1 Samuel 4:16

16 et dixit ad Heli ego sum qui veni de proelio et ego qui de acie fugi hodie cui ille ait quid actum est fili mi

1 Samuel 4:16 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 4:16

And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army,
&c.] It is very probable that the people Eli inquired of told him there was a messenger come from the army, though they did not choose to relate to him the news he brought:

and I fled today out of the army;
so that as he was an eyewitness of what was done in the army, the account he brought was the earliest that could be had, in bringing which he had made great dispatch, having ran perhaps all the way:

and he said, what is there done, my son?
has a battle been fought? on which side is the victory? is Israel beaten, or have they conquered? how do things go? he uses the kind and tender appellation, my son, to engage him to tell him all freely and openly.

1 Samuel 4:16 In-Context

14 et audivit Heli sonitum clamoris dixitque quis est hic sonitus tumultus huius at ille festinavit et venit et adnuntiavit Heli

15 Heli autem erat nonaginta et octo annorum et oculi eius caligaverant et videre non poterat

16 et dixit ad Heli ego sum qui veni de proelio et ego qui de acie fugi hodie cui ille ait quid actum est fili mi

17 respondens autem qui nuntiabat fugit inquit Israhel coram Philisthim et ruina magna facta est in populo insuper et duo filii tui mortui sunt Ofni et Finees et arca Dei capta est

18 cumque ille nominasset arcam Dei cecidit de sella retrorsum iuxta ostium et fractis cervicibus mortuus est senex enim erat vir et grandevus et ipse iudicavit Israhel quadraginta annis