1 Samuel 4:1-7

1 And Samuel spoke unto all Israel. Now at that time Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle and pitched their camp beside Ebenezer; and the Philistines pitched theirs in Aphek.

2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel; and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines, who slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.

3 And when the people returned into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Why has the LORD smitten us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us that when it comes among us, it may 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 the hosts, who dwells between the cherubim; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with such a great shout that the earth trembled.

6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What great shout of joy is this in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp.

7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God has come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! For yesterday and day before yesterday it was not so.

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.