God’s Word Translation
1 Samuel 4:2
2The Philistines organized their troops to meet Israel in battle. As the battle spread, the Philistines defeated Israel and killed about 4,000 soldiers in the field.
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
1Israel went to fight against the Philistines and camped near Ebenezer while the Philistines camped at Aphek. The Philistines organized their troops to meet Israel in battle. As the battle spread, the Philistines defeated Israel and killed about 4,000 soldiers in the field. 3When the troops came back to the camp, the leaders of Israel asked, “Why has the Lord used the Philistines to defeat us today? Let’s get the ark of the Lord’s promise from Shiloh so that he may be with us and save us from our enemies.” 4The troops sent some men who brought back the ark of the promise of the Lord of Armies—who is enthroned over the angels. Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, came along with God’s ark.
Read all of 1 Samuel 41 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 and called to the Israelites, “Why do you form a battle line? Am I not a Philistine, and aren’t you Saul’s servants? Choose a man, and let him come down to ⌞fight⌟ me.
- Joshua 7:5The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them, chasing them from the city gate to the slope of the stone quarries. Israel’s troops lost heart and were scared stiff.
- Psalms 44:9But now you have rejected and disgraced us. You do not even go along with our armies.
- Psalms 79:7They have devoured Jacob. They have destroyed his home.
- Psalms 106:40The Lord burned with anger against his own people. He was disgusted with those who belonged to him.
- Lamentations 3:40Let us look closely at our ways and examine them and then return to the Lord.
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
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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