The Meaning of 1 Samuel 4:1 Explained

1 Samuel 4:1

KJV: And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.

YLT: And the word of Samuel is to all Israel, and Israel goeth out to meet the Philistines for battle, and they encamp by Eben-Ezer, and the Philistines have encamped in Aphek,

Darby: And what Samuel had said happened to all Israel. And Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Eben-ezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.

ASV: And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Eben-ezer: and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.

Discover 1 Samuel 4:1

CONTEXT: What is the Context of 1 Samuel 4:1?

MEANING: What does 1 Samuel 4:1 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 4:1 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in 1 Samuel 4:1?

What is the context of 1 Samuel 4:1?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.

What does 1 Samuel 4:1 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Many serious students of1Samuel have noted the writer"s emphasis on the ark of the covenant that begins here in the text. Critical scholars have long argued that 1 Samuel 4:1 b to 1 Samuel 7:1 and2Samuel6 are the only remaining fragments of an older and longer ark narrative, which was a source document for the writer here. Of the61references to the ark in1,2Samuel, 36 appear in 1 Samuel 4:1 b to 1 Samuel 7:2. More recently some scholars have come to believe that the old ark narratives were somewhat shorter. Conservative scholars generally believe that the ark narratives were not necessarily independent documents but may simply reflect the writer"s particular emphasis on the ark here. ^[1] One writer believed that their purpose was to explain Israel"s demand for a king, as well as the reasons for the end of Eli"s branch of the Aaronic family. ^[2]

Context Summary

1 Samuel 4:1-11 - Trusting In The Ark, Not In God

The predictions against Eli's house now begin to be fulfilled. It was fitting for Israel to institute an inquiry into the causes of defeat. This is always the first step toward victory. There was no doubt as to the ancient Covenant with Israel; the one question was to ascertain what had suddenly neutralized that divine assistance which in former days had always been forthcoming. Failure often indicates that something has happened to cut off the supply of God's saving help.

In this instance, however, Israel did not carry the inquiry into God's presence, but endeavored to supply the lapse of divine help by introducing the symbol of the Covenant. "Fetch the Ark!" they cried. They supposed that, in some mysterious way, it would bring God into their camp and ally Him with their arms. In the same manner a brigand might expect an amulet or charm to preserve his life, while violating the laws of God and man. These materialized views of the Israelites' relations with God had to be corrected; and hence defeat ensued. Our only safety lies, not in an outward act or token, but in simple, pure-hearted and unbroken fellowship with God. Then we become invincible. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 4

¹ The Israelites are overcome by the Philistines at Ebenezer
³ They fetch the ark unto the terror of the Philistines
¹⁰ They are smitten again, the ark taken, and Hophni and Phinehas are slain
¹² Eli at the news, falling backward, breaks his neck
¹⁹ Phinehas's wife, discouraged in her travail with Ichabod, dies

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 4:1 mean?

And came the word of Samuel to all Israel And went out Israel to battle against the Philistines in battle and encamped beside - Ebenezer and the Philistines encamped in Aphek

וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־ שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל לְכָל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֵּצֵ֣א יִשְׂרָאֵל֩ לִקְרַ֨את פְּלִשְׁתִּ֜ים לַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה וַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙ עַל־ הָאֶ֣בֶן הָעֵ֔זֶר וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים חָנ֥וּ בַאֲפֵֽק

וַיְהִ֥י	And came
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: אֶהְיֶה Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
דְבַר־	the word
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct Root: דָּבָר Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל	of Samuel
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: שְׁמוּאֵל Sense: son of Elkanah by his wife Hannah and judge or prophet of Israel during the days of Saul and David.
לְכָל־	to all
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct Root: כֹּל Sense: all, the whole.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל	Israel
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וַיֵּצֵ֣א	And went out
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: יׄוצֵאת Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
יִשְׂרָאֵל֩	Israel
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
לִקְרַ֨את	to battle against
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct Root: קָרָא Sense: to encounter, befall, meet.
פְּלִשְׁתִּ֜ים	the Philistines
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
לַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה	in battle
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine singular Root: מִלְחָמָה Sense: battle, war.
וַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙	and encamped
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural Root: חָנָה Sense: to decline, incline, encamp, bend down, lay siege against.
עַל־	beside
Parse: Preposition Root: עַל Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הָאֶ֣בֶן	-
Parse:
הָעֵ֔זֶר	Ebenezer
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular Root: אֶבֶן הָעֵזֶר Sense: memorial stone erected by Samuel to mark where God helped Israel to defeat the Philistines—north of Jerusalem.
וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים	and the Philistines
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine plural Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
חָנ֥וּ	encamped
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural Root: חָנָה Sense: to decline, incline, encamp, bend down, lay siege against.
בַאֲפֵֽק	in Aphek
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular Root: אֲפֵק Sense: a Canaanite city near Jezreel.

What are the major concepts related to 1 Samuel 4:1?

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