1 Samuel 4:1-7

1 The word of Shemu'el came to all Yisra'el. Now Yisra'el went out against the Pelishtim to battle, and encamped beside Even-Ha`ezer: and the Pelishtim encamped in Afek.

2 The Pelishtim put themselves in array against Yisra'el: and when they joined battle, Yisra'el was struck before the Pelishtim; and they killed of the army in the field about four thousand men.

3 When the people were come into the camp, the Zakenim of Yisra'el said, Why has the LORD struck us today before the Pelishtim? Let us get the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh to us, that it may come among us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies.

4 So the people sent to Shiloh; and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of Hosts, who sits [above] the Keruvim: and the two sons of `Eli, Hofni and Pinechas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 When the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Yisra'el shouted with a great shout, so that the eretz rang again.

6 When the Pelishtim heard the noise of the shout, they said, What means the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? They understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp.

7 The Pelishtim were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. They said, Woe to us! for there has not been such a thing heretofore.

1 Samuel 4:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 4

This chapter is a narrative of a war between Israel and the Philistines, in the time of Samuel, and of the consequences of it. In the first battle, the Philistines had the better of the Israelites, which caused the latter to inquire into the reason of it, and who proposed to fetch the ark of the Lord, and did, to repair their loss, and prepare for a second battle, in which they hoped to succeed, and which struck a panic into their enemies, 1Sa 4:1-7, who yet encouraged and stirred up one another to behave in a courageous manner, and victory a second time was on their side, a great number of the Israelites were slain, among whom were Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, and the ark of God was taken, 1Sa 4:8-11, the news of which being brought to Eli, he fell back and died, 1Sa 4:12-18 and to his daughter-in-law, who upon it fell into labour, and died also, 1Sa 4:19-22.