The Meaning of 1 Samuel 4:3 Explained

1 Samuel 4:3

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.

YLT: And the people cometh in unto the camp, and the elders of Israel say, 'Why hath Jehovah smitten us to-day before the Philistines? we take unto us from Shiloh the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and it cometh into our midst, and He doth save us out of the hand of our enemies.'

Darby: And the people came into the camp; and the elders of Israel said, Why has Jehovah smitten us to-day before the Philistines? Let us fetch ourselves the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of Shiloh, that it may come among us, and 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Samuel 4:3 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 4:1-11 - Trusting In The Ark, Not In God
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 the first step toward victory. There was no doubt as to the ancient Covenant with Israel; the one question was to ascertain what had suddenly neutralized that divine assistance which in former days had always been forthcoming. Failure often indicates that something has happened to cut off the supply of God's saving help.
In this instance, however, Israel did not carry the inquiry into God's presence, but endeavored to supply the lapse of divine help by introducing the symbol of the Covenant. "Fetch the Ark!" they cried. They supposed that, in some mysterious way, it would bring God into their camp and ally Him with their arms. In the same manner a brigand might expect an amulet or charm to preserve his life, while violating the laws of God and man. These materialized views of the Israelites' relations with God had to be corrected; and hence defeat ensued. Our only safety lies, not in an outward act or token, but in simple, pure-hearted and unbroken fellowship with God. Then we become invincible. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 4

1  The Israelites are overcome by the Philistines at Ebenezer
3  They fetch the ark unto the terror of the Philistines
10  They are smitten again, the ark taken, and Hophni and Phinehas are slain
12  Eli at the news, falling backward, breaks his neck
19  Phinehas's wife, discouraged in her travail with Ichabod, dies

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 4:3 mean?

And when had come the people into the camp and said the elders of Israel why has defeated us Yahweh today before the Philistines let us bring to us from Shiloh - the ark of the covenant of Yahweh that when it comes among us and it may save us from the hand of our enemies
וַיָּבֹ֣א הָעָם֮ אֶל־ הַֽמַּחֲנֶה֒ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ זִקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לָ֣מָּה נְגָפָ֧נוּ יְהוָ֛ה הַיּ֖וֹם לִפְנֵ֣י ؟ פְלִשְׁתִּ֑ים נִקְחָ֧ה אֵלֵ֣ינוּ מִשִּׁלֹ֗ה אֶת־ אֲרוֹן֙ בְּרִ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה וְיָבֹ֣א בְקִרְבֵּ֔נוּ וְיֹשִׁעֵ֖נוּ מִכַּ֥ף אֹיְבֵֽינוּ

וַיָּבֹ֣א  And  when  had  come 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
הָעָם֮  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אֶל־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַֽמַּחֲנֶה֒  the  camp 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: מַחֲנֶה  
Sense: encampment, camp.
וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
זִקְנֵ֣י  the  elders 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: old.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
לָ֣מָּה  why 
Parse: Preposition-l, Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
נְגָפָ֧נוּ  has  defeated  us 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular, first person common plural
Root: נָגַף  
Sense: to strike, smite.
יְהוָ֛ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הַיּ֖וֹם  today 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
לִפְנֵ֣י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
؟ פְלִשְׁתִּ֑ים  the  Philistines 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
נִקְחָ֧ה  let  us  bring 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
אֵלֵ֣ינוּ  to  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
מִשִּׁלֹ֗ה  from  Shiloh 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שִׁילֹו 
Sense: a city in Ephraim and temporary home of the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle, the place where Samuel grew up.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲרוֹן֙  the  ark 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: אֲרֹון  
Sense: chest, ark.
בְּרִ֣ית  of  the  covenant  of 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְיָבֹ֣א  that  when  it  comes 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בְקִרְבֵּ֔נוּ  among  us 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
וְיֹשִׁעֵ֖נוּ  and  it  may  save  us 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular, first person common plural
Root: יָשַׁע 
Sense: to save, be saved, be delivered.
מִכַּ֥ף  from  the  hand 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: כַּף  
Sense: palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand.
אֹיְבֵֽינוּ  of  our  enemies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.