1 Samuel 4:7

1 Samuel 4:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.
• New International Version (NIV)the Philistines were afraid. “A god has come into the camp,” they said. “Oh no! Nothing like this has happened before.
• English Standard Version (ESV)the Philistines were afraid, for they said, "A god has come into the camp." And they said, "Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp!” And they said, “Woe to us! For such a thing has never happened before.

Context of 1 Samuel 4:7

5When the ark of the covenant of the Lord entered the camp, all the Israelites raised such a loud shout that the ground shook. 6The Philistines heard the sound of the war cry and asked, “What’s this loud shout in the Hebrews’ camp?” When the Philistines discovered that the ark of the Lord had entered the camp, they panicked. “A god has entered their camp!” they said. “Woe to us! Nothing like this has happened before. 8Woe to us! Who will rescue us from these magnificent gods? These are the gods that slaughtered the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. 9Show some courage and be men, Philistines! Otherwise, you’ll serve the Hebrews just as they served you. Now be men and fight!”

1 Samuel 4:7 word by word

וַיִּֽרְאוּ֙ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים כִּ֣י אָמְר֔וּ בָּ֥א אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה וַיֹּאמְרוּ֙ א֣וֹי לָ֔נוּ כִּ֣י לֹ֥א הָיְתָ֛ה כָּזֹ֖את אֶתְמ֥וֹל שִׁלְשֹֽׁם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
• were afraidיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
• for they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• is comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• into the campמַחֲנֶהmachăneh · campH4264
• Woeאוֹי'ôy · woe!H188
• unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretoforeשִׁלְשֹׁםshilshôm shilshôm · three days agoH8032
• unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretoforeאֶתְמוֹל'ethmôl 'ithmôl 'ethmûl · previouslyH865

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 4:7

• Exodus 14:25He caused their chariot wheels to swerve and made them drive with difficulty. “Let’s get away from Israel,” the Egyptians said, “because the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!”
• Exodus 15:14When the peoples hear, they will shudder; anguish will seize the inhabitants of Philistia.
• Deuteronomy 32:30How could one pursue a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the Lord had given them up?

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 4:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7God is come into the camp - They took for granted, as did the Israelites, that his presence was inseparable from his ark or shrine.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6-7Like the Israelites, the Philistines saw the ark as a powerful charm (see 1 Samuel 4:2–3). They believed it would lead to their defeat in battle.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-93-9. 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; Psa 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…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 4:7

• Aphek
• Ark
• Armies

In the dictionaries

• God
• Philistines
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Ark
• Glory
• Mean
• Pain
• Tabernacle
• Tumult
• Ark of the Covenant

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings