The Meaning of 1 Samuel 4:10 Explained

1 Samuel 4:10

KJV: And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.

YLT: And the Philistines fight, and Israel is smitten, and they flee each to his tents, and the blow is very great, and there fall of Israel thirty thousand footmen;

Darby: And the Philistines fought, and Israel was routed, and they fled every man to his tent; and there was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.

ASV: And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man to his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.

Discover 1 Samuel 4:10

CONTEXT: What is the Context of 1 Samuel 4:10?

MEANING: What does 1 Samuel 4:10 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 4:10 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in 1 Samuel 4:10?

What is the context of 1 Samuel 4:10?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.

What does 1 Samuel 4:10 Mean?

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 4:10 mean?

So fought the Philistines and was defeated Israel and fled every man to his tent and there was a slaughter great very and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers

וַיִּלָּחֲמ֣וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים וַיִּנָּ֤גֶף יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וַיָּנֻ֙סוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ לְאֹהָלָ֔יו וַתְּהִ֥י הַמַּכָּ֖ה גְּדוֹלָ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד וַיִּפֹּל֙ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף רַגְלִֽי

וַיִּלָּחֲמ֣וּ	So fought
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural Root: לָחַם Sense: to fight, do battle, make war.
פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים	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.
וַיִּנָּ֤גֶף	and was defeated
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: נָגַף Sense: to strike, smite.
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙	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.
וַיָּנֻ֙סוּ֙	and fled
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural Root: נוּס Sense: to flee, escape.
אִ֣ישׁ	every man
Parse: Noun, masculine singular Root: אִישׁ Sense: man.
לְאֹהָלָ֔יו	to his tent
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular Root: אֹהֶל Sense: tent.
וַתְּהִ֥י	and there was
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular Root: אֶהְיֶה Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
הַמַּכָּ֖ה	a slaughter
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular Root: מַכָּה Sense: blow, wound, slaughter.
גְּדוֹלָ֣ה	great
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular Root: גָּבֹול Sense: great.
מְאֹ֑ד	very
Parse: Adverb Root: מְאֹד Sense: exceedingly, much subst.
וַיִּפֹּל֙	and there fell
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: נָפַל Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔ל	of Israel
Parse: Preposition-m, 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.
שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים	thirty
Parse: Number, common plural Root: שְׁלֹשִׁים Sense: thirty, thirtieth.
אֶ֖לֶף	thousand
Parse: Number, masculine singular Root: אֶלֶף Sense: a thousand.
רַגְלִֽי	foot soldiers
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular Root: רַגְלִי Sense: on foot.

What are the major concepts related to 1 Samuel 4:10?

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