Commentario del capitolo
1 Samuel Capitolo 4
1
1Sa 4:1-11.
繁體中文
Originale inglese
1Sa 4:1-11.
ISRAEL OVERCOME BY THE PHILISTINES.
1. the word of Samuel came to all Israel--The character of Samuel as a prophet was now fully established. The want of an "open vision" was supplied by him, for "none of his words were let fall to the ground"
(1Sa 3:19);
and to his residence in Shiloh all the people of Israel repaired to consult him as an oracle, who, as the medium of receiving the divine command, or by his gift of a prophet, could inform them what was the mind of God. It is not improbable that the rising influence of the young prophet had alarmed the jealous fears of the Philistines. They had kept the Israelites in some degree of subjection ever since the death of Samson and were determined, by further crushing, to prevent the possibility of their being trained by the counsels, and under the leadership, of Samuel, to reassert their national independence. At all events, the Philistines were the aggressors
(1Sa 4:2).
But, on the other hand, the Israelites were rash and inconsiderate in rushing to the field without obtaining the sanction of Samuel as to the war, or having consulted him as to the subsequent measures they took.
Israel went out against the Philistines to battle--that is, to resist this new incursion.
Eben-ezer . . . Aphek--Aphek, which means "strength," is a name applied to any fort or fastness. There were several Apheks in Palestine; but the mention of Eben-ezer determines this "Aphek" to be in the south, among the mountains of Judah, near the western entrance of the pass of Beth-horon, and consequently on the borders of the Philistine territory. The first encounter at Aphek being unsuccessful, the Israelites determined to renew the engagement in better circumstances.
3
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繁體中文
3-9節. 我們將耶和華的約櫃從示羅擡到我們這裡來. 奇怪的是，他們對災禍的真正原因如此盲目，沒有從宗教與道德的巨大普遍敗壞
(1Sa 2:22-25; 7:3; Ps 78:58) 中看出神的同在與幫助之所以沒有臨到他們的原因。他們為恢復民族精神和力量的首要措施，本應是徹底的改革——全面歸回純潔的敬拜和道德。但他們既未懷有深切謙卑和真誠悔改的心，也未決意廢除現存弊端並重建純正信仰，反而採取了看似更簡易快捷的路——他們信賴禮儀的遵守，毫不懷疑把約櫃引入戰場就能保證勝利。在推薦這一非常步驟時，長老們可能回想到此舉曾給祖先帶來何等的把握
(Nu 10:35; 14:44)， 以及耶利哥所行之事。但他們更可能受了拜偶像鄰邦的異教觀念影響，那些鄰邦把自己的神大袞或其神聖象徵帶到戰場上，相信其神明的權能與其偶像不可分割地相連或內住其中。簡言之，約櫃到達時希伯來營中所發的呼聲，非常清楚地表明當時以色列人中流行一種民族神祇的觀念——其影響力是地方性的，其關切尤其效力於敬拜自己的百姓。以色列人的喜樂，是出於與他們的敵人相應的驚惶同源的迷信情感；而給他們一個雖痛苦卻令人信服的憑據，證明他們錯了，正是他們如今所受管教的深遠目的——神藉允許約櫃被擄來懲罰他們的背道，同時又另有目的：顯著地維護祂超越列國諸神的主權。
Originale inglese
3-9. Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us--Strange that they were so blind to the real cause of the disaster and that they did not discern, in the great and general corruption of religion and morals
(1Sa 2:22-25; 7:3; Ps 78:58),
the reason why the presence and aid of God were not extended to them. Their first measure for restoring the national spirit and energy ought to have been a complete reformation--a universal return to purity of worship and morals. But, instead of cherishing a spirit of deep humiliation and sincere repentance, instead of resolving on the abolition of existing abuses, and the re-establishing of the pure faith, they adopted what appeared an easier and speedier course--they put their trust in ceremonial observances, and doubted not but that the introduction of the ark into the battlefield would ensure their victory. In recommending this extraordinary step, the elders might recollect the confidence it imparted to their ancestors
(Nu 10:35; 14:44),
as well as what had been done at Jericho. But it is more probable that they were influenced by the heathenish ideas of their idolatrous neighbors, who carried their idol Dagon, or his sacred symbols, to their wars, believing that the power of their divinities was inseparably associated with, or residing in, their images. In short, the shout raised in the Hebrew camp, on the arrival of the ark, indicated very plainly the prevalence among the Israelites at this time of a belief in national deities--whose influence was local, and whose interest was especially exerted in behalf of the people who adored them. The joy of the Israelites was an emotion springing out of the same superstitious sentiments as the corresponding dismay of their enemies; and to afford them a convincing, though painful proof of their error, was the ulterior object of the discipline to which they were now subjected--a discipline by which God, while punishing them for their apostasy by allowing the capture of the ark, had another end in view--that of signally vindicating His supremacy over all the gods of the nations.
12
1Sa 4:12-22.
繁體中文
1Sa 4:12-22.
以利聽見消息。
Originale inglese
1Sa 4:12-22.
ELI HEARING THE TIDINGS.
13
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繁體中文
13-18. 以利在道旁坐在自己的位上——年邁的祭司作為民事法官，在審判時習慣每日坐在城門口一個寬敞的壁龕中。他急切地想知道戰況，便坐在他慣常的位置上，因為那是遇見過路之人最方便的地方。他的座位是一張公務椅，類似古埃及法官的椅子，雕刻精美，裝飾華麗，高而沒有靠背。撒母耳被告知將要臨到以利家的災禍
[1Sa 2:34]
如今在他兩個兒子的死上應驗了，在他死後，又在他的兒媳之死上應驗——她初生的兒子所得的名字，永遠紀念著教會和國家失落的榮耀
[1Sa 4:19-22]。
這場公共災難因約櫃被擄而達到頂點。可憐的以利！儘管有他不幸的弱點，他卻是個好人。他的感情如此強烈地傾向於宗教，以至於約櫃被擄的消息對他而言成了喪鐘；然而他對家庭的放縱或可悲的疏忽——導致其傾覆之一切禍患的主因——已被記錄下來，作為警告一切基督徒家長勿在同一塊礁石上觸礁的記號。
Originale inglese
13-18. Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside--The aged priest, as a public magistrate, used, in dispensing justice, to seat himself daily in a spacious recess at the entrance gate of the city. In his intense anxiety to learn the issue of the battle, he took up his usual place as the most convenient for meeting with passers-by. His seat was an official chair, similar to those of the ancient Egyptian judges, richly carved, superbly ornamented, high, and without a back. The calamities announced to Samuel as about to fall upon the family of Eli
[1Sa 2:34]
were now inflicted in the death of his two sons, and after his death, by that of his daughter-in-law, whose infant son received a name that perpetuated the fallen glory of the church and nation
[1Sa 4:19-22].
The public disaster was completed by the capture of the ark. Poor Eli! He was a good man, in spite of his unhappy weaknesses. So strongly were his sensibilities enlisted on the side of religion, that the news of the capture of the ark proved to him a knell of death; and yet his overindulgence, or sad neglect of his family--the main cause of all the evils that led to its fall--has been recorded, as a beacon to warn all heads of Christian families against making shipwreck on the same rock.
撒上4:1-11。
以色列人被非利士人打敗。
1. 撒母耳的話傳遍了以色列——撒母耳作先知的品格如今已完全確立。從前「不常有默示」的缺乏由他補上，因為「他所說的話，一句都不落空」
(1Sa 3:19)；
以色列眾人都到他在示羅的住處來向他這神諭求問，他作為領受神命令的媒介，或藉著先知的恩賜，可以告訴他們神的心意。這位年輕先知日漸增長的影響力很可能引起了非利士人嫉妒的恐懼。自參孫死後，他們一直使以色列人臣服於某種程度之下，並決心進一步鎮壓，以防止他們在撒母耳的謀略和領導之下受訓練而重申民族獨立。無論如何，非利士人是侵略者
(1Sa 4:2)。
但另一方面，以色列人未經撒母耳對戰爭的認可，也未就他們隨後採取的措施諮詢他，就草率而欠考慮地倉促上陣。
以色列人出去與非利士人打仗——即抵抗這次新的入侵。
以便以謝……亞弗——亞弗意為「力量」，是任何堡壘或要塞的通稱。巴勒斯坦有好幾個亞弗；但既然提到以便以謝，就可確定這個「亞弗」是在南方，在猶大山地中，靠近伯和倫通道的西入口，因而靠近非利士的邊界。在亞弗的初次交戰失利後，以色列人決定在更有利的情況下重新開戰。