1 Samuel 4:3 net — When the army came back to the camp, the elders of Israel said,“Why did the LORD let us be defeated today by the Philis…

NET Bible

"When the army came back to the camp, the elders of Israel said,“Why did the LORD let us be defeated today by the Philistines? Let’s take with us the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh. When it is with us, it will save us from the hand of our enemies.”"

— 1 Samuel 4:3, NET Bible

Read in Another Translation

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1 Samuel 4:3 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “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.”

  • ASV

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

  • WEB

    “When the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has Yahweh struck us today before the Philistines? Let us get the ark of the covenant of Yahweh out of Shiloh to us, that it may come among us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies."”

  • DRB

    “And the people returned to the camp: and the ancients of Israel said: Why hath the Lord defeated us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch unto us the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Silo, and let it come in the midst of us, that it may save us from the hand of our enemies.”

  • BBE

    “And when the people came back to their tents, the responsible men of Israel said, Why has the Lord let the Philistines overcome us today? Let us get the ark of the Lord's agreement here from Shiloh, so that it may be with us and give us salvation from the hands of those who are against us.”

  • KJVA

    “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 — Context

1

Samuel revealed the word of the LORD to all Israel.The Ark of the Covenant is Lost to the PhilistinesThen the Israelites went out to fight the Philistines. They camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines camped at Aphek.

2

The Philistines arranged their forces to fight Israel. As the battle spread out, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men in the battle line in the field.

3

When the army came back to the camp, the elders of Israel said,“Why did the LORD let us be defeated today by the Philistines? Let’s take with us the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh. When it is with us, it will save us from the hand of our enemies.”

4

So the army sent to Shiloh, and they took from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, who sits between the cherubim. Now the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5

When the ark of the covenant of the LORD arrived at the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the ground shook.

6

When the Philistines heard the sound of the shout, they said,“What is this loud shout in the camp of the Hebrews?” Then they realized that the ark of the LORD had arrived at the camp.

1 Samuel 4:3 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 1 Samuel 4:3 say?
1 Samuel 4:3 in the NET Bible reads: “When the army came back to the camp, the elders of Israel said,“Why did the LORD let us be defeated today by the Philistines? Let’s take with us the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh. When it is with us, it will save us from the hand of our enemies.””
Where is 1 Samuel 4:3 in the Bible?
1 Samuel 4:3 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 4, verse 3.
Who wrote 1 Samuel?
1 Samuel is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Samuel, Nathan, and Gad). It was written c. 930–722 BC.
What is the book of 1 Samuel about?
1 Samuel marks Israel's transition from judges to kings. It traces the births and ministries of the prophet Samuel, the rise and tragic fall of Saul as Israel's first king, and the anointing of the shepherd boy David, whose faith makes him a man after God's own heart.
What are the major themes of 1 Samuel?
1 Samuel explores themes including Kingship, Prophet, Faith vs. Fear, God's Sovereign Choice, Anointing. These themes shape the meaning and context of 1 Samuel 4:3.
What translation should I read 1 Samuel 4:3 in?
1 Samuel 4:3 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 1 Samuel 4:3?
1 Samuel 4:3 reads (NET): “When the army came back to the camp, the elders of Israel said,“Why did the LORD let us be defeated today by the Philistines? Let’s take with us the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh. When it is with us, it will save us from the hand of our enemies.”” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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