1 Samuel 16:4

1 Samuel 16:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Beth–lehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
• New International Version (NIV)Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, "Do you come peaceably?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Samuel did what the Lord said, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, “Do you come peaceably?”

Context of 1 Samuel 16:4

2Samuel replied, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me!” But the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you should do. You will anoint for me the one I point out to you.” Samuel did what the Lord told him. When he arrived in Bethlehem, the elders of the city were afraid to meet him. They said, “Do you come in peace?” 5He replied, “Yes, in peace. I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” So he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6When they arrived, Samuel noticed Eliab and said to himself, “Surely, here before the Lord stands his chosen king!”

1 Samuel 16:4 word by word

וַיַּ֣עַשׂ שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל אֵ֚ת אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה וַיָּבֹ֖א בֵּ֣ית לָ֑חֶם וַיֶּחֶרְד֞וּ זִקְנֵ֤י הָעִיר֙ לִקְרָאת֔וֹ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר שָׁלֹ֥ם בּוֹאֶֽךָ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Samuelשְׁמוּאֵלshemû'êl · SamuelH8050
• didעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• that which the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• and cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• to Beth–lehemבֵּית לֶ֫חֶםbêyth lechem · BethlehemH1035
• And the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
• of the townעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• trembledחָרַדchârad · to trembleH2729
• at his comingקִרְאָהqir'âh · befallH7125
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• thou peaceablyשָׁלוֹםshâlôm shâlôm · peaceH7965

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 16:4

• 1 Samuel 21:1(21:2) David went to Ahimelech the priest in Nob. Ahimelech was shaking with fear when he met David, and said to him, “Why are you by yourself with no one accompanying you?”
• 2 Samuel 6:9David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How will the ark of the Lord ever come to me?”
• 1 Kings 17:18She asked Elijah, “Why, prophet, have you come to me to confront me with my sin and kill my son?”
• Hosea 6:5Therefore, I will certainly cut you into pieces at the hands of the prophets; I will certainly kill you in fulfillment of my oracles of judgment; for my judgment will come forth like the light of the dawn.
• Hosea 11:10He will roar like a lion, and they will follow the Lord; when he roars, his children will come trembling from the west.
• Luke 5:8But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”
• Luke 8:37Then all the people of the Gerasenes and the surrounding region asked Jesus to leave them alone, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and left.
• 1 Kings 2:13Haggith’s son Adonijah visited Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She asked, “Do you come in peace?” He answered, “Yes.”
• 2 Kings 9:22When Jehoram saw Jehu, he asked, “Is everything all right, Jehu?” He replied, “How can everything be all right as long as your mother Jezebel promotes idolatry and pagan practices?”
• 1 Chronicles 12:17David went out to meet them and said, “If you come to me in peace and want to help me, then I will make an alliance with you. But if you come to betray me to my enemies when I have not harmed you, may the God of our ancestors take notice and judge!”

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 16:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4The elders of the town trembled at his coming - They knew he was a prophet of the Lord, and they were afraid that he was now come to denounce some judgments of the Most High against their city.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Trembled - There was evidently something unusual in Samuel‘s coming to Bethlehem; and the elders, knowing that Samuel was no longer at friendship with Saul, foreboded some evil.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4The elders … trembled: The elders were afraid because news had likely reached Bethlehem that Samuel had rebuked Saul and put Agag to death.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. the elders of the town trembled at his coming--Beth-lehem was an obscure town, and not within the usual circuit of the judge. The elders were naturally apprehensive, therefore, that his arrival was occasioned by some extraordinary reason, and that it might entail evil upon their town, in consequence of the estrangement between Samuel and the king.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 16:4

• Church and State
• Government
• Jesse
• King
• Minister, Christian
• Reverence

In the dictionaries

• Samuel
• Appearance
• Bethlehem
• Comely
• David
• Elder in the Old Testament
• Jesse
• Sacrifice
• Samuel, Books of
• Saul

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 16

• 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
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings