1 Samuel 4:10, 1 Samuel 4:3 WEB

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 4:10

(10) And Israel was smitten.—The result was strictly in accordance with those immutable laws which have ever guided the connection of Israel and their God-Friend. As long as they clave to the invisible Preserver, and served Him with their whole heart and soul, and kept themselves pure from the pollution of the idol nations around them, so long was He in their midst, so long would they be invincible; but if, as now, they chose to revel in the impure joys, and to delight themselves in the... 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

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - 1 Samuel 4:1-22

5. The judgment of Eli and His Sons--Ichabod CHAPTER 4 1. The fulfilled prediction: The death of Eli’s sons (1 Samuel 4:1-11 ) 2. The death of Eli (1 Samuel 4:12-18 ) 3. Ichabod (1 Samuel 4:19-22 ) Israel then renewed the conflict with the Philistines and suffered defeat. It seems that they acted in self-confidence, and when the battle was lost they readily acknowledged the hand of the Lord in the disaster: “Wherefore has the LORD smitten us today before the Philistines?” But there was... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - 1 Samuel 4:10

4:10 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 {e} thirty thousand footmen.(e) David alluding to this place in Psalms 78:63 says they were consumed with fire: meaning they were suddenly destroyed. read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 4:1-22

Verse 1 shows that Samuel did not conceal the word that God gave to him, but communicated it to all Israel. But it is not said that it was this word that called them to battle with the Philistines. It seems the battle was initiated by Israel, however. They pitch near Eben-ezer, which means "the stone of help," evidently confident of God's help apart from His word and apart from the recognition of His rights among His people. The Philistines pitch in Aphek, meaning "restraint," which perhaps... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:1-22

ELI ’S DEATH ; THE LOSS OF THE ARK GOD SPEAKS TO SAMUEL (1 Samuel 3:0 ) “The word of the Lord was precious [or rare] in those days” (1 Samuel 3:1 ) is introductory to the record that it was now heard in the case of Samuel. It was Israel’s sin that hid God’s face from them and caused His voice to be silent so long only twice heard during the period of the Judges (Judges 4:4 ; Judges 6:8 ) but He was again to be gracious unto them in this respect, and a new epoch was to open in their... read more

Joseph Parker

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - 1 Samuel 4:1-22

The Ark of God 1Sa 4:3 IN order to understand the full import of these words, we must carefully study the idea which the ark of the Lord was intended to represent. The twenty-fifth chapter of the Book of Exodus gives a most minutely detailed account of the making of the tabernacle. God gave Moses a special description of the proposed sanctuary. He did not consult Moses, nor did he make suggestions which Moses was to submit to the consideration of the people of Israel. God laid down the whole... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:10-11

(10) ¶ 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. (11) And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain. The awful event of the captivity of the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts which dwelleth between the cherubim, furnisheth for solemn contemplation such an interesting subject as must not be hastily passed over.... read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:10

Footmen. They had no cavalry, (Calmet) as God seemed to discourage any. (Haydock) --- Even after Solomon's time, they had not many horsemen. (Calmet) --- The Israelites had before lost 4,000: now when they were full of confidence, and fought with valour, they behold 30,000 fall. The ark proved thus fatal to them. (Haydock) read more