SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:2
Y los filisteos presentaron la batalla a Israel; y cuando la batalla se dio, Israel fue vencido delante de los filisteos, los cuales hirieron en la batalla por el campo como cuatro mil hombres.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:2
Verse 2. Put themselves in array] There is no doubt that both the Philistines and Israelites had what might be called the art of war, according to which they marshalled their troops in the field, constructed their camps, and conducted their retreats, sieges, &c.; but we know not the principles on which they acted. They slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.] This must have been a severe conflict, as four thousand were left dead on the field of battle. The contest also must have lasted some considerable time, as these were all slain hand to hand; swords and spears being in all probability the only weapons then used.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 2. And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel , etc.] Prepared for battle, and put themselves in a posture for it; formed themselves in a line of battle, and so invited and challenged the Israelites to fight them: and when they joined battle ; engaged with each other, the Israelites doing the same, putting themselves in a proper form and posture for fighting; or “the battle was spread”, or “spread itself” f79 ; that is, as the Targum, they that made war were spread; the soldiers were placed in order for battle, to the right and left, which took up on both sides a large space; though Abarbinel understands this in a very different sense, and takes the word to have the same signification as in ( Psalm 78:60), where it has the sense of forsaking; and so here the Israelites forsook the battle, and fled, which brought on their destruction, flight being, as the Jews say f80 , the beginning of fall or ruin, as it follows: Israel was smitten before the Philistines ; they had the worst of it and were beaten: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men ; so many fell upon the spot, in the field.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-9 - Israel is smitten before the Philistines. Sin, the accursed thing, wa in the camp, and gave their enemies all the advantage they could wis for. They own the hand of God in their trouble; but, instead of submitting, they speak angrily, as not aware of any just provocatio they had given him. The foolishness of man perverts his way, and the his heart frets against the Lord, Pr 19:3, and finds fault with him They supposed that they could oblige God to appear for them, by bringing the ark into their camp. Those who have gone back in the lif of religion, sometimes discover great fondness for the outwar observances of it, as if those would save them; and as if the ark God's throne, in the camp, would bring them to heaven, though the worl and the flesh are on the throne in the heart.
Original Hebrew
ויערכו 6186 פלשׁתים 6430 לקראת 7122 ישׂראל 3478 ותטשׁ 5203 המלחמה 4421 וינגף 5062 ישׂראל 3478 לפני 6440 פלשׁתים 6430 ויכו 5221 במערכה 4634 בשׂדה 7704 כארבעת 702 אלפים 505 אישׁ׃ 376
