1 Samuel 4:4 kjv
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 cherubim: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
1 Samuel 4:4 nkjv
So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
1 Samuel 4:4 niv
So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. And Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
1 Samuel 4:4 esv
So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
1 Samuel 4:4 nlt
So they sent men to Shiloh to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD of Heaven's Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, were also there with the Ark of the Covenant of God.
1 Samuel 4 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 25:10-22 | "They shall make an ark... overlay it with pure gold... the mercy seat..." | Ark's divine construction and sacred purpose. |
| Lev 16:2 | "...not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before..." | Access to Mercy Seat was highly restricted. |
| Num 4:15 | "...Kohathites shall come to carry them, but they shall not touch..." | Instructions for carrying the Ark carefully. |
| Num 10:33-36 | "So they set out from the mount of the Lord three days’ journey..." | The Ark leading Israel by divine command. |
| Deut 31:26 | "Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant..." | Ark's association with the Law of God. |
| Josh 3:6 | "Then Joshua said to the priests, 'Take up the ark of the covenant...'" | Ark demonstrating God's power at Jordan. |
| Josh 6:6 | "Then Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them..." | Ark's specific use at Jericho under command. |
| 1 Sam 2:12-17 | "Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord." | Corruption of Hophni and Phinehas detailed. |
| 1 Sam 2:22-25 | "Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons did to..." | Eli's failure to restrain his corrupt sons. |
| 1 Sam 2:30-34 | "Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: 'I promised that..." | Prophecy of judgment on Eli's house. |
| 1 Sam 5:1-5 | "When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from..." | God's sovereignty displayed over Dagon. |
| 1 Sam 6:19-20 | "...he struck down some of the people of Beth-shemesh, because they..." | Consequences of disrespecting the Ark's holiness. |
| 2 Sam 6:6-7 | "And when they came to the threshing floor of Nachon, Uzzah put out..." | God's holiness upheld in Uzzah's death. |
| Pss 20:7 | "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name..." | Trusting God's power, not human might or objects. |
| Pss 24:10 | "Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory!" | Glorious title of "Lord of hosts". |
| Pss 99:1 | "The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon..." | God enthroned above the cherubim. |
| Isa 1:11-15 | "What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord..." | God rejects ritual without sincere hearts. |
| Jer 7:4 | "Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of the Lord,'..." | Warning against trusting in mere sacred structures. |
| Hos 6:6 | "For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God..." | Emphasizes spiritual devotion over ritual acts. |
| Matt 23:23 | "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of..." | Prioritizing external rituals over core values. |
| Rom 2:28-29 | "For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision..." | Emphasizes inward reality over external ritual. |
| Heb 9:3-5 | "...Behind the second curtain was a tent called the Most Holy Place..." | Description of Ark and cherubim in Tabernacle. |
| Acts 19:13-16 | "Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke..." | Misusing God's name or power for selfish gain. |
1 Samuel 4 verses
1 Samuel 4 4 Meaning
1 Samuel 4:4 describes the Israelite's decision to bring the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh to their battlefield against the Philistines. This action reveals a profound misunderstanding of God's character and covenant, seeking to manipulate divine power through a sacred object rather than by genuine faith, repentance, and obedience to the Lord of Hosts, whose throne is metaphorically established between the cherubim above the Ark. The presence of Eli's corrupt sons, Hophni and Phinehas, alongside the Ark, underscores the spiritual decay and sacrilege prevalent in Israel's leadership.
1 Samuel 4 4 Context
Chapter 4 opens with Israel engaging in battle with the Philistines. After an initial defeat, the Israelite elders convened, puzzled by their setback (1 Sam 4:3). Instead of examining their own sins, repenting, and seeking God's will for battle, they resolved to bring the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh, mistakenly believing that its mere presence would guarantee victory. This decision was borne out of superstition and a departure from genuine faith and obedience to God, who had consistently disciplined Israel for their apostasy. The presence of Eli's wicked sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who were notorious for their contempt of God and His offerings (1 Sam 2:12-17), with the sacred Ark, further highlights the profound spiritual decline and moral bankruptcy within Israel's religious leadership during this era.
1 Samuel 4 4 Word analysis
So the people sent to Shiloh, and brought from there the ark:
- The people: Refers to the collective leadership and assembly of Israel, specifically the elders, as discussed in the preceding verse (1 Sam 4:3), signifying a communal but misguided decision.
- Sent to Shiloh: Shiloh was the central religious sanctuary of Israel for centuries, where the Tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant were situated (Josh 18:1; Judg 18:31; Jer 7:12).
- Brought from there: This act of bringing the Ark was a human initiative, not a divine command for this specific battle, distinguishing it from past occasions (e.g., Jericho in Josh 6) and indicating a presumptive act.
- The ark: Aron (אֲרוֹן), a wooden chest overlaid with gold, containing the tablets of the Law, the pot of manna, and Aaron's rod (Heb 9:4). It served as the central symbol of God's covenant presence among His people, often associated with His "footstool" or throne.
of the covenant of the Lord of hosts who dwells between the cherubim:
- Of the covenant: Berit (בְּרִית), referring to God's sacred agreement with Israel, establishing His unique relationship with them and outlining their responsibilities. The Ark contained the Law, embodying this covenant.
- The Lord of hosts: Yahweh Sabaoth (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת). This majestic divine title emphasizes God's sovereign power and command over all heavenly and earthly armies, highlighting His supreme omnipotence. The irony is profound: they call on the Lord of armies but rely on a box.
- Who dwells between the cherubim: Yoshev hakeruvim (יֹשֵׁב הַכְּרוּבִים), explicitly connecting God's throne presence to the Mercy Seat, the golden lid of the Ark, which had two gold cherubim whose wings overshadowed it (Exod 25:18-22). This signified His holy, invisible presence enthroned above them, distinguishing Him from pagan deities confined to idols.
- Who dwells between the cherubim: This phrase underscores that God's presence is not inherent in the physical Ark itself but is majestically manifested above it. The people mistook the symbol for God's Person, reducing Him to a manipulable entity.
and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God:
- Two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas: Notorious for their wickedness, exploiting sacrificial offerings, and immorality at the Tabernacle (1 Sam 2:12-17, 2:22). Their presence contaminates the sacred mission and symbolizes the spiritual corruption pervading Israel's religious leadership.
- Were there with the ark: Their association with the Ark here is significant. As priests, they were responsible for its proper care and reverence. Their unholy lives, however, defiled their office and demonstrated a complete disregard for the God they supposedly served, foretelling divine judgment on both them and the Ark's mission.
- Of the covenant of God: Reiterates the Ark's sacred nature as tied to God's holy pact, contrasting sharply with the unholy lives of those attending it.
1 Samuel 4 4 Bonus section
The scene in 1 Samuel 4:4 implicitly polemicizes against the pagan worldview of the time. Surrounding nations believed their gods, housed in idols, would bring victory when carried into battle. Israel, by bringing the Ark presumptively, imitated this pagan superstition, despite having been given revelation of an unseen, omnipresent God who could not be contained or manipulated. Their action blurred the distinct lines God had established between Himself and the limited, human-made gods of other nations. The subsequent defeat, where their "God-box" was captured, dramatically demonstrated that the true God is not limited by a physical container and cannot be controlled by human will. His power and presence are extended by His divine command, not by human summoning based on superstition or self-interest. This event was a critical turning point that necessitated a return to a proper understanding of Yahweh.
1 Samuel 4 4 Commentary
1 Samuel 4:4 is a poignant illustration of misguided faith and religious formalism. Facing military defeat, Israel looked for an external, tangible solution rather than engaging in introspection, repentance, and humble seeking of God's will. Their act of bringing the Ark was not a move of obedient faith but a superstitious attempt to co-opt God's power as a magical charm or mascot. They remembered the Ark's past association with victory (e.g., Jericho), but forgot that those instances were explicitly commanded by God and accompanied by specific acts of obedience.
The Ark was indeed the symbolic dwelling place of "the Lord of Hosts, who dwells between the cherubim"—a potent reminder of God's infinite power and presence. Yet, Israel’s reverence had degenerated into a belief that God was bound by the object itself, susceptible to human manipulation. God, the truly sovereign Lord of armies, cannot be compelled or confined. The tragic irony is compounded by the presence of Eli's depraved sons, Hophni and Phinehas. Their flagrant disrespect for God's sanctuary and laws (1 Sam 2:12-17) foreshadows that no ritual, however sacred its objects, can protect those who are willfully disobedient and morally corrupt. The subsequent disastrous defeat and capture of the Ark serve as a stark divine lesson that true divine presence and victory are found not in ritualistic actions or holy objects, but in genuine submission, obedience, and an inward covenant relationship with a holy God.
Practical usage:
- Reminds believers that reliance on religious symbols, practices, or traditions without a repentant heart and obedience to God is futile.
- Challenges us to examine whether our trust is in God Himself or merely in religious "good luck charms" or outward forms.