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.

1 SAMUEL 4:3KJV
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1 Samuel 4:3 (KJV)

What does 1 Samuel 4:3 mean?

1 Samuel 4:3 describes how, after suffering defeat by the Philistines, the elders of Israel questioned why the LORD had allowed them to be struck down. They decided to bring the ark of the covenant from Shiloh, hoping its presence would save them from their enemies.

In this verse, the elders are speaking among themselves in the Israelite camp after a military loss. The ark of the covenant was seen as a powerful symbol of God's presence, and the elders believed that bringing it into battle would guarantee victory. The verse shows their reaction to defeat and their reasoning for turning to a sacred object for help.

The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 4:3

  • "Smitten" (נָכָה, nakah) means to strike or defeat. The elders recognize that their loss was not just a military setback but something allowed by the LORD, which adds a spiritual dimension to their question.
  • "Ark" (אֲרוֹן, aron) refers to the sacred chest that held the tablets of the covenant. Its mention highlights how the Israelites associated God's power and favor with this physical object.
  • "Save" (יָשַׁע, yasha) means to deliver or rescue. The elders hope that the ark’s presence will bring them deliverance, showing their belief in its protective power.

Why 1 Samuel 4:3 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the Israelites saw their defeat as coming from the LORD, not just from the Philistines, which shows their belief in God's control over their fate.
  • It reveals a shift in the Israelites' thinking: instead of seeking God Himself, they focus on using the ark as a kind of guarantee for victory, which becomes important in the events that follow.
  • The verse sets up the narrative tension for the next part of the story, where the consequences of treating the ark as a mere object of power become clear.

Where else these words appear

“Shiloh” Hebrew H7887 · used in 30 verses

  • Joshua 18:1 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.
  • Judges 21:12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
  • 1 Samuel 14:3 And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD'S priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.

“smitten” Hebrew H5062 · used in 46 verses

  • Exodus 8:2 And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs:
  • Judges 20:39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.
  • 2 Chronicles 6:24 And if thy people Israel be put to the worse before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee; and shall return and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication before thee in this house;