King James Version

1 Samuel 4:3

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.

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Hebrew

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וַיָּבֹ֣אvayavoand to comeבּוֹאconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and to come”, the next action in the storyH935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat,…הָעָם֮haamthe peopleעַםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the people”, the ordinary formH5971a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flockfolk, men, nation, people.אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).הַֽמַּחֲנֶה֒hamachanehthe armyמַחֲנֶהdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the army”, the ordinary formH4264an encampment (of travellers or troops); hence, an army, whether literal (of soldiers) or figurative (of dancers, angels, cattle, locusts, stars; or even the sacred courts)army, band, battle, camp, company, drove, host, tents.וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙vayomrvand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…זִקְנֵ֣יziqneoldזָקֵןadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, construct — “old”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2205oldaged, ancient (man), elder(-est), old (man, men and...women), senator.יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לyisraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלnoun, proper name — “Israel”H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterityIsrael.לָ֣מָּהlamahto howמָהpreposition, particle, interrogative — “to how”H4100properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senseshow (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.נְגָפָ֧נוּnegafanvbeatנָגַףverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “beat”, a completed actionH5062to push, gore, defeat, stub (the toe), inflict (a disease)beat, dash, hurt, plague, slay, smite (down), strike, stumble, [idiom] surely, put to the worse.יְהוָ֛הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).הַיּ֖וֹםhayomthe as long asיוֹםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the as long as”, the ordinary formH3117a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) lon…לִפְנֵ֣יlifneto a- foreפָּנִיםpreposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct — “to a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…פְלִשְׁתִּ֑יםfelishtimPhilistineפְּלִשְׁתִּיnoun, gentilic, masculine, plural, absolute — “Philistine”, the ordinary formH6430a Pelishtite or inhabitant of PeleshethPhilistine.נִקְחָ֧הniqchahtakeלָקַחverb, qal, cohortative, 1st person, common, plural — “take”, a determination or requestH3947to take (in the widest variety of applications)accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.אֵלֵ֣ינוּeleynvamongאֵלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).מִשִּׁלֹ֗הmishilofrom Shilohשִׁילֹהpreposition, noun, proper name — “from Shiloh”H7887Shiloh, a place in PalestineShiloh.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).אֲרוֹן֙aronchestאָרוֹןnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “chest”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH727a boxark, chest, coffin.בְּרִ֣יתberitconfederacyבְּרִיתnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “confederacy”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1285a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh)confederacy, (con-) feder(-ate), covenant, league.יְהוָ֔הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).וְיָבֹ֣אveyavoand to comeבּוֹאconjunction, verb, qal, jussive, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and to come”, a wish or indirect commandH935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat,…בְקִרְבֵּ֔נוּveqirbenvin bowelsקֶרֶבpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “in bowels”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7130properly, the nearest part, i.e. the center, whether literal, figurative or adverbial (especially with preposition)[idiom] among, [idiom] before, bowels, [idiom] unto charge, [phrase] eat (up), [idiom] heart, [idiom] him, [idiom] in, inward ([idiom] -ly, part, -s, thought), midst, [phrase] out of, purtenance, [idiom] therein, [idiom] through, [idiom] w…וְיֹשִׁעֵ֖נוּveyoshienvand be safeיָשַׁעconjunction, verb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “and be safe”, an unfinished actionH3467properly, to be open, wide or free, i.e. (by implication) to be safe; causatively, to free or succor[idiom] at all, avenging, defend, deliver(-er), help, preserve, rescue, be safe, bring (having) salvation, save(-iour), get victory.מִכַּ֥ףmikaffrom hand , -dle,כַּףpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “from hand , -dle,”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3709the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree); figuratively, powerbranch, [phrase] foot, hand((-ful), -dle, (-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon.אֹיְבֵֽינוּoyeveynvenemyאֹיֵבverb, qal, participle, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, plural — “enemy”, a verb used as a describing wordH341hating; an adversaryenemy, foe.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

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 He may come among us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies.'

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

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.

Young’s Literal Translation

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.'

World English Bible

When the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has Yahweh defeated us today before the Philistines? Let’s get the ark of Yahweh’s covenant out of Shiloh and bring it to us, that it may come among us and save us out of the hand of our enemies.”

Darby Translation

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.

Douay-Rheims

And the people returned to the camp: and the ancients of Israel said: Why hath the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us fetch unto us the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Silo, and let it come in the midst of us, that it may save us from the hand of our enemies.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And the people came to the camp, and the elders of Israel said, Why has the Lord caused us to fall this day before the Philistines? let us take the ark of our God out of Selom, and let it proceed from the midst of us, and it shall save us from the hand of our enemies.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ λαὸς εἰς τὴν παρεμβολὴν, καὶ εἶπαν οἱ πρεσβύτεροι Ἰσραὴλ, κατὰ τί ἔπταισεν ἡμᾶς Κύριος σήμερον ἐνώπιον ἀλλοφύλων; λάβωμεν τὴν κιβωτὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἐκ Σηλώμ, καὶ ἐξελθέτω ἐκ μέσου ἡμῶν, καὶ σώσει ἡμᾶς ἐκ χειρὸς ἐχθρῶν ἡμῶν.