1 And the word H1697 of Samuel H8050 came to all Israel. H3478 Now Israel H3478 went out H3318 against H7125 the Philistines H6430 to battle, H4421 and pitched H2583 beside Ebenezer: H72 and the Philistines H6430 pitched H2583 in Aphek. H663
2 And the Philistines H6430 put themselves in array H6186 against H7125 Israel: H3478 and when they joined H5203 battle, H4421 Israel H3478 was smitten H5062 before H6440 the Philistines: H6430 and they slew H5221 of the army H4634 in the field H7704 about four H702 thousand H505 men. H376
3 And when the people H5971 were come H935 into the camp, H4264 the elders H2205 of Israel H3478 said, H559 Wherefore hath the LORD H3068 smitten H5062 us to day H3117 before H6440 the Philistines? H6430 Let us fetch H3947 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 out of Shiloh H7887 unto us, that, when it cometh H935 among H7130 us, it may save H3467 us out of the hand H3709 of our enemies. H341
4 So the people H5971 sent H7971 to Shiloh, H7887 that they might bring H5375 from thence the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 which dwelleth H3427 between the cherubims: H3742 and the two H8147 sons H1121 of Eli, H5941 Hophni H2652 and Phinehas, H6372 were there with the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of God. H430
5 And when the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 came H935 into the camp, H4264 all Israel H3478 shouted H7321 with a great H1419 shout, H8643 so that the earth H776 rang again. H1949
6 And when the Philistines H6430 heard H8085 the noise H6963 of the shout, H8643 they said, H559 What meaneth the noise H6963 of this great H1419 shout H8643 in the camp H4264 of the Hebrews? H5680 And they understood H3045 that the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 was come H935 into the camp. H4264
7 And the Philistines H6430 were afraid, H3372 for they said, H559 God H430 is come H935 into the camp. H4264 And they said, H559 Woe H188 unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore. H865 H8032
8 Woe H188 unto us! who shall deliver H5337 us out of the hand H3027 of these mighty H117 Gods? H430 these are the Gods H430 that smote H5221 the Egyptians H4714 with all the plagues H4347 in the wilderness. H4057
9 Be strong, H2388 and quit H1961 yourselves like men, H582 O ye Philistines, H6430 that ye be not servants H5647 unto the Hebrews, H5680 as they have been H5647 to you: quit H1961 yourselves like men, H582 and fight. H3898
10 And the Philistines H6430 fought, H3898 and Israel H3478 was smitten, H5062 and they fled H5127 every man H376 into his tent: H168 and there was a very H3966 great H1419 slaughter; H4347 for there fell H5307 of Israel H3478 thirty H7970 thousand H505 footmen. H7273
11 And the ark H727 of God H430 was taken; H3947 and the two H8147 sons H1121 of Eli, H5941 Hophni H2652 and Phinehas, H6372 were slain. H4191
12 And there ran H7323 a man H376 of Benjamin H1144 out of the army, H4634 and came H935 to Shiloh H7887 the same day H3117 with his clothes H4055 rent, H7167 and with earth H127 upon his head. H7218
13 And when he came, H935 lo, Eli H5941 sat H3427 upon a seat H3678 by the wayside H1870 H3027 H3197 watching: H6822 for his heart H3820 trembled H2730 for the ark H727 of God. H430 And when the man H376 came H935 into the city, H5892 and told H5046 it, all the city H5892 cried out. H2199
14 And when Eli H5941 heard H8085 the noise H6963 of the crying, H6818 he said, H559 What meaneth the noise H6963 of this tumult? H1995 And the man H376 came H935 in hastily, H4116 and told H5046 Eli. H5941
15 Now Eli H5941 was ninety H8673 and eight H8083 years H8141 old; H1121 and his eyes H5869 were dim, H6965 that he could H3201 not see. H7200
16 And the man H376 said H559 unto Eli, H5941 I am he that came H935 out of the army, H4634 and I fled H5127 to day H3117 out of the army. H4634 And he said, H559 What is there done, H1697 my son? H1121
17 And the messenger H1319 answered H6030 and said, H559 Israel H3478 is fled H5127 before H6440 the Philistines, H6430 and there hath been also a great H1419 slaughter H4046 among the people, H5971 and thy two H8147 sons H1121 also, Hophni H2652 and Phinehas, H6372 are dead, H4191 and the ark H727 of God H430 is taken. H3947
18 And it came to pass, when he made mention H2142 of the ark H727 of God, H430 that he fell H5307 from off the seat H3678 backward H322 by H1157 the side H3027 of the gate, H8179 and his neck H4665 brake, H7665 and he died: H4191 for he was an old H2204 man, H376 and heavy. H3513 And he had judged H8199 Israel H3478 forty H705 years. H8141
19 And his daughter in law, H3618 Phinehas' H6372 wife, H802 was with child, H2030 near to be delivered: H3205 and when she heard H8085 the tidings H8052 that H413 the ark H727 of God H430 was taken, H3947 and that her father in law H2524 and her husband H376 were dead, H4191 she bowed H3766 herself and travailed; H3205 for her pains H6735 came H2015 upon her.
20 And about the time H6256 of her death H4191 the women that stood H5324 by her said H1696 unto her, Fear H3372 not; for thou hast born H3205 a son. H1121 But she answered H6030 not, neither did she regard H7896 H3820 it.
21 And she named H7121 the child H5288 Ichabod, H350 saying, H559 The glory H3519 is departed H1540 from Israel: H3478 because H413 the ark H727 of God H430 was taken, H3947 and because of her father in law H2524 and her husband. H376
22 And she said, H559 The glory H3519 is departed H1540 from Israel: H3478 for the ark H727 of God H430 is taken. H3947
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Samuel 4
Commentary on 1 Samuel 4 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 4
1Sa 4:1-11. Israel Overcome by the Philistines.
1. the word of Samuel came to all Israel—The character of Samuel as a prophet was now fully established. The want of an "open vision" was supplied by him, for "none of his words were let fall to the ground" (1Sa 3:19); and to his residence in Shiloh all the people of Israel repaired to consult him as an oracle, who, as the medium of receiving the divine command, or by his gift of a prophet, could inform them what was the mind of God. It is not improbable that the rising influence of the young prophet had alarmed the jealous fears of the Philistines. They had kept the Israelites in some degree of subjection ever since the death of Samson and were determined, by further crushing, to prevent the possibility of their being trained by the counsels, and under the leadership, of Samuel, to reassert their national independence. At all events, the Philistines were the aggressors (1Sa 4:2). But, on the other hand, the Israelites were rash and inconsiderate in rushing to the field without obtaining the sanction of Samuel as to the war, or having consulted him as to the subsequent measures they took.
Israel went out against the Philistines to battle—that is, to resist this new incursion.
Eben-ezer … Aphek—Aphek, which means "strength," is a name applied to any fort or fastness. There were several Apheks in Palestine; but the mention of Eben-ezer determines this "Aphek" to be in the south, among the mountains of Judah, near the western entrance of the pass of Beth-horon, and consequently on the borders of the Philistine territory. The first encounter at Aphek being unsuccessful, the Israelites determined to renew the engagement in better circumstances.
3-9. Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us—Strange that they were so blind to the real cause of the disaster and that they did not discern, in the great and general corruption of religion and morals (1Sa 2:22-25; 7:3; Ps 78:58), the reason why the presence and aid of God were not extended to them. Their first measure for restoring the national spirit and energy ought to have been a complete reformation—a universal return to purity of worship and morals. But, instead of cherishing a spirit of deep humiliation and sincere repentance, instead of resolving on the abolition of existing abuses, and the re-establishing of the pure faith, they adopted what appeared an easier and speedier course—they put their trust in ceremonial observances, and doubted not but that the introduction of the ark into the battlefield would ensure their victory. In recommending this extraordinary step, the elders might recollect the confidence it imparted to their ancestors (Nu 10:35; 14:44), as well as what had been done at Jericho. But it is more probable that they were influenced by the heathenish ideas of their idolatrous neighbors, who carried their idol Dagon, or his sacred symbols, to their wars, believing that the power of their divinities was inseparably associated with, or residing in, their images. In short, the shout raised in the Hebrew camp, on the arrival of the ark, indicated very plainly the prevalence among the Israelites at this time of a belief in national deities—whose influence was local, and whose interest was especially exerted in behalf of the people who adored them. The joy of the Israelites was an emotion springing out of the same superstitious sentiments as the corresponding dismay of their enemies; and to afford them a convincing, though painful proof of their error, was the ulterior object of the discipline to which they were now subjected—a discipline by which God, while punishing them for their apostasy by allowing the capture of the ark, had another end in view—that of signally vindicating His supremacy over all the gods of the nations.
1Sa 4:12-22. Eli Hearing the Tidings.
13-18. Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside—The aged priest, as a public magistrate, used, in dispensing justice, to seat himself daily in a spacious recess at the entrance gate of the city. In his intense anxiety to learn the issue of the battle, he took up his usual place as the most convenient for meeting with passers-by. His seat was an official chair, similar to those of the ancient Egyptian judges, richly carved, superbly ornamented, high, and without a back. The calamities announced to Samuel as about to fall upon the family of Eli [1Sa 2:34] were now inflicted in the death of his two sons, and after his death, by that of his daughter-in-law, whose infant son received a name that perpetuated the fallen glory of the church and nation [1Sa 4:19-22]. The public disaster was completed by the capture of the ark. Poor Eli! He was a good man, in spite of his unhappy weaknesses. So strongly were his sensibilities enlisted on the side of religion, that the news of the capture of the ark proved to him a knell of death; and yet his overindulgence, or sad neglect of his family—the main cause of all the evils that led to its fall—has been recorded, as a beacon to warn all heads of Christian families against making shipwreck on the same rock.