1 Samuel 4:7
New International Version
the Philistines were afraid. “A god has come into the camp,” they said. “Oh no! Nothing like this has happened before.

New Living Translation
they panicked. “The gods have come into their camp!” they cried. “This is a disaster! We have never had to face anything like this before!

English Standard Version
the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “A god has come into the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before.

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

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp!” And they said, “Woe to us! For such a thing has never happened before.

New American Standard Bible
So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp!” And they said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before.

NASB 1995
The Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before.

NASB 1977
And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before.

Amplified Bible
The Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp.” And they said, “Woe [disaster is coming] to us! For nothing like this has happened before.

Christian Standard Bible
they panicked. “A god has entered their camp! ” they said. “Woe to us! Nothing like this has happened before.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
they panicked. “The gods have entered their camp!” they said. “Woe to us, nothing like this has happened before.

American Standard 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.

Contemporary English Version
they were scared to death and said: The gods have come into their camp. Now we're in real trouble! Nothing like this has ever happened to us before.

English Revised 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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then they were frightened and said, "A god has come into [their] camp." They also said, "Oh no! Nothing like this has ever happened before.

Good News Translation
they were afraid, and said, "A god has come into their camp! We're lost! Nothing like this has ever happened to us before!

International Standard Version
and the Philistines were terrified. "God has come into the camp," they said. "How terrible for us, because nothing like this has ever happened before!

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

NET Bible
The Philistines were scared because they thought that gods had come to the camp. They said, "Too bad for us! We've never seen anything like this!

New Heart English Bible
The Philistines were afraid, for they said, "Gods have come into the camp." They said, "Woe to us. For there has not been such a thing before.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God hath come into the camp. And they said, Woe to us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.

World English Bible
The Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp.” They said, “Woe to us! For there has not been such a thing before.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the Philistines are afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp”; and they say, “Woe to us, for there has been nothing like this before.

Young's Literal Translation
And the Philistines are afraid, for they said, 'God hath come in unto the camp;' and they say, 'Woe to us, for there hath not been like this heretofore.

Smith's Literal Translation
And the Philisteim will be afraid, for they said, God came into the camp. And they will say, Wo to us! for at was not as this yesterday, the third day.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Philistines were afraid, saying: God is come into the camp. And sighing, they said:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the Philistines were afraid, saying, “God has entered into the camp.” And they groaned, saying:

New American Bible
the Philistines were frightened, crying out, “Gods have come to their camp. Woe to us! This has never happened before.

New Revised Standard Version
the Philistines were afraid; for they said, “Gods have come into the camp.” They also said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe to us! For there has not been such a thing before.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the Philistines were afraid because they said: “God has come to the encampment!” And they said: “Woe to us, for nothing like this has ever happened before!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the Philistines were afraid, for they said: 'God is come into the camp.' And they said: 'Woe unto us! for there was not such a thing yesterday and the day before.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Philistines feared, and said, These are the Gods that are come to them into the camp.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Philistines Capture the Ark
6On hearing the noise of the shout, the Philistines asked, “What is this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews?” And when they realized that the ark of the LORD had entered the camp, 7the Philistines were afraid. “The gods have entered their camp!” they said. “Woe to us, for nothing like this has happened before. 8Woe 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.…

Cross References
Exodus 15:14-16
The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will grip the dwellers of Philistia. / Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed; trembling will seize the leaders of Moab; those who dwell in Canaan will melt away, / and terror and dread will fall on them. By the power of Your arm they will be as still as a stone until Your people pass by, O LORD, until the people You have bought pass by.

Joshua 2:9-11
and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you. / For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites across the Jordan, whom you devoted to destruction. / When we heard this, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below.

Judges 2:14-15
Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He delivered them into the hands of those who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. / Wherever Israel marched out, the hand of the LORD was against them to bring calamity, just as He had sworn to them. So they were greatly distressed.

1 Samuel 5:10-12
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron, but as it arrived, the Ekronites cried out, “They have brought us the ark of the God of Israel in order to kill us and our people!” / Then the Ekronites called together all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel. It must return to its place, so that it will not kill us and our people!” For a deadly confusion had pervaded the city; the hand of God was very heavy upon it. / Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.

1 Samuel 7:7-8
When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, their rulers marched up toward Israel. And when the Israelites learned of this, they feared the Philistines / and said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”

1 Samuel 14:15
Then panic struck the Philistines in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even those in the outposts and raiding parties trembled. Indeed, the earth quaked, and panic spread from God.

2 Samuel 5:24
As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because this will mean that the LORD has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.”

2 Kings 7:6-7
For the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots, horses, and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel must have hired the kings of the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us.” / Thus the Arameans had arisen and fled at twilight, abandoning their tents and horses and donkeys. The camp was intact, and they had run for their lives.

Psalm 48:4-6
For behold, the kings assembled; they all advanced together. / They saw and were astounded; they fled in terror. / Trembling seized them there, anguish like a woman in labor.

Isaiah 13:6-8
Wail, for the Day of the LORD is near; it will come as destruction from the Almighty. / Therefore all hands will fall limp, and every man’s heart will melt. / Terror, pain, and anguish will seize them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look at one another, their faces flushed with fear.

Jeremiah 50:43
The king of Babylon has heard the report, and his hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped him, pain like that of a woman in labor.

Matthew 8:29
“What do You want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have You come here to torture us before the appointed time?”

Mark 5:7
And he shouted in a loud voice, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You before God not to torture me!”

Luke 8:28
When the man saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before Him, shouting in a loud voice, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You not to torture me!”

Acts 19:15-16
But one day the evil spirit responded, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” / Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. The attack was so violent that they ran out of the house naked and wounded.


Treasury of Scripture

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

were afraid

Exodus 14:25
And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

Exodus 15:14-16
The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina…

Deuteronomy 32:30
How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?

heretofore.

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1 Samuel 4
1. The Israelites are overcome by the Philistines at Ebenezer
3. They fetch the ark unto the terror of the Philistines
10. They are smitten again, the ark taken, and Hophni and Phinehas are slain
12. Eli at the news, falling backward, breaks his neck
19. Phinehas's wife, discouraged in her travail with Ichabod, dies














the Philistines were afraid
The Philistines, a seafaring people known for their military prowess and frequent conflicts with Israel, were struck with fear. This fear is significant as it highlights a moment of vulnerability in a typically confident and aggressive nation. The Hebrew root for "afraid" is "yare," which conveys a deep, reverential fear often associated with the divine. This suggests that the Philistines recognized a supernatural element in the situation, indicating their awareness of the power of Israel's God, even if they did not worship Him.

for they said, 'A god has entered their camp.'
The Philistines mistakenly believed that the presence of the Ark of the Covenant, which had been brought into the Israelite camp, signified the physical presence of a deity. In the ancient Near Eastern context, it was common for people to associate the presence of a god with physical objects or idols. The Hebrew word for "god" here is "elohim," which can mean "God" or "gods," reflecting the Philistines' polytheistic worldview. This misunderstanding underscores the contrast between the living God of Israel and the idols of the surrounding nations.

And they said, 'Woe to us!'
The expression "Woe to us!" is a cry of despair and impending doom. The Philistines' reaction reveals their belief in the power and might of the God of Israel, even if they did not fully understand Him. The Hebrew word "oy" is an exclamation of lament, often used in prophetic literature to announce judgment or disaster. This highlights the Philistines' recognition of their precarious position against a force they perceived as divine.

Nothing like this has happened before
This phrase indicates the unprecedented nature of the event from the Philistines' perspective. Historically, the Philistines had numerous encounters with Israel, but the presence of the Ark in battle was a new and terrifying development. The statement reflects their astonishment and the gravity of the situation. It also serves as a narrative device to emphasize the uniqueness of God's intervention in the affairs of His people, setting the stage for the unfolding events in the biblical narrative.

(7) God is come into the camp.--The joy manifested by the Israelites at the arrival of the Ark from the sanctuary made the Philistines suspect that their enemies' God was now present with the defeated army.

The city of Aphek, near to which the camp of Israel was pitched, was close to the western entrance of the Pass of Beth-horon. The two defeats of Israel are termed in this Commentary the Battles of Aphek. The name of Eben-ezer, by which the scene was known in after days, was only given to the locality some twenty years later, on the occasion of the victory of Samuel near the same spot.

Philistines and Israelites, then, were equally superstitious in their belief both supposing that Deity was in some way connected with the lifeless gold and wood of the symbol Ark and Cherubim. But the Philistines had some excuse for their fears. Tradition was, no doubt, current among the old inhabitants of Canaan how this sacred Ark had been carried before the conquering armies of Israel in many a battle and siege in those bygone days, when the strange shepherd hordes under Joshua had. first invaded and taken possession of their beautiful land. The next verse explains more clearly some of the reasons for their fear.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
the Philistines
הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים (hap·pə·liš·tîm)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 6430: Philistines -- inhabitants of Philistia

were afraid.
וַיִּֽרְאוּ֙ (way·yir·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

“The gods
אֱלֹהִ֖ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

have entered
בָּ֥א (bā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

their camp!”
הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה (ham·ma·ḥă·neh)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 4264: An encampment, an army

they said.
אָמְר֔וּ (’ā·mə·rū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Woe
א֣וֹי (’ō·w)
Interjection
Strong's 188: Lamentation, Oh!

to us,
לָ֔נוּ (lā·nū)
Preposition | first person common plural
Strong's Hebrew

for
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

nothing
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

like this
כָּזֹ֖את (kā·zōṯ)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

has happened
הָיְתָ֛ה (hā·yə·ṯāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

before.
אֶתְמ֥וֹל (’eṯ·mō·wl)
Adverb
Strong's 865: Heretofore, definitely yesterday


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OT History: 1 Samuel 4:7 The Philistines were afraid for they said (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 4:6
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