1 Samuel 4 · Verse 2

1 Samuel 4:2

And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.
1 Samuel 4:2, King James Version

1 Samuel 4:2 in other translations

BSBThe 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.
WEBThe Philistines put themselves in array against Israel. When they joined battle, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men of the army in the field.
ASVAnd the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines; and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.
YLTand the Philistines set themselves in array to meet Israel, and the battle spreadeth itself, and Israel is smitten before the Philistines, and they smite among the ranks in the field about four thousand men.
DARBYAnd the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel; and the battle spread, and Israel was routed before the Philistines; and they slew in battle array in the field about four thousand men.
BBEAnd the Philistines put their forces in order against Israel, and the fighting was hard, and Israel was overcome by the Philistines, who put to the sword about four thousand of their army in the field.
WebsterAnd the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.

What does 1 Samuel 4:2 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 Put themselves in array - There is no doubt that both the Philistines and Israelites had what might be called the art of war, according to which they marshalled their troops in the field, constructed their camps, and conducted their retreats, sieges, etc.; but we know not the principles on which they acted. They slew of the army in the field about four thousand men - This must have been a severe conflict, as four thousand were left dead on the field of battle. The contest also must have lasted some considerable time, as these were all slain hand to hand; swords and spears being in all probability the only weapons then used.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 4:1-9

Israel is smitten before the Philistines. Sin, the accursed thing, was in the camp, and gave their enemies all the advantage they could wish for. They own the hand of God in their trouble; but, instead of submitting, they speak angrily, as not aware of any just provocation they had given him. The foolishness of man perverts his way, and then his heart frets against the Lord, Pr 19:3, and finds fault with him. They…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 4:1-9 →

1 Samuel 4:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיַּעַרְכ֨וּvai.ya.'ar.Khuand they deployedH6186
פְלִשְׁתִּ֜יםfe.lish.Tim[the] PhilistinesH6430
לִקְרַ֣אתlik.Ratto meetH7122
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
וַתִּטֹּשׁ֙va.ti.Toshand it spread outH5203
הַמִּלְחָמָ֔הha.mil.cha.Mahthe battleH4421
וַיִּנָּ֥גֶףvai.yi.Na.gefand it was defeatedH5062
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
לִפְנֵ֣יlif.Nei<to> beforeH6440
פְלִשְׁתִּ֑יםfe.lish.Tim[the] PhilistinesH6430
וַיַּכּ֤וּvai.ya.Kuand they struck downH5221
בַמַּֽעֲרָכָה֙va.ma.'a.ra.Khahin the battle lineH4634
בַּשָּׂדֶ֔הba.sa.Dehin the fieldH7704
כְּאַרְבַּ֥עַתke.'ar.Ba.'atabout fourH702
אֲלָפִ֖ים'a.la.Fimthousand<s>H505
אִֽישׁ\׃'IshmanH376

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 4:2

  • Lamentations 3:40

    Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.

  • Psalms 44:9-10

    But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies. Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves.

  • Joshua 7:12

    Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.

  • 1 Samuel 17:8

    And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.

  • Joshua 7:5-8

    And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water. And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!

  • Psalms 106:40-41

    Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance. And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them.

  • Psalms 79:7-8

    For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place. O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.

  • 1 Samuel 17:21

    For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
put.
17:8,21
they joined battle. Heb. the battle was spread. Israel.
Jos 7:5-8,12; Ps 44:9,10
and they.
Ps 79:7,8; 106:40,41; La 3:40
the army. Heb. the array.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 4:1

    And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Eben–ezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.

  • 1 Samuel 4:2

    And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.

  • 1 Samuel 4:3

    And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.

Read all of 1 Samuel 4

1 Samuel 4:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y los Filisteos presentaron la batalla á Israel; y trabándose el combate, Israel fué vencido delante de los Filisteos, los cuales hirieron en la batalla por el campo como cuatro mil hombres.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et les Philistins se rangèrent en bataille contre Israël; et la bataille devint générale, et Israël fut battu devant les Philistins; et ils frappèrent environ 4 000 hommes en bataille rangée, dans la campagne.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die Philister stellten sich auf, Israel gegenüber; und der Streit breitete sich aus, und Israel wurde vor den Philistern geschlagen; und sie erschlugen in der Schlachtordnung auf dem Felde bei viertausend Mann.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et instruxerunt aciem contra Israël. Inito autem certamine, terga vertit Israël Philisthæis: et cæsa sunt in illo certamine passim per agros, quasi quatuor millia virorum.