1 Samuel 4:1

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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• 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.

Context of 1 Samuel 4:1

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. 2And 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. 3And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath Yhwh smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of Yhwh out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.

1 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

• 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 3:11And Yhwh said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
• 1 Samuel 5:1And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Eben–ezer unto Ashdod.
• 1 Samuel 7:12Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben–ezer, saying, Hitherto hath Yhwh helped us.
• Joshua 15:53And Janum, and Beth–tappuah, and Aphekah,
• 1 Samuel 29:1Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel.
• Joshua 19:30Ummah also, and Aphek, and Rehob: twenty and two cities with their villages.
• 1 Kings 20:30But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Ben–hadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.

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

• Aphek
• Israel
• Samuel

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Philistines
• Samuel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Eben-Ezer
• Aphik
• Glory
• Mean
• Pain

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