English Standard Version
1 Samuel 4:1
1And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek.
1 Samuel 4:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Eben–ezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.
- New International Version (NIV)And Samuel’s word came to all Israel. Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines at Aphek.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines, and encamped beside Ebenezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.
- New Living Translation (NLT)And Samuel’s words went out to all the people of Israel. At that time Israel was at war with the Philistines. The Israelite army was camped near Ebenezer, and the Philistines were at Aphek.
Context of 1 Samuel 4:1
And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek. 2The 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. 3And when the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies."
Read all of 1 Samuel 41 Samuel 4:1 word by word
וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל לְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֵּצֵ֣א יִשְׂרָאֵל֩ לִקְרַ֨את פְּלִשְׁתִּ֜ים לַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה וַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙ עַל־הָאֶ֣בֶן הָעֵ֔זֶר וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים חָנ֥וּ בַאֲפֵֽק׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- of Samuelשְׁמוּאֵלshemû'êl · SamuelH8050
- came to all Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- went outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- againstקִרְאָהqir'âh · befallH7125
- the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
- to battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
- and pitchedחָנָהchânâh · to campH2583
- beside Eben–ezerאֶבֶן הָעֵזֶר'eben hâ‛êzer · EbenezerH72
- in Aphekאֲפֵק'ăphêq 'ăphîyq · AphekH663
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 4:1
- 1 Samuel 3:11Then the Lord said to Samuel, "Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.
- 1 Samuel 5:1When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
- 1 Samuel 7:12Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, "Till now the Lord has helped us."
- Joshua 15:53Janim, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah,
- 1 Samuel 29:1Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek. And the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel.
- Joshua 19:30Ummah, Aphek and Rehob—twenty-two cities with their villages.
- 1 Kings 20:30And the rest fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell upon 27,000 men who were left. Ben-hadad also fled and entered an inner chamber in the city.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 4:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1The word of Samuel came to all Israel - This clause certainly belongs to the preceding chapter, and is so placed by the Vulgate, Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic. Pitched beside Eben-ezer - This name was not given to this place till more than twenty years after this battle, see 1 Samuel 7:12; for the monument called העזר האבן haeben haezer, the "Stone of Help," was erected by Samuel in the place which was afterwards from this circumstance, called Eben-ezer…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Some attach the opening words to the close of 1 Samuel 7:5.) But this is not the natural interpretation of the words, which seem clearly to belong to what went before. The mention of the Philistines connects the narrative with Judges 13:1, and seems to have terminated in the days of Samuel 1 Samuel 7:13-14 in about the 20th year of his judgeship 1 Samuel 7:2; and since it had already begun before the birth of Samson Judges 13:5, and Samson judged Israel…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The Israelites overcome by the Philistines. (1-9) The ark taken. (10-11) The death of Eli. (12-18) The birth of Ichabod. (19-22) Verses 1-9 Israel is smitten before the Philistines. Sin, the accursed thing, was in the camp, and gave their enemies all the advantage they could wish for. They own the hand of God in their trouble; but, instead of submitting, they speak angrily, as not aware of any just provocation they had given him. The foolishness of man…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1the Philistines: See “The Philistines” Profile. The exact location of Ebenezer is unknown. It was likely just east of Aphek (see also 1 Samuel 7:12 and 1 Samuel 7:12). Aphek was west of Shiloh, far inland and north of Philistine territory. By camping there, the Philistines might have been trying to take more Israelite land.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 4:1
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries