1 Samuel 4:16 — Meaning and Application

King James Version

“And the man said unto Eli, I {am} he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son? {is...: Heb. is the thing}”

1 Samuel 4:16

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Understanding the surrounding verses prevents misinterpretation:

And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What {meaneth} the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli.

Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see. {were dim: Heb. stood}

And the man said unto Eli, I {am} he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son? {is...: Heb. is the thing}

And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.

And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

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From This Chapter

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 Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek. {came: or, came to pass: Heb. was}"

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. {they joined...: Heb. the battle was spread} {army: Heb. array}"

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. {fetch: Heb. take unto us}"

1 Samuel 4:4

"So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth {between} the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, {were} there with the ark of the covenant of God."

1 Samuel 4:5

"And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again."

1 Samuel 4:6

"And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What {meaneth} the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp."

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