1 Samuel 4:4

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

So the army sent to Shiloh, and they took from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, who sits between the cherubim. Now the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח הָעָם֙ שִׁלֹ֔ה וַיִּשְׂא֣וּ מִשָּׁ֗ם אֵ֣ת אֲר֧וֹן בְּרִית־יְהוָ֛ה צְבָא֖וֹת יֹשֵׁ֣ב הַכְּרֻבִ֑ים וְשָׁ֞ם שְׁנֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־עֵלִ֗י עִם־אֲרוֹן֙ בְּרִ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים חָפְנִ֖י וּפִֽינְחָֽס׃

Transliteration

And wə yišlaḥ the-'ām šilōh and wə yiś'û from-there 'ēt 'ărôn bərît-YHWH ṣəvā'ôt dwelling-yōšēv the-kərūvîm and-there the-two šənê bənê-'ēlî with-'ărôn bərît the-'ĕlōhîm ḥopnî and-pînəḥās.

Grammar Details

• *yišlaḥ*: qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular consecutive - he sent
• *'ām*: masculine singular noun with definite article - the people
• *yiś'û*: qal imperfect 3rd masculine plural consecutive - they carried, lifted
• *'ēt*: direct object marker
• *'ărôn*: masculine singular construct - ark of
• *bərît*: feminine singular construct - covenant of
• *YHWH*: divine name - Yahweh
• *ṣəvā'ôt*: feminine plural noun - hosts, armies
• *yōšēv*: qal participle masculine singular construct - dwelling [between], sitting [on]
• *kərūvîm*: masculine plural noun with definite article - the cherubim
• *šənê*: masculine dual construct - two of
• *bənê*: masculine plural construct - sons of
• *'ēlî*: proper noun - Eli
• *'ĕlōhîm*: masculine plural noun with definite article - God
• *ḥopnî*: proper noun - Hophni
• *pînəḥās*: proper noun - Phinehas

Word Meanings

• *yiś'û*: they carried, they bore, they lifted up
• *ṣəvā'ôt*: hosts, armies, multitudes
• *yōšēv*: dwelling [between], sitting [on], enthroned [upon]
• *kərūvîm*: cherubim, angelic beings

Referenced Verses

• 2 Sam 6:2 : 2 David and all the men who were with him traveled to Baalah in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, who sits enthroned between the cherubim that are on it.
• Ps 80:1 : 1 For the music director; according to the shushan-eduth style; a psalm of Asaph. O shepherd of Israel, pay attention, you who lead Joseph like a flock of sheep! You who sit enthroned above the cherubim, reveal your splendor!
• Ps 99:1 : 1 The LORD reigns! The nations tremble. He sits enthroned above the cherubim; the earth shakes.
• Num 7:89 : 89 Now when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the atonement lid that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim. Thus he spoke to him.
• 1 Sam 2:12-17 : 12 But the sons of Eli were wicked men. They did not acknowledge the LORD’s authority. 13 This was the priests’ routine with the people. Whenever anyone was making a sacrifice, the priest’s attendant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand, just as the meat was boiling. 14 He would jab it into the basin, kettle, cauldron, or pot. Everything that the fork would bring up the priest would take for himself. This is how they used to treat all the Israelites who came there to Shiloh. 15 Also, before they burned the fat the priest’s attendant would come and say to the person who was making the sacrifice,“Give some meat for the priest to roast! He won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.” 16 If the individual said to him,“They should certainly burn the fat away first, then take for yourself whatever you wish,” he would say,“No! Give it now! If not, I’ll take it by force!” 17 The sin of these young men was very great in the LORD’s sight, for they treated the LORD’s offering with contempt.
• 1 Sam 2:22 : 22 Eli was very old. And he would hear about everything that his sons used to do to all the people of Israel and how they used to go to bed with the women who were stationed at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
• Exod 25:18-22 : 18 You are to make two cherubim of gold; you are to make them of hammered metal on the two ends of the atonement lid. 19 Make one cherub on one end and one cherub on the other end; from the atonement lid you are to make the cherubim on the two ends. 20 The cherubim are to be spreading their wings upward, overshadowing the atonement lid with their wings, and the cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the atonement lid. 21 You are to put the atonement lid on top of the ark, and in the ark you are to put the testimony I am giving you. 22 I will meet with you there, and from above the atonement lid, from between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will command you for the Israelites.
• Num 4:5 : 5 When it is time for the camp to journey, Aaron and his sons must come and take down the screening curtain and cover the ark of the testimony with it.
• Num 4:15 : 15 “When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is ready to journey, then the Kohathites will come to carry them; but they must not touch any holy thing, or they will die. These are the responsibilities of the Kohathites with the tent of meeting.
• Mal 1:9 : 9 But now plead for God’s favor that he might be gracious to us.“With this kind of offering in your hands, how can he be pleased with you?” asks the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.
• Acts 19:15-16 : 15 But the evil spirit replied to them,“I know about Jesus and I am acquainted with Paul, but who are you?” 16 Then the man who was possessed by the evil spirit jumped on them and beat them all into submission. He prevailed against them so that they fled from that house naked and wounded.
• 2 Kgs 19:15 : 15 Hezekiah prayed before the LORD:“LORD God of Israel, who is enthroned on the cherubim! You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the sky and the earth.
• Ps 50:16-17 : 16 God says this to the evildoer:“How can you declare my commands, and talk about my covenant? 17 For you hate instruction and reject my words.