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Selected Verse: 1 Samuel 4:1 - Strong Concordance
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
1Sa 4:1 |
Strong Concordance |
And the word [01697] of Samuel [08050] came to all Israel [03478]. Now Israel [03478] went out [03318] against [07125] the Philistines [06430] to battle [04421], and pitched [02583] beside Ebenezer [072]: and the Philistines [06430] pitched [02583] in Aphek [0663]. |
|
King James |
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. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
ISRAEL OVERCOME BY THE PHILISTINES. (Sa1 4:1-11)
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" (Sa1 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 them what was the mind of God. It is not improbable that the rising influence of the young prophet had alarmed the jealous fears of the Philistines. They had kept the Israelites in some degree of subjection ever since the death of Samson and were determined, by further crushing, to prevent the possibility of their being trained by the counsels, and under the leadership, of Samuel, to reassert their national independence. At all events, the Philistines were the aggressors (Sa1 4:2). But, on the other hand, the Israelites were rash and inconsiderate in rushing to the field without obtaining the sanction of Samuel as to the war, or having consulted him as to the subsequent measures they took.
Israel went out against the Philistines to battle--that is, to resist this new incursion.
Eben-ezer . . . Aphek--Aphek, which means "strength," is a name applied to any fort or fastness. There were several Apheks in Palestine; but the mention of Eben-ezer determines this "Aphek" to be in the south, among the mountains of Judah, near the western entrance of the pass of Beth-horon, and consequently on the borders of the Philistine territory. The first encounter at Aphek being unsuccessful, the Israelites determined to renew the engagement in better circumstances. |
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Some attach the opening words to the close of 1 Sam. 3, as the complement of what is there said, "The Lord revealed himself to Samuel ... in Shiloh, and the word of Samuel went forth to all Israel." If placed at the commencement of 1 Sam. 4, and in connection with what follows, they are to be understood in the sense that Samuel called all Israel to battle against the Philistines. (Compare Sa1 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 Judg. 13-16. Since the Philistine servitude lasted forty years Jdg 13:1, and seems to have terminated in the days of Samuel Sa1 7:13-14 in about the 20th year of his judgeship Sa1 7:2; and since it had already begun before the birth of Samson Jdg 13:5, and Samson judged Israel for 20 years "in the days of the Philistines" Jdg 15:20, it seems to follow that the latter part of the judgeship of Eli and the early part of that of Samuel must have been coincident with the lifetime of Samson.
Eben-ezer - (or, the stone of help) The place was afterward so named by Samuel. See the marginal references. "Aphek," or the "fortress," was probably the same as the "Aphek" of Jos 12:18. It would be toward the western frontier of Judah, not very far from Mizpeh of Benjamin, and near Shiloh Sa1 4:4. |
Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
The two clauses, "The word of Samuel came to all Israel," and "Israel went out," etc., are to be logically connected together in the following sense: "At the word or instigation of Samuel, Israel went out against the Philistines to battle." The Philistines were ruling over Israel at that time. This is evident, apart from our previous remarks concerning the connection between the commencement of this book and the close of the book of Judges, from the simple fact that the land of Israel was the scene of the war, and that nothing is said about an invasion on the part of the Philistines. The Israelites encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines were encamped at Aphek. The name Ebenezer ("the stone of help") was not given to the place so designated till a later period, when Samuel set up a memorial stone there to commemorate a victory that was gained over the Philistines upon the same chosen battle-field after the lapse of twenty years (Sa1 7:12). According to this passage, the stone was set up between Mizpeh and Shen. The former was not the Mizpeh in the lowlands of Judah (Jos 15:38), but the Mizpeh of Benjamin (Jos 18:26), i.e., according to Robinson, the present Neby Samwil, two hours to the north-west of Jerusalem, and half an hour to the south of Gibeon (see at Jos 18:26). The situation of Aphek has not been discovered. It cannot have been far from Mizpeh and Ebenezer, however, and was probably the same place as the Canaanitish capital mentioned in Jos 12:18, and is certainly different from the Aphekah upon the mountains of Judah (Jos 15:53); for this was on the south or south-west of Jerusalem, since, according to the book of Joshua, it belonged to the towns that were situated in the district of Gibeon.
Sa1 4:2
When the battle was fought, the Israelites were defeated by the Philistines, and in battle-array four thousand men were smitten upon the field. ערך, sc., מלחמה, as in Jdg 20:20, Jdg 20:22, etc. בּמּערכה, in battle-array, i.e., upon the field of battle, not in flight. "In the field," i.e., the open field where the battle was fought. |
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
The word - That is, the word of the Lord revealed to Samuel, and by him to the people. A word of command, that all Israel should go forth to fight with the Philistines, as the following words explain it, that they might he first humbled and punished for their sins, and so prepared for deliverance. Went out - To meet the Philistines, who having by this time recruited themselves after their loss by Samson, and perceiving an eminent prophet arising among them, by whom they were likely to be united, and assisted, thought fit to suppress them in the beginning of their hopes. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
The 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 Sa1 7:12; for the monument called האבן העזר haeben haezer, the "Stone of Help," was erected by Samuel in the place which was afterwards from this circumstance, called Eben-ezer, when the Lord had given the Israelites a signal victory over the Philistines. It was situated in the tribe of Judah, between Mizpeh and Shen, and not far from the Aphek here mentioned. This is another proof that this book was compiled after the times and transactions which it records, and probably from memoranda which had been made by a contemporary writer. |
2 And the Philistines [06430] put themselves in array [06186] against [07125] Israel [03478]: and when they joined [05203] battle [04421], Israel [03478] was smitten [05062] before [06440] the Philistines [06430]: and they slew [05221] of the army [04634] in the field [07704] about four [0702] thousand [0505] men [0376].
19 And Samuel [08050] grew [01431], and the LORD [03068] was with him, and did let none of his words [01697] fall [05307] to the ground [0776].
1 And the word [01697] of Samuel [08050] came to all Israel [03478]. Now Israel [03478] went out [03318] against [07125] the Philistines [06430] to battle [04421], and pitched [02583] beside Ebenezer [072]: and the Philistines [06430] pitched [02583] in Aphek [0663].
2 And the Philistines [06430] put themselves in array [06186] against [07125] Israel [03478]: and when they joined [05203] battle [04421], Israel [03478] was smitten [05062] before [06440] the Philistines [06430]: and they slew [05221] of the army [04634] in the field [07704] about four [0702] thousand [0505] men [0376].
3 And when the people [05971] were come [0935] into the camp [04264], the elders [02205] of Israel [03478] said [0559], Wherefore hath the LORD [03068] smitten [05062] us to day [03117] before [06440] the Philistines [06430]? Let us fetch [03947] the ark [0727] of the covenant [01285] of the LORD [03068] out of Shiloh [07887] unto us, that, when it cometh [0935] among [07130] us, it may save [03467] us out of the hand [03709] of our enemies [0341].
4 So the people [05971] sent [07971] to Shiloh [07887], that they might bring [05375] from thence the ark [0727] of the covenant [01285] of the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635], which dwelleth [03427] between the cherubims [03742]: and the two [08147] sons [01121] of Eli [05941], Hophni [02652] and Phinehas [06372], were there with the ark [0727] of the covenant [01285] of God [0430].
5 And when the ark [0727] of the covenant [01285] of the LORD [03068] came [0935] into the camp [04264], all Israel [03478] shouted [07321] with a great [01419] shout [08643], so that the earth [0776] rang again [01949].
6 And when the Philistines [06430] heard [08085] the noise [06963] of the shout [08643], they said [0559], What meaneth the noise [06963] of this great [01419] shout [08643] in the camp [04264] of the Hebrews [05680]? And they understood [03045] that the ark [0727] of the LORD [03068] was come [0935] into the camp [04264].
7 And the Philistines [06430] were afraid [03372], for they said [0559], God [0430] is come [0935] into the camp [04264]. And they said [0559], Woe [0188] unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore [0865] [08032].
8 Woe [0188] unto us! who shall deliver [05337] us out of the hand [03027] of these mighty [0117] Gods [0430]? these are the Gods [0430] that smote [05221] the Egyptians [04714] with all the plagues [04347] in the wilderness [04057].
9 Be strong [02388], and quit [01961] yourselves like men [0582], O ye Philistines [06430], that ye be not servants [05647] unto the Hebrews [05680], as they have been [05647] to you: quit [01961] yourselves like men [0582], and fight [03898].
10 And the Philistines [06430] fought [03898], and Israel [03478] was smitten [05062], and they fled [05127] every man [0376] into his tent [0168]: and there was a very [03966] great [01419] slaughter [04347]; for there fell [05307] of Israel [03478] thirty [07970] thousand [0505] footmen [07273].
11 And the ark [0727] of God [0430] was taken [03947]; and the two [08147] sons [01121] of Eli [05941], Hophni [02652] and Phinehas [06372], were slain [04191].
4 So the people [05971] sent [07971] to Shiloh [07887], that they might bring [05375] from thence the ark [0727] of the covenant [01285] of the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635], which dwelleth [03427] between the cherubims [03742]: and the two [08147] sons [01121] of Eli [05941], Hophni [02652] and Phinehas [06372], were there with the ark [0727] of the covenant [01285] of God [0430].
18 The king [04428] of Aphek [0663], one [0259]; the king [04428] of Lasharon [08289], one [0259];
20 And he judged [08199] Israel [03478] in the days [03117] of the Philistines [06430] twenty [06242] years [08141].
5 For, lo, thou shalt conceive [02030], and bear [03205] a son [01121]; and no razor [04177] shall come [05927] on his head [07218]: for the child [05288] shall be a Nazarite [05139] unto God [0430] from the womb [0990]: and he shall begin [02490] to deliver [03467] Israel [03478] out of the hand [03027] of the Philistines [06430].
2 And it came to pass, while [03117] the ark [0727] abode [03427] in Kirjathjearim [07157], that the time [03117] was long [07235]; for it was twenty [06242] years [08141]: and all the house [01004] of Israel [03478] lamented [05091] after [0310] the LORD [03068].
13 So the Philistines [06430] were subdued [03665], and they came [0935] no more [03254] into the coast [01366] of Israel [03478]: and the hand [03027] of the LORD [03068] was against the Philistines [06430] all the days [03117] of Samuel [08050].
14 And the cities [05892] which the Philistines [06430] had taken [03947] from Israel [03478] were restored [07725] to Israel [03478], from Ekron [06138] even unto Gath [01661]; and the coasts [01366] thereof did Israel [03478] deliver [05337] out of the hands [03027] of the Philistines [06430]. And there was peace [07965] between Israel [03478] and the Amorites [0567].
1 And the children [01121] of Israel [03478] did [06213] evil [07451] again [03254] in the sight [05869] of the LORD [03068]; and the LORD [03068] delivered [05414] them into the hand [03027] of the Philistines [06430] forty [0705] years [08141].
5 And Samuel [08050] said [0559], Gather [06908] all Israel [03478] to Mizpeh [04708], and I will pray [06419] for you unto the LORD [03068].
22 And the people [05971] the men [0376] of Israel [03478] encouraged [02388] themselves, and set their battle [04421] again [03254] in array [06186] in the place [04725] where they put themselves in array [06186] the first [07223] day [03117].
20 And the men [0376] of Israel [03478] went out [03318] to battle [04421] against Benjamin [01144]; and the men [0376] of Israel [03478] put themselves in array [06186] to fight [04421] against them at Gibeah [01390].
2 And the Philistines [06430] put themselves in array [06186] against [07125] Israel [03478]: and when they joined [05203] battle [04421], Israel [03478] was smitten [05062] before [06440] the Philistines [06430]: and they slew [05221] of the army [04634] in the field [07704] about four [0702] thousand [0505] men [0376].
53 And Janum [03241], and Bethtappuah [01054], and Aphekah [0664],
18 The king [04428] of Aphek [0663], one [0259]; the king [04428] of Lasharon [08289], one [0259];
26 And Mizpeh [04708], and Chephirah [03716], and Mozah [04681],
26 And Mizpeh [04708], and Chephirah [03716], and Mozah [04681],
38 And Dilean [01810], and Mizpeh [04708], and Joktheel [03371],
12 Then Samuel [08050] took [03947] a [0259] stone [068], and set [07760] it between Mizpeh [04709] and Shen [08129], and called [07121] the name [08034] of it Ebenezer [072], saying [0559], Hitherto hath the LORD [03068] helped [05826] us.
12 Then Samuel [08050] took [03947] a [0259] stone [068], and set [07760] it between Mizpeh [04709] and Shen [08129], and called [07121] the name [08034] of it Ebenezer [072], saying [0559], Hitherto hath the LORD [03068] helped [05826] us.