E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Samuel 4:7
Woe unto us! Figure of speech Anaphora ( App-6 ), repeated in 1 Samuel 4:8 . read more
サムエル記Ⅰ 4:7-8 Jcb
E.W. Bullinger
E.W. Bullinger
E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Samuel 4:8
who . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 . the Gods = the Gods themselves. read more
Thomas Coke
Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 Samuel 4:8
1 Samuel 4:8. Who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods?— As no such thing had been done in all the former battles of the Israelites as bringing the ark into the camp, the Philistines, full of the ideas of local and tutelary deities, express their fear and surprise. It was, no doubt, in conformity to the ideas of the Philistines, that our translators render elohim, gods, in this place, though it would certainly have been rendered more properly, this mighty God, and this is the... read more
Thomas Constable
Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Samuel 4:1-11
1. The battle of Aphek 4:1-11The Philistines, as we have already seen in Judges, were Israel’s primary enemy to the west at this time. Samson, too, fought the Philistines (Judges 13-16). [Note: For a good, brief history of the Philistines, see Edward Hindson, The Philistines and the Old Testament.] There are about 150 references to the Philistines in 1 and 2 Samuel. They originally migrated from Greece primarily by way of Crete (Caphtor, cf. Genesis 10:14; Jeremiah 47:4; Amos 9:7). Their major... read more
Thomas Constable
Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Samuel 4:1-22
A. The Capture of the Ark 4:1-22A new subject comes to the forefront in this section and continues to be a significant motif throughout the rest of Samuel. It is the ark of the covenant. The writer drew attention to the ark in this chapter by mentioning it seven times, including a notation at the end of each text section (1 Samuel 4:4; 1 Samuel 4:11; 1 Samuel 4:17-19; 1 Samuel 4:21-22). Following the reference to Samuel the prophet in 1 Samuel 4:1, the writer did not mention him again until 1... read more
John Dummelow
John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 4:1-22
Capture of the Ark by the Philistines. Death of EliThe reason which led to 1 Samuel 4:1; being detached from its proper context is that without it this chapter seems to begin with inexplicable abruptness. The explanation of this lack of connexion is that the editor is now using a different document. This section is in no sense a continuation of the preceding. It does not proceed with the history of Samuel, whose name does not even occur in it, but relates the journeyings of the ark. Alike in... read more
Charles John Ellicott
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - 1 Samuel 4:7
(7) God is come into the camp.—The joy manifested by the Israelites at the arrival of the Ark from the sanctuary made the Philistines suspect that their enemies’ God was now present with the defeated army.The city of Aphek, near to which the camp of Israel was pitched, was close to the western entrance of the Pass of Beth-horon. The two defeats of Israel are termed in this Commentary the Battles of Aphek. The name of Eben-ezer, by which the scene was known in after days, was only given to the... read more
Charles John Ellicott
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - 1 Samuel 4:8
(8) These are the Gods that smote the Egyptians.—No doubt the compiler of these “Memoirs of Samuel” has given us the very words of the Philistines, preserved in their national traditions of this sad time. They are the expression of idolaters who knew of “Gods” and dreaded their malevolent influence, but who had no conception of the One Most High God. The plural form Elohim, so often found in the sacred record for God, is used here; but whereas the inspired compilers would have written their... read more
William Nicoll
Expositor's Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:1-22
CHAPTER VI.THE ARK OF GOD TAKEN BY THE PHILISTINES.1 Samuel 4:1-22.WE are liable to form an erroneous impression of the connection of Samuel with the transactions of this chapter, in consequence of a clause which ought to belong to the last chapter, being placed, in the Authorized Version, at the beginning of this. The clause "And the word of Samuel came to all Israel" belongs really to the preceding chapter. It denotes that Samuel was now over all Israel the recognized channel of communication... read more
Subscribe
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Most Searched
Group of Brands
© 2025 Bibleportal.com All rights reserved.
Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:1-22
The Philistines capture the ark (4:1-22)For many years the Philistines had oppressed Israel (Judges 13:1). Samson had begun to save Israel from them (Judges 13:5), but the Philistines now fought back and decided to extend their rule further into Israel’s territory. The Israelites should have realized that their defeats were God’s punishments upon them because of their sin, and turned to him in repentance. Instead they thought that they would guarantee his help by carrying the symbol of his... read more