1 Samuel 4:11 kjv
And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.
1 Samuel 4:11 nkjv
Also the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
1 Samuel 4:11 niv
The ark of God was captured, and Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
1 Samuel 4:11 esv
And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
1 Samuel 4:11 nlt
The Ark of God was captured, and Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were killed.
1 Samuel 4 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 2:34 | "And this shall be a sign to you, which shall happen to your two sons... Hophni and Phinehas; they shall die, both of them, on the same day." | Prophecy of the sons' death. |
| 1 Sam 4:2 | "Israel was smitten before the Philistines..." | Initial defeat preceding the Ark's capture. |
| 1 Sam 4:10 | "And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten..." | The final battle context leading to the Ark's capture. |
| 1 Sam 4:17 | "The ark of God is taken, and your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead." | The report to Eli confirming the prophecy's fulfillment. |
| 1 Sam 4:21 | "And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel..." | The immediate, devastating spiritual impact of the Ark's capture. |
| 1 Sam 2:12 | "Now the sons of Eli were worthless men; they did not know the LORD." | Description of Eli's sons' character and why judgment came upon them. |
| 1 Sam 2:25 | "They did not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the LORD to put them to death." | God's intention for their judgment. |
| Ps 78:60-61 | "So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh... and delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy’s hand." | A Psalm reflecting on this event, God's abandoning of Shiloh and the Ark. |
| Jer 7:12, 14 | "But go now to My place which was in Shiloh... So I will do to the house... as I have done to Shiloh." | A warning citing Shiloh's fate as a precedent for Jerusalem's destruction. |
| Ps 78:64 | "Their priests fell by the sword..." | General lament for the priests (Hophni and Phinehas) in the defeat. |
| Lev 10:1-2 | "And Nadab and Abihu... offered strange fire... and there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them..." | Priests' unholy acts leading to death, setting a precedent for priestly judgment. |
| Num 4:15 | "But they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die." | Commandment emphasizing the sanctity of the Ark and the danger of irreverence. |
| Isa 66:1 | "Thus says the LORD: 'Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool.'" | Contrast with the Ark; God's true dwelling is not limited to physical objects. |
| Ez 10:18-19 | "Then the glory of the LORD departed from the threshold of the temple..." | A similar departure of God's glory from the later temple, signifying judgment. |
| 2 Sam 6:6-7 | "And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it... And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah..." | Reinforces the Ark's holiness and the strict divine protocols for handling it. |
| Rom 6:23 | "For the wages of sin is death..." | The spiritual principle behind the death of Hophni and Phinehas. |
| Heb 10:31 | "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." | The severity of God's judgment against unholiness and disobedience. |
| Amos 3:2 | "You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities." | God's specific judgment on His covenant people due to their rebellion. |
| Mt 23:38 | "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate." | Jesus declaring judgment on Jerusalem, a historical parallel to divine abandonment. |
| 1 Pet 4:17 | "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God..." | Illustrates that judgment often begins with those entrusted with spiritual duties. |
1 Samuel 4 verses
1 Samuel 4 11 Meaning
1 Samuel 4:11 records the dual calamity befalling Israel during their defeat by the Philistines: the capture of the Ark of God and the death of Hophni and Phinehas, the two wicked sons of Eli. This verse encapsulates the profound spiritual and physical consequences of Israel's and its leadership's sin and disobedience. It signifies God's direct judgment on the house of Eli and His temporary withdrawal of the visible symbol of His presence due to His people's unfaithfulness.
1 Samuel 4 11 Context
1 Samuel 4:11 is the climax of a series of escalating events that underscore the spiritual degradation of Israel during the period of the judges and the imminent end of the Eli's corrupted priestly line. Chapter 4 begins with Israel going out to battle against the Philistines and suffering a significant defeat (1 Sam 4:1-2). Misunderstanding the true nature of God's presence, the elders decide to bring the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh, thinking its mere physical presence would guarantee victory (1 Sam 4:3-4). This act represents a superstitious reliance on an object rather than a genuine seeking of YHWH. The Philistines, initially terrified, resolve to fight bravely (1 Sam 4:7-9). The battle resumes, and Israel suffers an even more crushing defeat, resulting in 30,000 casualties. This verse delivers the two most critical outcomes of that defeat: the symbolic loss of God's presence through the capture of the Ark and the fulfillment of the divine prophecy concerning the death of Eli's wicked sons. Historically, this event signals the collapse of the Shiloh priesthood and marks a pivotal moment paving the way for the rise of Samuel and, eventually, the monarchy. It served as a stark polemic against the pagan idea that deities could be compelled or contained by physical artifacts, emphasizing YHWH's sovereignty and uncontainable nature.
1 Samuel 4 11 Word analysis
And the ark (וַאֲרוֹן, `va'aron):
- Original meaning:
aron(אָרוֹן) refers to a chest or coffer, specifically "the Ark." In this context, it is the Ark of the Covenant, God's footstool, mercy seat, and the dwelling place of the Tablets of the Law. - Significance: More than a material object, it symbolized YHWH's physical presence, His glory, His covenant with Israel, and His throne among His people (Ex 25:22). Its capture was an unimaginable spiritual disaster, seen as the very departure of God's glory.
- Original meaning:
of God (אֱלֹהִים, `Elohim):
- Original meaning:
Elohim(אֱלֹהִים) is a plural majestic noun for God, the generic term used for deity, but here refers specifically to YHWH, the God of Israel. - Significance: It emphasizes that the captured Ark was not just any religious artifact but the sacred symbol of the Most High God, making its capture all the more scandalous and devastating in the eyes of Israel. This underscored YHWH's judgment rather than His weakness.
- Original meaning:
was taken; (לֻקָּח, `luqqach):
- Original meaning: The verb
laqach(לָקַח) means to take, seize, capture, acquire. In this passive form, "was taken," it signifies the act of being captured by an external force. - Significance: This marks the first time in Israel's history that the Ark of God, the supreme visible symbol of His presence, fell into enemy hands. It implies not just military defeat but a divine withdrawal of protection or even a delivery of judgment, allowing this unprecedented humiliation.
- Original meaning: The verb
and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, (וּשְׁנֵי בְנֵי עֵלִי חָפְנִי וּפִינְחָס, `u'shney v’nei Eli Chophni u'Phinchas):
- Significance: Hophni and Phinehas were known for their wickedness and corruption (1 Sam 2:12-17, 22). Their names were synonymous with spiritual decay in the priesthood. Their deaths here are a direct fulfillment of the prophecy delivered to Eli by both a man of God and Samuel (1 Sam 2:34, 3:11-14). Their deaths signify God's direct judgment on the corrupt priestly line, clearing the way for a faithful priesthood (foreseen in Samuel).
died. (מֵתוּ, `metu):
- Original meaning:
met(מֵת) means to die, to be put to death. - Significance: Their death is absolute and final. It's not just a military casualty but a judicial execution by God Himself, fulfilling His earlier declaration. It signifies the end of their unholy influence and the termination of a lineage that had profaned the sanctuary.
- Original meaning:
Words-group by words-group analysis:
"And the ark of God was taken": This phrase highlights the profound theological significance of the event. The capture of the Ark meant the visible "strength" and "glory" of Israel were perceived to have departed. It exposed Israel's misdirected faith, their treating of God's holy symbol as a magical charm or war-palladium, rather than seeking genuine repentance and YHWH's active leadership. This temporary surrender of the Ark demonstrated God's sovereignty over even His sacred objects, and His willingness to use external enemies to judge His own unfaithful people.
"and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.": This segment explicitly connects the national catastrophe with the specific divine judgment upon Eli's house. Their deaths were not accidental battlefield casualties but a targeted fulfillment of God's prophecy. This linkage emphasizes that Israel's defeat was rooted in its spiritual failures, particularly those of its religious leadership. The judgment on Hophni and Phinehas was integral to God's larger plan to purge the priesthood and restore true worship.
1 Samuel 4 11 Bonus section
The seemingly disastrous events of 1 Samuel 4:11 were, in God's wider providence, necessary steps for the purification and reorientation of His people. The period of the judges was marked by severe spiritual compromise. The capture of the Ark stripped Israel of their false confidence in a physical symbol, forcing them to confront the reality of their sin and God's holiness. It also served a polemical purpose against the pagan Philistines, as the subsequent chapters (1 Sam 5-6) vividly show the Ark's power and YHWH's supremacy over their deity Dagon and their land, without Israel needing to lift a finger. This event profoundly impacts future prophetic pronouncements about the temple and the people's trust in ritual over relationship (e.g., Jeremiah's sermon on Shiloh, Jer 7:12-15). It also foreshadows later divine departures of glory due to unfaithfulness, such as Ezekiel's vision of the glory of God departing from the temple (Ez 10). This severe judgment was ultimately an act of divine surgery to restore Israel to spiritual health and prepare the way for faithful leadership.
1 Samuel 4 11 Commentary
1 Samuel 4:11 marks the culmination of divine judgment prophesied against Eli's house and the nation of Israel. The twin events—the capture of the Ark and the death of Eli's wicked sons—are profoundly intertwined, signaling God's severe displeasure. Israel's defeat was not a sign of the Philistines' gods being stronger, but a demonstration of YHWH's sovereign control over His people and even His own sacred symbols. By allowing the Ark, the very sign of His presence, to be captured, YHWH revealed that His true presence is not bound by an object, but by His covenant with a faithful people. This served as a stark lesson against superstition and ritualism without true obedience. The deaths of Hophni and Phinehas cleared the way for a purer priesthood, symbolized by Samuel, and underscored the principle that unrighteous leadership brings both personal doom and national consequence. This judgment was an act of purging, preparing Israel for a new era of leadership and renewed focus on true devotion.