1 Samuel 4 16

1 Samuel 4:16 kjv

And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son?

1 Samuel 4:16 nkjv

Then the man said to Eli, "I am he who came from the battle. And I fled today from the battle line." And he said, "What happened, my son?"

1 Samuel 4:16 niv

He told Eli, "I have just come from the battle line; I fled from it this very day." Eli asked, "What happened, my son?"

1 Samuel 4:16 esv

And the man said to Eli, "I am he who has come from the battle; I fled from the battle today." And he said, "How did it go, my son?"

1 Samuel 4:16 nlt

He said to Eli, "I have just come from the battlefield ? I was there this very day." "What happened, my son?" Eli demanded.

1 Samuel 4 verses

1 Samuel 4 16 Meaning

The verse presents the four catastrophic pieces of news the messenger delivers to the aged High Priest Eli, confirming the utter defeat of Israel by the Philistines. It reveals the nation's flight from battle, a severe slaughter among the people, the death of Eli's wicked sons (Hophni and Phinehas), and most devastatingly, the capture of the Ark of God itself. This sequence highlights the progressive nature of the disaster, culminating in the gravest spiritual loss imaginable for Israel.

1 Samuel 4 16 Context

First Samuel chapter 4 begins with Israel warring against their persistent enemies, the Philistines, at Ebenezer. After an initial defeat costing 4,000 men, the elders of Israel propose bringing the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh into battle, hoping its presence will guarantee victory. However, this action is a presumptuous attempt to manipulate God's presence, rather than a genuine seeking of His will through repentance. Eli, now aged ninety-eight, blind, and frail, anxiously awaits news from the battlefront, particularly concerning the Ark of God, which he prioritizes over his own sons' safety (v. 13). A messenger, a Benjaminite, runs from the battle to Shiloh with his clothes torn and earth on his head—symbols of great distress. The uproar in the city when he arrives alerts Eli, who questions him. Verse 16 is the precise, devastating announcement the messenger makes, detailing the cumulative horror of the day's events, culminating in the spiritual catastrophe of the Ark's capture. This defeat marks a severe period of divine judgment on Israel due to their widespread sin and particularly the corruption of Eli's priesthood, fulfilling earlier prophecies delivered by a man of God (1 Sam 2:27-36) and by young Samuel (1 Sam 3:11-14).

1 Samuel 4 16 Word analysis

• And the man said unto Eli,

  • man (אִישׁ, 'ish): Simply "a man," a lone messenger, emphasizing his singular and vital role in delivering momentous, tragic news. His distress (torn clothes, dusty head) in previous verses indicates the gravity.
  • Eli (עֵלִי, Eli): The high priest, who is physically blind (v. 15) but also spiritually discerning enough to fear most for the Ark. This highlights his responsibility for the state of Israel's spiritual health.

• I am he that came out of the army, and I fled today out of the army.

  • came out of the army (בָּא מִן-הַמַּעֲשֶׂה, ba' min-hamma'aseh): Indicates he is a direct witness and participant, not a mere hearsay reporter. "Army" here refers to the actual military engagement or encampment.
  • fled today out of the army (וַאֲבִלְתָּה הַיּוֹם מִן-הַמַּעֲשֶׂה, va'avilta hayyom min-hamma'aseh): The repetition of "army" and the explicit statement "fled today" (בָּרַח הַיּוֹם, barach hayyom) underscore the recency and direct, personal experience of the defeat. The act of fleeing signifies rout, panic, and a complete loss of organized resistance, implying utter failure on the battlefield.

• And the word is, Israel is fled before the Philistines,

  • the word is (הַדָּבָר, had-davar): Literally "the thing," or "the message," setting up the imminent, crucial news.
  • Israel is fled (נָס יִשְׂרָאֵל, nas Yisra'el): A succinct, damning indictment of the national military. "Fled" (nas) denotes absolute defeat, emphasizing disgrace and a lack of divine protection. It means to flee in panic, implying a shameful and complete retreat.
  • before the Philistines (לִפְנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים, lifnei Pelishtim): The arch-enemies of Israel at this time, whose dominance signaled a dark period for God's people. This highlights the victor and the magnitude of the national humiliation.

• and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people,

  • great slaughter (מַכָּה גְדוֹלָה, makkah gedolah): "Slaughter" (makkah) indicates a devastating blow or defeat, with heavy casualties. "Great" (gedolah) emphasizes the immense scale of lives lost, implying God's severe judgment upon the people, beyond ordinary battle losses. This signifies a decimation of their forces.

• and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead,

  • thy two sons also (גַּם שְׁנֵי בָנֶיךָ, gam shnei vaneikha): "Also" (gam) highlights that this personal tragedy for Eli is added to the national disaster. Hophni and Phinehas were known for their wickedness and corruption of priestly duties (1 Sam 2:12-17, 2:22), and their death fulfills divine prophecy (1 Sam 2:34).
  • Hophni and Phinehas: Specific naming underscores the fulfillment of prophecy and the personal loss to Eli, directly tied to the unaddressed sin in his household.
  • are dead (מֵתוּ, metu): A stark, factual statement. Their death marks the end of Eli's corrupted priestly line as the prominent spiritual leadership.

• and the ark of God is taken.

  • the ark of God (אֲרוֹן אֱלֹהִים, aron Elohim): Not just "the ark," but explicitly "the Ark of God," emphasizing its unique sacred identity and the symbolic presence of the Divine within Israel. It represented God's throne among His people and the covenant.
  • is taken (נִלְקָחָה, nilqahah): A passive verb form, indicating it was seized or carried off by the Philistines. This is the climax of the terrible news. The capture of the Ark signifies that God's protective presence has seemingly departed, that His "glory" (as later understood through Ichabod, 1 Sam 4:21) has left Israel due to their sin. It is the ultimate sign of divine displeasure and judgment. This loss transcends national defeat or human lives; it implies the very withdrawal of God's manifest presence from His people, exposing their deep spiritual brokenness.

1 Samuel 4 16 Bonus section

• The deliberate sequencing of the bad news, starting from general disaster and ending with the gravest spiritual catastrophe (the Ark), demonstrates the messenger's intuitive understanding of what would matter most to Eli, culminating in his fatal shock (1 Sam 4:18).
• The event challenges the common ancient Near Eastern belief that a deity's idol or cultic object automatically conferred victory or could be used to manipulate divine favor, proving God's sovereignty is not bound by human rituals performed in unrighteousness.
• This passage introduces a period of unprecedented spiritual void in Israel's history, leading directly to the abandonment of Shiloh as the central place of worship, forcing a rethinking of how God's presence operates among His people.
• The incident provides a stark example of how God allows the symbols of His presence to be disgraced when His people disgrace His name through their sin and unfaithfulness.
• The name "Ichabod" (glory departed) given to Phinehas's son in 1 Sam 4:21-22, directly confirms the deep theological implication of the Ark's capture, solidifying its meaning for generations to come.

1 Samuel 4 16 Commentary

1 Samuel 4:16 delivers a masterclass in the escalation of calamity, revealing divine judgment through a series of crushing blows. The messenger, a lone figure escaping a scene of utter defeat, lays out the horrific facts incrementally, as if bracing Eli for the full impact. First, the national shame of Israel's widespread flight; then, the horrifying cost in human life through "great slaughter." Next comes the intensely personal pain of his two sons' deaths, validating a prophetic curse against his household due to their ungodliness and his failure to curb them. But it is the final piece of news—"and the ark of God is taken"—that shatters everything. This climactic declaration signifies far more than just the loss of a valuable sacred artifact. It represents the apparent departure of God's presence, the withdrawal of His covenant protection, and the spiritual heart of the nation ripped out. The people had misused the Ark, treating it as a superstitious charm rather than the holy symbol of a covenant relationship. God, in His sovereignty, allowed its capture to demonstrate that His presence is conditional upon faithfulness and that His holiness cannot be presumed or manipulated. This moment irrevocably shifts the course of Israel's history, highlighting God's severe judgment for their collective spiritual rebellion and for the profound corruption within their spiritual leadership, leading to the temporary desolation of Shiloh and setting the stage for a new era of leadership.