章：1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
4:1 以色列人出去与非利士人打仗，安营在以便以谢。非利士人安营在亚弗。
And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.
4:2 非利士人向以色列人摆阵。两军交战的时候，以色列人败在非利士人面前。非利士人在战场上杀了他们的军兵约有四千人。
And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.
4:3 百姓回到营里，以色列的长老说，耶和华今日为何使我们败在非利士人面前呢。我们不如将耶和华的约柜从示罗抬到我们这里来，好在我们中间救我们脱离敌人的手。
And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.
4:4 于是百姓打发人到示罗，从那里将坐在二基路伯上万军之耶和华的约柜抬来。以利的两个儿子何弗尼，非尼哈与神的约柜同来。
So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
4:5 耶和华的约柜到了营中，以色列众人就大声欢呼，地便震动。
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.
4:6 非利士人听见欢呼的声音，就说，在希伯来人营里大声欢呼，是什么缘故呢。随后就知道耶和华的约柜到了营中。
And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp.
4:7 非利士人就惧怕起来，说，有神到了他们营中。又说，我们有祸了。向来不曾有这样的事。
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.
4:8 我们有祸了。谁能救我们脱离这些大能之神的手呢。从前在旷野用各样灾殃击打埃及人的，就是这些神。
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.
4:9 非利士人哪，你们要刚强，要作大丈夫，免得作希伯来人的奴仆，如同他们作你们的奴仆一样。你们要作大丈夫，与他们争战。
Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.
4:10 非利士人和以色列人打仗，以色列人败了，各向各家奔逃，被杀的人甚多，以色列的步兵仆倒了三万。
And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
4:11 神的约柜被掳去，以利的两个儿子何弗尼，非尼哈也都被杀了。
And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.
4:12 当日，有一个便雅悯人从阵上逃跑，衣服撕裂，头蒙灰尘，来到示罗。
And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.
4:13 到了的时候，以利正在道旁坐在自己的位上观望，为神的约柜心里担忧。那人进城报信，合城的人就都呼喊起来。
And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out.
4:14 以利听见呼喊的声音就问说，这喧囔是什么缘故呢。那人急忙来报信给以利。
And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli.
4:15 那时以利九十八岁了，眼目发直，不能看见。
Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see.
4:16 那人对以利说，我是从阵上来的，今日我从阵上逃回。以利说，我儿，事情怎样。
And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son?
4:17 报信的回答说，以色列人在非利士人面前逃跑，民中被杀的甚多。你的两个儿子何弗尼，非尼哈也都死了，并且神的约柜被掳去。
And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.
4:18 他一提神的约柜，以利就从他的位上往后跌倒，在门旁折断颈项而死。因为他年纪老迈，身体沉重。以利作以色列的士师四十年。
And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
4:19 以利的儿妇，非尼哈的妻怀孕将到产期，她听见神的约柜被掳去，公公和丈夫都死了，就猛然疼痛，曲身生产。
And his daughter in law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her.
4:20 将要死的时候，旁边站着的妇人们对她说，不要怕。你生了男孩子了。她却不回答，也不放在心上。
And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.
4:21 她给孩子起名叫以迦博，说，荣耀离开以色列了。这是因神的约柜被掳去，又因她公公和丈夫都死了。
And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.
4:22 她又说，荣耀离开以色列，因为神的约柜被掳去了。
And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.
撒母耳记上4参考
非利士人的祖先是谁？与以色列人的关系如何？
4:1 非利士人是挪亚的儿子含的后裔，居住在地中海的东南岸，埃及与迦萨地带中间。他们原来是“海上的居民”，从希腊和克里特岛乘船来到中东。到撒母耳的时代，这个好战的民族已在迦南地西南，迦萨地带的五个城市定居立国，不断入侵以色列内地。在那个时代，他们是以色列人的头号敌人。
将约柜如护身符般看待？太迷信了吧──我们也会如他们般看我们的信仰？……
4:3 约柜之中有神赐给摩西的两块法版，刻有十条诫命。它应当放在至圣所，就是会幕最神圣之处，只有大祭司能一年进去一次。何弗尼与非尼哈擅自闯入搬运约柜，自然亵渎了至圣所。
以色列人虽然深晓约柜极其圣洁，不过又以为约柜本身──包金的木匣子，是他们能力的泉源，开始以它作为幸运的符□，指望能保护他们脱离仇敌。神的象徵物并不保证神的同在、必定会发出大能。他们对约柜的态度与敬拜偶像相似，十分可悲。约柜被非利士人掳去，他们就以为以色列的荣耀已经失去（4:19-22），神也离弃了他们（7:1-2）。神能按他的智慧与旨意来显明他的大能，他只向那些忠心寻求他的人显现。
以列色人把约柜运来是为了──
4:4 “坐在二基路伯上万军之耶和华”，意思是说神居住在约柜上盖的两个金基路伯中间。何弗尼与非尼哈将约柜运到战场，以色列人就相信它会带来胜利。
神过去的保守已成历史，怎样保持不败和更新呢？
4:5-8 非利士人因为听说过以色列人出埃及的时候，神如何伸手帮助他们，所以一听到他的约柜到了就十分惧怕。但是以色列人已经偏离了神，所靠的仅仅是敬虔的外貌，所抓著的不过是从前得胜的象徵。
有些人和教会常想靠追念神的赐福度日。以色列人误以为神过去曾经使他们得胜，现在虽然已经偏离他，他仍会再次使他们胜利。现在和圣经时代一样，属灵的胜利乃是藉著人与神的关系不断地更新而来。不要倚靠过去，要使你与神的关系保持甜美新鲜，并且不断更新。
恶人必遭报应，你信吗？
4:11 这件事应验了2章34节的预言：以利的两个儿子何弗尼与非尼哈必“同一日死亡”。
示罗在以色列历史上曾经是──
4:12 示罗是昔日以色列人的宗教中心（参书18:1；撒上4:3），神的会幕长久设立在那里。因为以色列人没有政治上的首都，从战场传噩耗之人，就自然而然地来到示罗。许多圣经学者相信，示罗城就是在这一场战役时被毁（参耶7:12；26:2-6；及7:1的注释）。
领袖的德行，反映他的王国甚至时代盛衰……
4:18 以利身兼以色列的士师和大祭司。他的死亡标志著以色列士师的黑暗时代的终结，那期间大多数人民不理会神。不过，撒母耳也是士师，他的一生看到以色列人由士师秉政过渡到王朝时代，开始了以色列人在下一个世纪所经历的大复兴。圣经没有说谁接续以利作大祭司（因为撒母耳并不是亚伦的子孙，所以他不适合作大祭司），但是撒母耳在以色列全地为他们举行重要的献祭，实际上代行了大祭司的职务。
婴儿以迦博的名字象徵了──
4:19-22 这件事说明以色列人的属灵光景已黑暗衰退。男婴以迦博长大以后，本来应当继承父亲非尼哈作祭司，但他父亲却因亵渎会幕在战场被杀。神离开他的子民带来的恐惧阴影，掩盖了孩子出生的喜乐。罪恶若在我们生命中作王，就连神所赐的欢喜快乐也尽属虚空。