1 Samuel 4:14

14 Eli heard the outcry and asked, “What is the meaning of this uproar?” The man hurried over to Eli,

1 Samuel 4:14 in Other Translations

14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli.

14 When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, "What is this uproar?" Then the man hurried and came and told Eli.

14 “What is all the noise about?” Eli asked. The messenger rushed over to Eli,

14 They were appalled. Eli heard the loud wailing and asked, "Why this uproar?" The messenger hurried over and reported.

14 Eli heard the outcry and asked, "Why this commotion?" The man quickly came and reported to Eli.

1 Samuel 4:14 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 4:14

And when Eli heard the noise of the crying
The shrieks of the men and women, which were very clamorous and terrible. Eli had his hearing, though not his sight; he could not see the distress in their countenances, but he heard the lamentations they made:

and said, what meaneth the noise of this tumult?
it seems the people ran about, wringing their hands, and making doleful shrieks; the noise of which Eli heard, and the meaning of which he inquired after, or what should be the cause of it:

and the man came in hastily, and told Eli;
or made haste, and came to him, and related all that is later expressed; for Eli was not in any house, but on a seat by the way side, and therefore could not be said to come "in" to him; but he came to him, where he was, being brought by some of the citizens Eli had inquired of what should be the meaning of this noise; and therefore without delay the man was hastened to give the whole account unto him, as it was highly proper he should, being the supreme magistrate.

1 Samuel 4:14 In-Context

12 That same day a Benjamite ran from the battle line and went to Shiloh with his clothes torn and dust on his head.

13 When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair by the side of the road, watching, because his heart feared for the ark of God. When the man entered the town and told what had happened, the whole town sent up a cry.

14 Eli heard the outcry and asked, “What is the meaning of this uproar?” The man hurried over to Eli,

15 who was ninety-eight years old and whose eyes had failed so that he could not see.

16 He told Eli, “I have just come from the battle line; I fled from it this very day.” Eli asked, “What happened, my son?”