Bible Strands
1 Samuel 4:8
Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Philistine commanders address their soldiers after the Ark of the Covenant enters their camp, shifting the battle from a military contest to a confrontation with divine power. Their panic occurs at the moment before a commanding officer rallies them to fight.
The words — א֣וֹי ('o) renders "woe!" and הָ/אַדִּירִ֖ים (ha./'a.di.Rim) means "mighty." These terms anchor the Philistines' dread in their recognition of an overwhelming supernatural force.
The thread — The Philistines reference the plagues that struck Egypt, aligning with the demonstrations of divine judgment recorded in Exodus 7:5, Exodus 9:14, and Psalms 78:43.
Why it lands — The text records a fearful acknowledgment of God's power that stops short of repentance or trust. It demands a reader decide whether recognizing divine authority naturally leads to submission or merely to heightened dread.
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
King James Version
Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.
Cross-references
- Exodus 7:5 And the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out from among them.”
- Exodus 9:14 Otherwise, I will send all My plagues against you and your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth.
- Psalms 78:43 when He performed His signs in Egypt and His wonders in the fields of Zoan.