King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
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.
Complete Jewish Bible:
So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark for the covenant of ADONAI-Tzva'ot, who is present above the k'ruvim. The two sons of 'Eli, Hofni and Pinchas, were there with the ark for the covenant of God.
Berean Standard Bible:
So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD of Hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
American Standard Version:
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.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
So the people{H5971} sent{H7971} to Shiloh{H7887}, that they might bring{H5375} from thence the ark{H727} of the covenant{H1285} of the LORD{H3068} of hosts{H6635}, which dwelleth{H3427} between the cherubims{H3742}: and the two{H8147} sons{H1121} of Eli{H5941}, Hophni{H2652} and Phinehas{H6372}, were there with the ark{H727} of the covenant{H1285} of God{H430}.
Cross-References (KJV):
2 Samuel 6:2
- And David arose, and went with all the people that [were] with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth [between] the cherubims.
Psalms 80:1
- ¶ To the chief Musician upon Shoshannimeduth, A Psalm of Asaph. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest [between] the cherubims, shine forth.
Numbers 7:89
- And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that [was] upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.
2 Kings 19:15
- And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest [between] the cherubims, thou art the God, [even] thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.
Psalms 99:1
- ¶ The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth [between] the cherubims; let the earth be moved.
1 Samuel 2:12
- Now the sons of Eli [were] sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.
1 Samuel 2:17
- Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for 1 Samuel 4:4
1 Samuel 4:4 is set during a period of conflict between the Israelites and the Philistines. The verse captures a pivotal moment when the Israelites, seeking divine intervention in the face of military defeat, decide to bring the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh to their camp. The Ark, a gold-covered wooden chest, was considered the most sacred object in ancient Israelite worship, symbolizing God's presence and the covenant between Him and His people. It was kept in the Tabernacle at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, the high priest, Hophni and Phinehas, served as priests.
The historical context of this verse is rooted in the transition from the period of the judges to the monarchy in Israel. Eli's priestly leadership is nearing its end, and his sons' corruption and disregard for their priestly duties have already been highlighted in the narrative (1 Samuel 2:12-17). Their presence with the Ark underscores the spiritual decline that has befallen the priesthood.
The themes present in this verse include the Israelites' recognition of God's sovereignty, represented by the title "LORD of hosts," which emphasizes His role as the divine warrior leading Israel's armies. There is also a stark contrast between the people's reverence for the Ark and the moral corruption of Eli's sons, which foreshadows the impending judgment on Eli's household. Additionally, the verse reflects the belief in the power of sacred objects and the expectation that God's immediate help would be granted through their use.
In summary, 1 Samuel 4:4 encapsulates a moment of crisis and hope, where the Israelites turn to a tangible symbol of their faith—the Ark of the Covenant—to secure victory in battle, while unaware of the divine judgment that is about to unfold due to the wickedness of the priesthood. This event sets the stage for significant changes in Israel's religious and political landscape, leading to the rise of Samuel and the eventual establishment of the monarchy under Saul.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H5971
There are 1654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עַם
Transliteration: ʻam
Pronunciation: am
Description: from עָמַם; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock; folk, men, nation, people. - Strong's Number: H7971
There are 790 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁלַח
Transliteration: shâlach
Pronunciation: shaw-lakh'
Description: a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications); [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, [idiom] earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out). - Strong's Number: H7887
There are 30 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שִׁילֹה
Transliteration: Shîylôh
Pronunciation: shee-lo'
Description: or שִׁלֹה; or שִׁילוֹ; or שִׁלוֹ; from the same as שִׁילֹה; Shiloh, a place in Palestine; Shiloh. - Strong's Number: H5375
There are 611 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָשָׂא
Transliteration: nâsâʼ
Pronunciation: naw-saw'
Description: or נָסָה; (Psalm 4:6 (אֲבַד)), a primitive root; to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative; accept, advance, arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable ([phrase] man), lade, lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, [idiom] needs, obtain, pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare, stir up, [phrase] swear, take (away, up), [idiom] utterly, wear, yield. - Strong's Number: H727
There are 467 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָרוֹן
Transliteration: ʼârôwn
Pronunciation: aw-rone'
Description: or אָרֹן; from אָרָה (in the sense of gathering); a box; ark, chest, coffin. - Strong's Number: H1285
There are 264 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בְּרִית
Transliteration: bᵉrîyth
Pronunciation: ber-eeth'
Description: from בָּרָה (in the sense of cutting (like בָּרָא)); a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh); confederacy, (con-) feder(-ate), covenant, league. - Strong's Number: H3068
There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְהֹוָה
Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה. - Strong's Number: H6635
There are 463 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: צָבָא
Transliteration: tsâbâʼ
Pronunciation: tsaw-baw'
Description: or (feminine) צְבָאָה; from צָבָא; a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship); appointed time, ([phrase]) army, ([phrase]) battle, company, host, service, soldiers, waiting upon, war(-fare). - Strong's Number: H3427
There are 980 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָשַׁב
Transliteration: yâshab
Pronunciation: yaw-shab'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry; (make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(-tle), (down-) sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry. - Strong's Number: H3742
There are 66 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כְּרוּב
Transliteration: kᵉrûwb
Pronunciation: ker-oob'
Description: of uncertain derivation; a cherub or imaginary figure; cherub, (plural) cherubims. - Strong's Number: H8147
There are 647 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שְׁנַיִם
Transliteration: shᵉnayim
Pronunciation: shen-ah'-yim
Description: dual of שֵׁנִי; feminine שְׁתַּיִם; two; also (as ordinal) twofold; both, couple, double, second, twain, [phrase] twelfth, [phrase] twelve, [phrase] twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two. - Strong's Number: H1121
There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּן
Transliteration: bên
Pronunciation: bane
Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth. - Strong's Number: H5941
There are 30 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֵלִי
Transliteration: ʻÊlîy
Pronunciation: ay-lee'
Description: from עָלָה; lofty; Eli, an Israelite highpriest; Eli. - Strong's Number: H2652
There are 5 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חׇפְנִי
Transliteration: Chophnîy
Pronunciation: khof-nee'
Description: from חֹפֶן; perhaps pugilist; Chophni, an Israelite; Hophni. - Strong's Number: H6372
There are 24 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: פִּינְחָס
Transliteration: Pîynᵉchâç
Pronunciation: pee-nekh-aws'
Description: apparently from פֶּה and a variation of נָחָשׁ; mouth of a serpent; Pinechas, the name of three Israelites; Phinehas. - Strong's Number: H430
There are 2334 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֱלֹהִים
Transliteration: ʼĕlôhîym
Pronunciation: el-o-heem'
Description: plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative; angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.