprachen weiter: Wehe uns! denn es ist zuvor nicht also gestanden. {~}

8 Wehe uns! Wer will uns erretten von der Hand dieser mächtigen Götter, die Ägypten schlugen mit allerlei Plage in der Wüste. {~} {~}

9 So seid nun getrost ihr Männer, ihr Philister, daß ihr nicht dienen müßt den Hebräern, wie sie euch gedient haben! Seid Männer und streitet!

10 Da stritten die Philister, und Israel ward geschlagen, und ein jeglicher floh in seine Hütte; und es war eine sehr große Schlacht, daß aus Israel fielen dreißigtausend Mann Fußvolk.

11 Und die Lade Gottes ward genommen, und die zwei Söhne Elis, Hophni und Pinehas, starben.