1 Samuel 4:9

9 Esforzaos, oh Filisteos, y sed hombres, porque no sirváis á los Hebreos, como ellos os han servido á vosotros: sed hombres, y pelead.

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 Y los Filisteos tuvieron miedo, porque decían: Ha venido Dios al campo. Y dijeron: ¡Ay de nosotros! pues antes de ahora no fué así.

8 ¡Ay de nosotros! ¿Quién nos librará de las manos de estos dioses fuertes? Estos son los dioses que hirieron á Egipto con toda plaga en el desierto.

9 Esforzaos, oh Filisteos, y sed hombres, porque no sirváis á los Hebreos, como ellos os han servido á vosotros: sed hombres, y pelead.

10 Pelearon pues los Filisteos, é Israel fué vencido, y huyeron cada cual á sus tiendas; y fué hecha muy grande mortandad, pues cayeron de Israel treinta mil hombres de á pie.

11 Y el arca de Dios fué tomada, y muertos los dos hijos de Eli, Ophni y Phinees.