And the LORD appeared again at Shiloh: the Revised Standard Version translation suggests that God appeared only once more. The Hebrew is better translated to indicate that God continued to appear (so Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, Fox).

For the LORD revealed himself … by the word of the LORD: a literal translation of this clause sounds heavy in English. The style is improved and the sense is clearly expressed in the following translation: “he manifested himself to Samuel at Shiloh through his word” (New American Bible).

At the end of this verse, the Septuagint adds the following: “And from one end of the country to the other, Samuel was believed to be a prophet of the Lord to all Israel. And Eli was very old and his sons persisted in their evil behavior, and their way was evil before the Lord. Now in those days the Philistines gathered together to fight against Israel.” This addition in the Septuagint is the basis for the Anchor Bible translation, “But Eli was very old and his sons lived an evil life in Yahweh’s eyes.” New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and Klein are also based in part on the longer Septuagint text. However, translators are encouraged to follow the Masoretic Text, to which Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating.

Translators will notice a difference in chapter division between Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. In the Hebrew text the words And the word of Samuel came to all Israel stand at the beginning of the narrative that begins in chapter 4. According to this division of chapters in the Hebrew text, the Israelites went to war with the Philistines because of what God said through Samuel.

Most modern interpreters, however, place the words And the word of Samuel came to all Israel at the end of chapter 3 as the conclusion and summary statement of that chapter. Some translations include these words as part of verse 21 (so Good News Translation, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje). Many modern English versions (Contemporary English Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible) indicate that the words that correspond to the last sentence of Good News Translation are actually a part of chapter 4, but that they belong to the section on Samuel and not to the story of the capture of the ark from the Philistines.

The word of Samuel came to all Israel should not be taken in any mysterious or unusual sense. The meaning is simply that “Samuel spoke to all Israel” (New American Bible) or “Samuel would speak to the whole nation of Israel” (Contemporary English Version).

And the word of Samuel came to all Israel: see the comments on 3.21 regarding the numbering of verses and the textual problem at the beginning of this verse.

Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines: according to the Masoretic Text, which is followed by Revised Standard Version, the Israelites took the initiative in the war against the Philistines. Good News Translation, however, gives a different impression because it follows the last of three additional sentences in the Septuagint (see the comments on 3.21–4.1a). New Revised Standard Version likewise follows the Septuagint, adding “the Philistines mustered for war against Israel,” as do most other modern English versions. Translators are advised, however, to follow the Masoretic Text as reflected in Revised Standard Version.

The Philistines came to occupy the southwestern coastal strip of Palestine near the end of the thirteenth century B.C. Their expansion in the twelfth century toward the east brought them into continual conflict with the Israelites, who were expanding their territory toward the west from the opposite side of Canaan. The Philistines were one of Israel’s main enemies until David finally defeated them (2 Sam 8.1; 1 Chr 18.1).

The exact location of Ebenezer is uncertain; but like Aphek it lay somewhere on the southern end of the plain of Sharon and west of the central hill country of Ephraim. The name Ebenezer means “stone of help” (see 7.12). Nueva Biblia Española translates the name Ebenezer here and elsewhere into Spanish as Piedrayuda, that is, “Helping-stone.” Bible en français courant translates the meaning similarly into French. And in English Moffatt has “Help-stone,” while Knox speaks of “the Rock of Deliverance.”

Aphek is mentioned again in 29.1. This name occurs eight times in the Old Testament and refers to at least four different cities. The reference here is to a city located on the coastal plain about sixteen kilometers (ten miles) east of the Mediterranean Sea and forty kilometers (twenty-five miles) northwest of Jerusalem.

The meaning of the name Aphek is disputed. It may be related to an Assyrian verb that means “be strong [or, firm].” This understanding lies behind the Nueva Biblia Española translation of this name as El Cerco, that is, “The Blockade [or, Fortress].” Other interpreters connect the name to a Hebrew verb meaning “valley bed” or “river torrent.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .