1 Samuel

1 Samuel 4:2–3

2The Philistines arrayed themselves against Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who struck down about four thousand men on the battlefield.

3When the troops returned to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why has the LORD brought defeat on us before the Philistines today? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh, so that it may goa with us to save us from the hand of our enemies.”

Footnotes

  • a 4:3 Or He may go

Read all of 1 Samuel 4

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Samuel 4:2

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
The Philistinesפְלִשְׁתִּ֜יםp̄ə·liš·tîmNoun - proper - masculine pluralH6430 Philistine
arrayed themselvesוַיַּעַרְכ֨וּway·ya·‘ar·ḵūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH6186 arrange or set in order
againstלִקְרַ֣אתliq·raṯPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH7122 encounter, befall
Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֗לyiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
and as the battleהַמִּלְחָמָ֔הham·mil·ḥā·māhArticle; Noun - feminine singularH4421 battle, war
spreadוַתִּטֹּשׁ֙wat·tiṭ·ṭōšConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularH5203 leave, forsake, permit
Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לyiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
was defeatedוַיִּנָּ֥גֶףway·yin·nā·ḡep̄Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH5062 strike, smite
byלִפְנֵ֣יlip̄·nêPreposition-l; Noun - common plural constructH6440 face, before
the Philistinesפְלִשְׁתִּ֑יםp̄ə·liš·tîmNoun - proper - masculine pluralH6430 Philistine
who struck downוַיַּכּ֤וּway·yak·kūConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH5221 smite
about fourכְּאַרְבַּ֥עַתkə·’ar·ba·‘aṯPreposition-k; Number - masculine singular constructH702 four
thousandאֲלָפִ֖ים’ă·lā·p̄îmNumber - masculine pluralH505 thousand
menאִֽישׁ׃’îšNoun - masculine singularH376 man
on the battlefieldבַמַּֽעֲרָכָה֙ḇam·ma·‘ă·rā·ḵāhPreposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singularH4634 row, rank, battle-line

1 Samuel 4:3

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
When the troopsהָעָם֮hā·‘āmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH5971 people
returnedוַיָּבֹ֣אway·yā·ḇōConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
the campהַֽמַּחֲנֶה֒ham·ma·ḥă·nehArticle; Noun - common singularH4264 encampment, camp
the eldersזִקְנֵ֣יziq·nêAdjective - masculine plural constructH2205 old
of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לyiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
askedוַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙way·yō·mə·rūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH559 utter, say
Whyלָ֣מָּהlām·māhPreposition-l; InterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
has the LORDיְהוָ֛הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
brought defeat on usנְגָפָ֧נוּnə·ḡā·p̄ā·nūVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; first person common pluralH5062 strike, smite
beforeלִפְנֵ֣יlip̄·nêPreposition-l; Noun - common plural constructH6440 face, before
the Philistinesפְלִשְׁתִּ֑יםp̄ə·liš·tîmNoun - proper - masculine pluralH6430 Philistine
todayהַיּ֖וֹםhay·yō·wmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH3117 day
Let us bringנִקְחָ֧הniq·ḥāhVerb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common pluralH3947 take
the arkאֲרוֹן֙’ă·rō·wnNoun - common singular constructH727 chest, ark
of the covenantבְּרִ֣יתbə·rîṯNoun - feminine singular constructH1285 covenant
of the LORDיְהוָ֔הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
from Shilohמִשִּׁלֹ֗הmiš·ši·lōhPreposition-m; Noun - proper - feminine singularH7887 Shiloh
so that it may goוְיָבֹ֣אwə·yā·ḇōConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
with usבְקִרְבֵּ֔נוּḇə·qir·bê·nūPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common pluralH7130 inward part, midst
to save usוְיֹשִׁעֵ֖נוּwə·yō·ši·‘ê·nūConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common pluralH3467 deliver
from the handמִכַּ֥ףmik·kap̄Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular constructH3709 hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, pan
of our enemiesאֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃’ō·yə·ḇê·nūVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; first person common pluralH341 be hostile to

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

1 Samuel 4:2 Lamentations 3:40

1 Samuel 4:3 2 Timothy 3:5 · 1 Corinthians 10:1–5 · Numbers 10:35

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.