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

So it was that the word of Samuel went forth to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines in battle. They camped at Eben-ezer while the Philistines camped in Aphek. 2The Philistines drew up in battle array to meet Israel, and when the battle was fought, Israel was defeated before the Philistines, who killed 4,000 men on the battlefield. 3When the people came back to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did Adonai bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let’s fetch the ark of the covenant of Adonai from Shiloh that He may come among us and deliver us from 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

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 Adonai said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone that hears it will tingle.
• 1 Samuel 5:1Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God and they brought it from Eben-ezer to Ashdod.
• 1 Samuel 7:12Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named Eben-ezer saying, “Thus far Adonai has helped us.”
• Joshua 15:53Janum, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah,
• 1 Samuel 29:1Now the Philistines mustered all their armies at Aphek, while the Israelites were camping by the spring in Jezreel.
• Joshua 19:30Also included were Ummah, Aphek and Rehob—22 towns with their villages.
• 1 Kings 20:30The rest fled to Aphek into the city and the wall fell upon 27,000 men that were left. But Ben-Hadad fled 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