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

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:10-11

Here is a short account of the issue of this battle. I. Israel was smitten, the army dispersed and totally routed, not retiring into the camp, as before (1 Sam. 4:2) when they hoped to rally again, but returning to their tents, every man shifting for his own safety and making the best of his way home, despairing to make head any more; and 30,000 were slain in the field of battle, 1 Sam. 4:10. Israel was put to the worse, 1. Though they had the better cause, were the people of God and the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:10

And the Philistines fought ,.... With great ardour and spirit, quitted themselves like men of valour and courage, their case being desperate as they imagined, since God was in the camp of Israel: and Israel was smitten : were routed and beaten: and they fled every man into his tent ; such of them as escaped the sword of the Philistines fled to their own houses in the several cities from whence they came; so the Targum,"every man to his city'so that their army was quite broken up: ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:1-11

Moral causes of disaster. Assuming that the first sentence properly belongs to the third chapter, and refers generally to the acceptance of Samuel as prophet by the whole nation, the section ( 1 Samuel 4:1-11 ) sets forth the following facts:— 1 . Israel, suffering from subjection to the Philistines, enters on war for the recovery of freedom and suffers defeat. 2 . Ordinary means failing, recourse is had to the ark of God in order to insure success. 3 . The visible presence... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:10

Israel fled every man into —better to— his tent. Their camp stood them this time in no stead. It was stormed by the Philistines, and the whole army fled in confusion. In those days the Israelites dwelt in tents, and to flee "every man to his tent" means that they fled away in every direction, each to his own home. It is in this indiscriminate flight that an army suffers most. As long as men keep together the loss is comparatively slight. But now, thus utterly broken, there fell of... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Samuel 4:10

1 Samuel 4:10. They fled every man to his tent They were so routed that they did not flee to their camp as before, with an intent to renew the fight, but each man to his habitation, here called by the ancient name of tent. There fell Before, they lost but four thousand; now, in the presence of the ark, thirty thousand, to teach them that the ark and ordinances of God were never designed as a refuge to impenitent sinners, but only for the comfort of those that repent. read more

Donald C. Fleming

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

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Samuel 4:10

every man . Hebrew. 'ish. App-14 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 Samuel 4:10

ISRAEL WAS DEFEATED; ELI'S SONS WERE KILLED; THE ARK WAS CAPTURED"So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home; and there was a very great slaughter, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. And the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain." 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

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:10-11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:10

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:1-11

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:10

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Samuel 4:10

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:1-22

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Samuel 4:10

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 Samuel 4:10

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Samuel 4:1-11

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Samuel 4:1-22

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