1 Samuel 4:4

4 So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the chest containing the covenant of the LORD of heavenly forces, who sits enthroned on the winged heavenly creatures. Eli's two sons Hophni and Phinehas were there with the chest containing God's covenant.

1 Samuel 4:4 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 4:4

So the people sent to Shiloh
They liked the proposal of the elders, took their advice, and joined with them in a message to Eli the high priest at Shiloh:

that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the Lord
of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubim;
which overshadowed the mercy seat that was upon the ark, and was the residence of the divine Majesty; wherefore having this with them, they concluded they should have the presence of God with them, and so success, see ( Psalms 53:1 ) ( 99:1 )

and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark
of the covenant of God;
these, either with or without the leave of Eli, took the ark out of the tabernacle, and carried it on their shoulders to the camp, or however attended it there, being borne by other priests or Levites; and by this means they were brought into the camp, and so to battle, to meet their doom there; according to Bunting ^F4, it was carried by them forty two miles.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 Travels of the Patriarchs p. 123.

1 Samuel 4:4 In-Context

2 The Philistines readied themselves to fight Israel. When the battle was joined, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the battlefield.

3 When the troops returned to the camp, Israel's elders said, "Why did the LORD defeat us today before the Philistines? Let's bring the chest containing the LORD's covenant from Shiloh so it can go with us and save us from our enemies' power."

4 So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the chest containing the covenant of the LORD of heavenly forces, who sits enthroned on the winged heavenly creatures. Eli's two sons Hophni and Phinehas were there with the chest containing God's covenant.

5 When the chest containing the LORD's covenant entered the camp, all Israel let out such a loud shout that the ground shook.

6 When the Philistines heard the sound of that shout, they asked, "What is that loud shouting in the Hebrew camp about?" When they learned that the LORD's chest had come into the camp,

Footnotes

• [a]. Heb cherubim