1 Samuel 4:4 net — 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 b…

NET Bible

"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."

— 1 Samuel 4:4, NET Bible

Read in Another Translation

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1 Samuel 4:4 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “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.”

  • ASV

    “So the people sent to Shiloh; and they brought from thence the ark of the covenant of Jehovah of hosts, who sitteth above the cherubim: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. ”

  • WEB

    “So the people sent to Shiloh; and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of Yahweh of Armies, who sits [above] the cherubim: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.”

  • DRB

    “So the people sent to Silo, and they brought from thence the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, sitting upon the cherubims: and the two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were with the ark of the covenant of God.”

  • BBE

    “So the people sent to Shiloh and got the ark of the agreement of the Lord of armies whose resting-place is between the winged ones; and Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were there with the ark of God's agreement.”

  • KJVA

    “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 — 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.

7

The Philistines were scared because they thought that gods had come to the camp. They said,“Woe to us! We’ve never seen anything like this!

1 Samuel 4:4 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 1 Samuel 4:4 say?
1 Samuel 4:4 in the NET Bible reads: “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.”
Where is 1 Samuel 4:4 in the Bible?
1 Samuel 4:4 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 4, verse 4.
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 4:4.
What translation should I read 1 Samuel 4:4 in?
1 Samuel 4:4 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 4:4?
1 Samuel 4:4 reads (NET): “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.” 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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