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Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

1 Samuel 4:3

Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us to-day— The Israelites seem not only to have undertaken this war without consulting God, but to have vainly thought that, as being His people, they must necessarily be crowned with success; and in this vain confidence, they send for the ark of the covenant; not considering, that there could be little hope of God's assistance while they lived in notorious disobedience to his laws.

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See also 1 Samuel 4:3 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 1 Samuel 4:3. _LET US FETCH THE ARK_] They vainly supposed that the ark could save them, when the God of it had departed from them because of their wickedness. They knew that in former times th...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    In the evening of the defeat of the Israelites the elders held a council, and resolved to send for the ark, which is described in full, as implying that in virtue of the covenant God could not but giv...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    5. THE JUDGMENT OF ELI AND HIS SONS--ICHABOD CHAPTER 4 _ 1. The fulfilled prediction: The death of Eli's sons (1 Samuel 4:1)_ 2. The death of Eli (1 Samuel 4:12) 3. Ichabod (1 Samuel 4:19)...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    1 SAMUEL 4:1 B. NOW ISRAEL. 1 SAMUEL 4:1 (E). From ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE ARK (_cf._ above, p. 273). 1 Samuel 4:1 b - 1 Samuel 4:11

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    WHEREFORE... ? Figure of speech _Erotesis.App-6._ THE LORD. Hebrew. _Jehovah._ App-4. ENEMIES. Some codices, with four early printed editions, read "enemy"....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _And when_, &c. Connect closely with 1 Samuel 4:2 by rendering, AND THE PEOPLE CAME TO THE CAMP, AND THE ELDERS, &c. The use of the term _people_for _army_is characteristic of the time when there was...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    The Loss of the Ark and End of Eli's House, 1 Samuel 4:1-22. _The Loss of the Ark._ 1 Samuel 4:1-11 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, a...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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 SHILO...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    CAPTURE OF THE ARK BY THE PHILISTINES. DEATH OF ELI The reason which led to 1 Samuel 4:1; being detached from its proper context is that without it this chapter seems to begin with inexplicable abrupt...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE ARK OF THE COVENANT] so called because it was a sign and proof both of God's covenant and of His presence....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ISRAEL’S FIRST KING 1 SAMUEL _HELEN POCOCK_ CHAPTER 4 THE *PHILISTINES STEAL THE *ARK OF GOD V1 When Samuel spoke, all the *Israelites listened to him. Now the *Israelites went out to fight aga...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    WHEREFORE HATH THE LORD SMITTEN US? — The people and the elders who, as we have seen above, had undertaken the war of liberty at the instigation or the young man of God, amazed at their defeat, were p...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יָּבֹ֣א הָ עָם֮ אֶל ־הַֽ מַּחֲנֶה֒

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER VI. _ THE ARK OF GOD TAKEN BY THE PHILISTINES_. 1 Samuel 4:1. WE are liable to form an erroneous impression of the connection of Samuel with the transactions of this chapter, in consequence...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    TRUSTING IN THE ARK, NOT IN GOD 1 Samuel 4:1 The predictions against Eli's house now begin to be fulfilled. It was fitting for Israel to institute an inquiry into the causes of defeat. This is always...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The crisis of judgment foretold by Samuel to Eli now arrived. It was a Philistine attack on the people, in which large numbers were slain, among them the two sons of Eli. On hearing the news Eli himse...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, (a) Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Sh...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Ancients; the commanders of the respective tribes. Heli was not able to lead on the people to battle, on account of his blindness and great age. --- Enemies. All nations attribute much to the exterior...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (3) And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us today before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shi...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The first Book of Samuel (or of Kings as with some) brings before us that great change for which the Book of Ruth was a preparation, and in order to which the Spirit of God closed it with the generati...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 4, 5, AND 6. In chapter 4 the enemies of God and of His people display their strength; the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel. God, in overrul...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND WHEN THE PEOPLE CAME INTO THE CAMP,.... At Ebenezer, where they pitched their tents, and from whence they went out to battle, and whither they returned after their defeat: THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL SA...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us?_ This was strange blindness, that when there was so great a corruption in their worship and manners, they could not see sufficient reason why God should suffer the...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The Israelites are ouercome by the Philistines at Aben-Ezer. 3 They fetch the Arke, vnto the terrour of the Philistines. 10 They are smitten againe, the Arke taken, Hophni and Phinehas are slaine....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And when the people were come into the camp, in an orderly retreat, withdrawing their forces before the superior strength of the enemy, THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL SAID, WHEREFORE HATH THE LORD SMITTEN US TO...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE ARK OF THE COVENANT IN CAMP...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    Verse 1 shows that Samuel did not conceal the word that God gave to him, but communicated it to all Israel. But it is not said that it was this word that called them to battle with the Philistines. It...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    FETCH: _ Heb._ take unto us...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-9 Israel is smitten before the Philistines. Sin, the accursed thing, was in the camp, and gave their enemies all the advantage they could wish for. They own the hand of God in their trouble; but, i...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    WHEREFORE HATH THE LORD SMITTEN US TODAY BEFORE THE PHILISTINES, seeing our cause is so just, our own just and necessary defence from God's and our enemies, and we came not forth to battle by our own...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Samuel 4:3 people H5971 come H935 (H8799) camp H4264 elders H2205 Israel H3478 said H559 (H8799) LORD...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    1 SAMUEL 1-4 _(with Judges 21:16)_ I. With all his virtues and natural advantages Eli had one great fault. He was a good man of the easy type; the kind of man who makes an admirable servant, who does...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Ark taken by Philistines. CHARACTERS: God, Eli, Hophni, Phinehas, his wife, Ichabod. CONCLUSION: One may go forth with a Bible under the arm and a shout upon the lips and yet not have God...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Samuel 4:5. _Israel shouted._ But why had they not put away their sins? And why had they not enquired of God? Alas, these priests, like Saul in his last moments, were not fit persons to enquire of G...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us today before the Philistines?_ THE ADVANTAGES OF DEFEAT This cry of amazement stands between two defeats. Defeat astounded Israel: it fell in despite of priests a...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 4:3 FROM SHILOH. The ARK OF THE COVENANT had been “in the temple of the LORD” in Shiloh ...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES— 1 Samuel 4:1. “AND THE WORD OF SAMUEL,” etc. Commentators are divided in their opinions whether this clause is connected with the rest of the chapter, and whether it sig...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION 1 SAMUEL 4:1 AND THE WORD OF SAMUEL... ALL ISRAEL. This clause is rightly connected with the foregoing verse of the previous chapter in the Syriac and Vulgate. Attached to the fourth chapt...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now in chapter four we find the Philistines had come against the Israelites and they met them in battle and defeated them. Four thousand of the men of Israel were slain. So the Philistines were gettin...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Chronicles 17:1; 1 Corinthians 10:1; 1 Peter 3:21; 1 Samuel 14:18;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE ARK TAKEN BY THE PHILISTINES 1 Samuel 4:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We would like to suggest something of the history of the Ark of the Covenant. 1. THE ARK WAS SYMBOLICAL OF CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD. TH...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Wherefore, &c. — This was strange blindness, that when there was so great a corruption in their worship and manners, they could not see sufficient reason why God should suffer them to fall by their en...

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