1 Samuel 4:2

1 Samuel 4:2 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (NIV)The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand of them on the battlefield.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle spread, Israel was defeated before the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the Philistines put themselves in battle array against Israel. And when they joined battle, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men of the army in the field.

Context of 1 Samuel 4:2

1Samuel spoke the Lord's messages to all the Israelites. The Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelite army put up their tents near the place called Ebenezer. The Philistine army put up their tents at Aphek. The Philistines went to attack the Israelites. As the battle continued, the Philistines won the fight and they killed about 4,000 Israelites. 3The Israelite soldiers returned to their tents. The leaders of Israel said to each other, ‘Why did the Lord let the Philistines win against us today? We should bring the Lord's Covenant Box here from Shiloh. We will take it with us into the battle. Then it will save us from our enemies.’ 4So the people sent men to Shiloh and they brought back the Lord's Covenant Box. That is where the Lord Almighty sits between the cherubs. Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, also came with God's Covenant Box.

1 Samuel 4:2 word by word

וַיַּעַרְכ֨וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֜ים לִקְרַ֣את יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַתִּטֹּשׁ֙ הַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וַיִּנָּ֥גֶף יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לִפְנֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיַּכּ֤וּ בַמַּֽעֲרָכָה֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה כְּאַרְבַּ֥עַת אֲלָפִ֖ים אִֽישׁ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
• put themselves in arrayעָרַךְ‛ârak · to arrangeH6186
• againstקִרְאָהqir'âh · befallH7125
• Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• and when they joinedנָטַשׁnâţash · to leaveH5203
• battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
• was smittenנָגַףnâgaph · to strikeH5062
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• and they slewנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• of the armyמַעֲרָכָהma‛ărâkâh · rankH4634
• in the fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704
• about fourאַרְבַּע'arba‛ 'arbâ‛âh · fourH702
• thousandאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
• menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 4:2

• 1 Samuel 17:8Goliath stood up and he shouted to the Israelite soldiers, ‘Why have you all got ready to fight against us? I am the great soldier of the Philistine army. You serve Saul as his soldiers. Is that not true? So you must choose one of your men to come and fight against me.
• Joshua 7:5They chased the Israelites away from the gate of the city and they killed about 36 Israelite soldiers. They chased them down the hill as far as Shebarim. They killed the Israelites as they ran down the hill. When the people of Israel heard this, they became very frightened.
• Psalms 44:9But now you have turned against us. You have made us ashamed. When our armies go out to fight a battle, you no longer go with us.
• Psalms 79:7They have destroyed Jacob's descendants and the land where they live.
• Psalms 106:40So the Lord became angry with his people. They belonged to him but he turned away from them.
• Lamentations 3:40Instead, we should think a lot about what we do, and we should turn back to the Lord again.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 4:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Put 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-22The crisis with the ark of the covenant showed Israel needed Samuel's leadership. It also fulfilled prophecies about Eli and his sons (1 Samuel 3:11–14).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-111Sa 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…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 4:2

• Aphek
• Israel

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Philistines
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Four Thousand
• Glory
• Mean
• Pain
• Samuel
• Tabernacle

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