1 Samuel 4:2
in 1 Samuel 4The Philistines arrayed themselves against Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who struck down about four thousand men on the battlefield.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines; and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.
KJV
And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 4
Commentary
7 notes on this verseIsrael, who were the aggressors, were smitten, and had 4000 men killed upon the spot. God had promised that one of them should chase a thousand; but now, on the contrary, Israel is smitten before the Philistines. Sin, the accursed thing, was in the camp, and gave their enemies all the advantage against them they could wish for.
This site's exposition
camped at Ebenezer
on 1 Samuel 4:1-2
Israel camps at Ebenezer and the Philistines at Aphek, and the first clash costs about four thousand men. The place bears the name Ebenezer here, years before Samuel sets up the stone and names it at 7:12, so the narrator uses the name ahead of the event. The defeat opens the chapter with no prayer and no enquiry of the Lord.
This site's exposition
The Philistines arrayed themselves
Israel went out as the aggressor, and about four thousand men fell on the field. Matthew Henry set this beside God's promise that one Israelite would chase a thousand, and he traced the reversal to sin in the camp. The promise had turned against them.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
When the battle began, Israel turned their backs to the Philistines, etc. Once the conflict between Israel and the pagan peoples broke out over true religion, with the former fighting for the worship of the one true God and the latter for the defense of …
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistCommentary on 1 Kings, Book 3, Chapter 2 · Written before 604.
proposed
1. The blessed Apostle shows that there are spiritual battles, when he exhorts the camp of holy Church to victory, saying: "Our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12). Concerning these battles, also providing counsel for obtaining victory, he says: "And take up the shield of faith, with which you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked one, and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (ibid., 16, 17).
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Put themselves in array - There is no doubt that both the Philistines and Israelites had what might be called the art of war, according to which they marshalled their troops in the field, constructed their camps, and conducted their retreats, sieges, etc.; but we know not the principles on which they acted. They slew of the army in the field about four thousand men - This must have been a severe conflict, as four thousand were left dead on the field of battle.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
The word of Shmuel went out to all of Yisroel. The word which was said to Shmuel, was fulfilled, and came to all Yisroel. How did this misfortune befall them? "Yisroel went out to war against the Philistines.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
16 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּעַרְכ֨וּ | vaiyaarkhu | and they deployed | H6186 → | 74 times |
| פְלִשְׁתִּ֜ים | felishtim | [the] Philistines | H6430 → | 287 times |
| לִקְרַ֣את | likrat | to meet | H7122 → | 139 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וַתִּטֹּשׁ֙ | vatitosh | and it spread out | H5203 → | 40 times |
| הַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה | hamilchamah | the battle | H4421 → | 320 times |
| וַיִּנָּ֥גֶף | vaiyinagef | and it was defeated | H5062 → | 49 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| לִפְנֵ֣י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| פְלִשְׁתִּ֑ים | felishtim | [the] Philistines | H6430 → | 287 times |
| וַיַּכּ֤וּ | vaiyaku | and they struck down | H5221 → | 499 times |
| בַמַּֽעֲרָכָה֙ | vamaarakhah | in the battle line | H4634 → | 19 times |
| בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה | basadeh | in the field | H7704 → | 334 times |
| כְּאַרְבַּ֥עַת | kearbaat | about four | H702 → | 318 times |
| אֲלָפִ֖ים | ʾalafim | thousand<s> | H505 → | 505 times |
| אִֽישׁ׃ | ʾish | man | H376 → | 1663 times |
וַיַּעַרְכ֨וּand they deployed
vaiyaarkhuH6186 →74 times
פְלִשְׁתִּ֜ים[the] Philistines
felishtimH6430 →287 times
לִקְרַ֣אתto meet
likratH7122 →139 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וַתִּטֹּשׁ֙and it spread out
vatitoshH5203 →40 times
הַמִּלְחָמָ֔הthe battle
hamilchamahH4421 →320 times
וַיִּנָּ֥גֶףand it was defeated
vaiyinagefH5062 →49 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
לִפְנֵ֣י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
פְלִשְׁתִּ֑ים[the] Philistines
felishtimH6430 →287 times
וַיַּכּ֤וּand they struck down
vaiyakuH5221 →499 times
בַמַּֽעֲרָכָה֙in the battle line
vamaarakhahH4634 →19 times
בַּשָּׂדֶ֔הin the field
basadehH7704 →334 times
כְּאַרְבַּ֥עַתabout four
kearbaatH702 →318 times
אֲלָפִ֖יםthousand<s>
ʾalafimH505 →505 times
אִֽישׁ׃man
ʾishH376 →1663 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Lamentations 3:40Let us examine and test our ways, and turn back to the LORD.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you actually fail the test?
- Psalms 139:23–24
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns.
- Joel 2:12–13
“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.”
- Psalms 4:4
Be angry, yet do not sin; on your bed, search your heart and be still. Selah
- Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely…
- 2 Corinthians 13:5
Through
Joshua 7:12This is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies. They will turn their backs and run from their enemies, because they themselves have been set apart for destruction. I will no longer be…
it leads to
- Psalms 5:4–5
For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; no evil can dwell with You.
- Isaiah 59:2
But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.
- Psalms 5:4–5
Through
1 Samuel 17:8And Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and array yourselves for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose one…
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 8:17
He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.
- 1 Samuel 8:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
On this chapter
About 1 Samuel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Gregory the Dialogist, Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 3, Chapter 2; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Books of Samuel and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.