1 Samuel 4:7

the Philistines were afraid. “The gods have entered their camp!” they said. “Woe to us, for nothing like this has happened before.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Philistines speak to one another upon realizing the ark of the LORD has entered their camp after hearing a loud shout. Their declaration occurs at the moment of military panic as they confront the Hebrews' God.

The words — The Hebrew phrase בָּא אֱלֹהִים אֶל־הַמַּחֲנֶה uses בָּא (ba') for "has come" and אֱלֹהִים ('E.lo.Him) for "a god" to describe a divine presence entering the camp. This combination directly links the physical ark to the entry of a deity.

The thread — This recognition of divine intervention echoes the panic of Egyptian forces in Exodus 14:25 and the trembling of Philistia in Exodus 15:14. The theme of a single divine power routing armies also appears in Deuteronomy 32:30.

Why it lands — The verse demands recognition that human military advantage is irrelevant when the sovereign God enters a conflict. It requires the reader to acknowledge that divine presence, not human strategy, determines the outcome of battles.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיִּֽרְאוּ֙va/i.yir.'Uand/ they were afraid הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔יםha./pe.lish.Timthe/ Philistines כִּ֣יkifor אָמְר֔וּ'a.me.Ruthey said בָּ֥אba'he has come אֱלֹהִ֖ים'E.lo.Hima god אֶל־'el-into הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑הha./ma.cha.Nehthe/ camp וַיֹּאמְרוּ֙va/i.yo.me.Ruand/ they said א֣וֹי'owoe!לָ֔נוּLa./nuto <the>/ usכִּ֣יkifor לֹ֥אlo'not הָיְתָ֛הha.ye.Tahit has been כָּזֹ֖אתka./Zotlike/ this אֶתְמ֥וֹל'et.Molyesterday שִׁלְשֹֽׁם׃shil.Shomthree days ago

King James Version

And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.

Cross-references

Exodus 14:25 He caused their chariot wheels to wobble, so that they had difficulty driving. “Let us flee from the Israelites,” said the Egyptians, “for the LORD is fighting for them against Egypt!”
Exodus 15:14 The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will grip the dwellers of Philistia.
Deuteronomy 32:30 How could one man pursue a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?