1 Samuel 4
How to read this: this is a word-for-word rendering straight from the original Hebrew, not a copyrighted translation — the top of each chip is the original word, the bottom is its plain-English sense. Faded chips mark words the Hebrew implies but wouldn't literally be spoken in English. Click any word for its full Strong's dictionary entry.
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וַיְהִ֥יand it cameדְבַר־the word ofשְׁמוּאֵ֖לSamuelלְכָל־to allיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsraelוַיֵּצֵ֣אand it went outיִשְׂרָאֵל֩Israelלִקְרַ֨אתto meetפְּלִשְׁתִּ֜יםthe Philistinesלַמִּלְחָמָ֗הfor the battleוַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙and they encampedעַל־atהָאֶ֣בֶןthe Eben-הָעֵ֔זֶר-ezerוּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖יםand the Philistinesחָנ֥וּthey encampedבַאֲפֵֽק׃at Aphek
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וַיַּעַרְכ֨וּand they deployedפְלִשְׁתִּ֜יםthe Philistinesלִקְרַ֣אתto meetיִשְׂרָאֵ֗לIsraelוַתִּטֹּשׁ֙and it spread outהַמִּלְחָמָ֔הthe battleוַיִּנָּ֥גֶףand it was defeatedיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לIsraelלִפְנֵ֣יto beforeפְלִשְׁתִּ֑יםthe Philistinesוַיַּכּ֤וּand they struck downבַמַּֽעֲרָכָה֙in the battle lineבַּשָּׂדֶ֔הin the fieldכְּאַרְבַּ֥עַתabout fourאֲלָפִ֖יםthousandsאִֽישׁ׃man
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וַיָּבֹ֣אand it cameהָעָם֮the peopleאֶל־intoהַֽמַּחֲנֶה֒the campוַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙and they saidזִקְנֵ֣יthe elders ofיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsraelלָ֣מָּהto why?נְגָפָ֧נוּhas he defeated usיְהוָ֛הYahwehהַיּ֖וֹםthis dayלִפְנֵ֣יto beforeפְלִשְׁתִּ֑יםthe Philistinesנִקְחָ֧הlet us bringאֵלֵ֣ינוּto ourselvesמִשִּׁלֹ֗הfrom Shilohאֶת־obj.אֲרוֹן֙the ark ofבְּרִ֣יתthe covenant ofיְהוָ֔הYahwehוְיָבֹ֣אso it may comeבְקִרְבֵּ֔נוּin midst ourוְיֹשִׁעֵ֖נוּso it may deliver usמִכַּ֥ףfrom the hand ofאֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃enemies our
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וַיִּשְׁלַ֤חand it sentהָעָם֙the peopleשִׁלֹ֔הShilohוַיִּשְׂא֣וּand they broughtמִשָּׁ֗םfrom thereאֵ֣תobj.אֲר֧וֹןthe ark ofבְּרִית־the covenant ofיְהוָ֛הYahwehצְבָא֖וֹתof hostsיֹשֵׁ֣בwho sitsהַכְּרֻבִ֑יםthe cherubimוְשָׁ֞םand were thereשְׁנֵ֣יthe twoבְנֵֽי־the sons ofעֵלִ֗יEliעִם־withאֲרוֹן֙the ark ofבְּרִ֣יתthe covenant ofהָאֱלֹהִ֔יםthe Godחָפְנִ֖יHophniוּפִֽינְחָֽס׃and Phinehas
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וַיִּשְׁמְע֤וּand they heardפְלִשְׁתִּים֙the Philistinesאֶת־obj.ק֣וֹלthe sound ofהַתְּרוּעָ֔הthe shoutוַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּand they saidמֶ֠הwhat?ק֣וֹלis the sound ofהַתְּרוּעָ֧הthe shoutהַגְּדוֹלָ֛הthe greatהַזֹּ֖אתthe thisבְּמַחֲנֵ֣הin the camp ofהָעִבְרִ֑יםthe Hebrewsוַיֵּ֣דְע֔וּand they knewכִּ֚יthatאֲר֣וֹןthe ark ofיְהוָ֔הYahwehבָּ֖אit had comeאֶל־intoהַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃the camp
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הִֽתְחַזְּק֞וּshow yourselves strongוִֽהְי֤וּand becomeלַֽאֲנָשִׁים֙into menפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔יםO Philistinesפֶּ֚ןlestתַּעַבְד֣וּyou should serveלָעִבְרִ֔יםto the Hebrewsכַּאֲשֶׁ֥רjust asעָבְד֖וּthey have servedלָכֶ֑םto the youוִהְיִיתֶ֥םand you will becomeלַאֲנָשִׁ֖יםinto menוְנִלְחַמְתֶּֽם׃and you will fight
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וַיִּלָּחֲמ֣וּand they foughtפְלִשְׁתִּ֗יםthe Philistinesוַיִּנָּ֤גֶףand it was defeatedיִשְׂרָאֵל֙Israelוַיָּנֻ֙סוּ֙and they fledאִ֣ישׁeach manלְאֹהָלָ֔יוto own tents hisוַתְּהִ֥יand it wasהַמַּכָּ֖הthe slaughterגְּדוֹלָ֣הgreatמְאֹ֑דexceedinglyוַיִּפֹּל֙and he fellמִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔לof Israelשְׁלֹשִׁ֥יםthirtyאֶ֖לֶףthousandרַגְלִֽי׃foot soldiers
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וַיָּב֗וֹאand he cameוְהִנֵּ֣הand there!עֵ֠לִיEliיֹשֵׁ֨בwas sittingעַֽל־onהַכִּסֵּ֜אthe seatיַ֥דthe side ofדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙the roadמְצַפֶּ֔הwatchingכִּֽי־forהָיָ֤הit wasלִבּוֹ֙heart hisחָרֵ֔דtremblingעַ֖לonאֲר֣וֹןthe ark ofהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםthe Godוְהָאִ֗ישׁand the manבָּ֚אhe cameלְהַגִּ֣ידto tellבָּעִ֔ירin the cityוַתִּזְעַ֖קand it cried outכָּל־allהָעִֽיר׃the city
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וַיַּ֨עַןand he answeredהַֽמְבַשֵּׂ֜רthe bearer of newsוַיֹּ֗אמֶרand he saidנָ֤סit has fledיִשְׂרָאֵל֙Israelלִפְנֵ֣יto beforeפְלִשְׁתִּ֔יםthe Philistinesוְגַ֛םand alsoמַגֵּפָ֥הa slaughterגְדוֹלָ֖הgreatהָיְתָ֣הit has beenבָעָ֑םamong the peopleוְגַם־and alsoשְׁנֵ֨יthe twoבָנֶ֜יךָsons yourמֵ֗תוּthey have diedחָפְנִי֙Hophniוּפִ֣ינְחָ֔סand Phinehasוַאֲר֥וֹןand the ark ofהָאֱלֹהִ֖יםthe Godנִלְקָֽחָה׃ פit has been taken
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וַיְהִ֞יand it wasכְּהַזְכִּיר֣וֹ׀when brought to remembrance heאֶת־obj.אֲר֣וֹןthe ark ofהָאֱלֹהִ֗יםthe Godוַיִּפֹּ֣לand he fellמֵֽעַל־from onהַ֠כִּסֵּאthe seatאֲחֹ֨רַנִּ֜יתbackwardsבְּעַ֣ד׀behindיַ֣דthe side ofהַשַּׁ֗עַרthe gateוַתִּשָּׁבֵ֤רand it was brokenמַפְרַקְתּוֹ֙neck hisוַיָּמֹ֔תand he diedכִּֽי־forזָקֵ֥ןhe was oldהָאִ֖ישׁthe manוְכָבֵ֑דand heavyוְה֛וּאand heשָׁפַ֥טhe had judgedאֶת־obj.יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לIsraelאַרְבָּעִ֥יםfortyשָׁנָֽה׃years
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וְכַלָּת֣וֹand daughter-in-law hisאֵֽשֶׁת־the wife ofפִּינְחָס֮Phinehasהָרָ֣הwas pregnantלָלַת֒to give birthוַתִּשְׁמַ֣עand she heardאֶת־obj.הַשְּׁמֻעָ֔הthe reportאֶל־concerningהִלָּקַח֙the being taken ofאֲר֣וֹןthe ark ofהָאֱלֹהִ֔יםthe Godוּמֵ֥תand he had diedחָמִ֖יהָfather-in-law herוְאִישָׁ֑הּand husband herוַתִּכְרַ֣עand she bowed downוַתֵּ֔לֶדand she gave birthכִּֽי־forנֶהֶפְכ֥וּthey turnedעָלֶ֖יהָon herצִרֶֽיהָ׃pangs her
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