English Standard Version
1 Samuel 4:16
16And the man said to Eli, "I am he who has come from the battle; I fled from the battle today." And he said, "How did it go, my son?"
1 Samuel 4:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son?
- New International Version (NIV)He told Eli, “I have just come from the battle line; I fled from it this very day.” Eli asked, “What happened, my son?”
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the man said to Eli, “I am he who came from the battle. And I fled today from the battle line.” And he said, “What happened, my son?”
- New Living Translation (NLT)He said to Eli, “I have just come from the battlefield—I was there this very day.” “What happened, my son?” Eli demanded.
Context of 1 Samuel 4:16
14When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, "What is this uproar?" Then the man hurried and came and told Eli. 15Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes were set so that he could not see. And the man said to Eli, "I am he who has come from the battle; I fled from the battle today." And he said, "How did it go, my son?" 17He who brought the news answered and said, "Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured." 18As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.
Read all of 1 Samuel 41 Samuel 4:16 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הָאִ֜ישׁ אֶל־עֵלִ֗י אָֽנֹכִי֙ הַבָּ֣א מִן־הַמַּעֲרָכָ֔ה וַאֲנִ֕י מִן־הַמַּעֲרָכָ֖ה נַ֣סְתִּי הַיּ֑וֹם וַיֹּ֛אמֶר מֶֽה־הָיָ֥ה הַדָּבָ֖ר בְּנִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto Eliעֵלִי‛êlîy · EliH5941
- he that cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- out of the armyמַעֲרָכָהma‛ărâkâh · rankH4634
- and I fledנוּסnûs · to fleeH5127
- to dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- What is there doneדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- my sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 4:16
- 2 Samuel 1:4And David said to him, "How did it go? Tell me." And he answered, "The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead."
- 1 Samuel 3:6And the Lord called again, "Samuel!" and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call, my son; lie down again."
- Joshua 7:19Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give glory to the Lord God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me."
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 4:16
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-18Verses 12-18 The defeat of the army was very grievous to Eli as a judge; the tidings of the death of his two sons, to whom he had been so indulgent, and who, as he had reason to fear, died impenitent, touched him as a father; yet there was a greater concern on his spirit. And when the messenger concluded his story with, "The ark of God is taken," he is struck to the heart, and died immediately. A man may die miserably, yet not die eternally; may come to…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. 13-1813-18. 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…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 4:16
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