1 Samuel 4:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: As soon as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded.

NIV: When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook.

NASB: And as the ark of the covenant of the Lord was coming into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth resounded.

CSB: When the ark of the covenant of the Lord entered the camp, all the Israelites raised such a loud shout that the ground shook.

NLT: When all the Israelites saw the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord coming into the camp, their shout of joy was so loud it made the ground shake!

KJV: And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.

NKJV: And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook.

The Israelites were convinced that the presence of the "ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts" (1 Samuel 4:4) would give them the victory over the Philistines. Popular culture, such as the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark, implies the ark was a weaponized physical conduit for God's power. This incident in the book of 1 Samuel shows Israel wallowing in that kind of superstition, but without success. Other than a handful of times when God wanted the ark present at a battle, the ark was not a tool intended for conquest (Numbers 10:35–36).

The reaction to the ark's arrival in the camp reveals just how convinced Israel was of this false idea. Tens of thousands of Israelites shout so loud the land shakes, and perhaps even echoes and adds to the noise. Anyone who has been to a large sporting event can imagine the sound.

Unfortunately, the Israelites were placing their confidence in the ark itself. They were relying on a supposed magic item—a talisman, or a lucky charm—instead of trusting in the God who met them there. They had reduced the Lord to the level of the gods of the other nations. Pagan deities are often manipulated, bribed, or commanded by those who worshiped them. If the Israelites had truly been trusting in the Lord, they would have repented from their sins and asked for His help instead of assuming that He was bound to give them victory simply because they brought His ark closer to the field of battle.

First Samuel 4:1–11 mentions Samuel's new role delivering God's Word to Israel. It then describes a battle between Israel and the Philistines. After losing an initial skirmish, the elders of Israel bring the ark of the covenant to the battlefield. This briefly terrifies the Philistines but doesn't stop them. The Israelites are defeated, losing many men. In a humiliating blow, the ark of the covenant is captured. Eli's sons are killed, and every survivor of the battle runs for home.

Israel amasses an to fight against the Philistines. After losing badly in the first battle, the elders send for the ark of God to be brought from Shiloh. They seem to assume the mere presence of the ark will act like a lucky charm or talisman. The Philistines are terrified at the idea of fighting Israel's deity, but they still defeat the Israelites, slaughtering many soldiers and capturing the ark. A runner delivers the news to Eli that his sons are dead and the ark is captured. He dies, and his daughter-in-law goes into premature labor. Before she dies, she names the baby Ichabod, saying that the glory has departed from Israel.

First Samuel 4 begins a new section of 1 Samuel. The young prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 1—3) disappears from the story for several chapters. Israel brings the ark of the covenant to a battle with the Philistines, but they are wiped out anyway. The Philistines rout the army and capture the ark. A runner delivers the news to Eli that his sons are dead and the ark is taken. Eli dies, as does his daughter-in-law after giving birth to a son she names Ichabod. She declares that the glory has departed from Israel because the ark has been captured. Despite this, the Philistines will soon learn the ark is not a mere trophy (1 Samuel 5).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.