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1 Samuel 4:10
ESV So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell.
NIV So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers.
NASB So the Philistines fought and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent; and the defeat was very great, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell.
CSB So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and each man fled to his tent. The slaughter was severe--thirty thousand of the Israelite foot soldiers fell.
NLT So the Philistines fought desperately, and Israel was defeated again. The slaughter was great; 30,000 Israelite soldiers died that day. The survivors turned and fled to their tents.
KJV 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.

What does 1 Samuel 4:10 mean?

When fighting resumes between the Israelites and the Philistines, the outcome doesn't match what either side expected. The Philistines were terrified over what they perceived as the arrival of Israel's god (1 Samuel 4:7–8) and assumed that would lead to their defeat. The Israelites agreed. They assumed the mere presence of the ark of the covenant in their camp meant God would absolutely give them victory (1 Samuel 4:3–8).

The opposite happens. After the Philistines resolve to fight like men no matter what happens, they easily rout the Israelites in battle, killing eight times as many as were struck in the first skirmish. Those among Israel who survive run for their lives back to their homes and families. The army is obliterated in a single battle.

In one sense, both sides were right. The Lord God of the Israelites did grant victory that day. However, He gave it to Israel's enemies. It wasn't the courage of the Philistines that overcame Israel; it was God's refusal to allow His people to manipulate Him to help them without first repenting of their sin and crying out to Him for help. They were not honoring Him, or obeying Him, so He allowed them to fall in defeat.
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