1-samuel 4:12
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth on his head.
American King James Version (AKJV)
And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth on his head.
American Standard Version (ASV)
And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
And a man of Benjamin went running from the fight and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothing out of order and earth on his head.
Webster's Revision
And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.
World English Bible
There ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn, and with earth on his head.
English Revised Version (ERV)
And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.
Definitions for 1-samuel 4:12
Clarke's 1-samuel 4:12 Bible Commentary
Came to Shiloh the same day - The field of battle could not have been at any great distance, for this young man reached Shiloh the same evening after the defeat.
With his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head - These were signs of sorrow and distress among all nations. The clothes rent, signified the rending, dividing, and scattering, of the people; the earth, or ashes on the head, signified their humiliation: "We are brought down to the dust of the earth; we are near to our graves." When the Trojan fleet was burnt, Aeneas is represented as tearing his robe from his shoulder, and invoking the aid of his gods: -
Tum pius Aeneas humeris abscindere vestem,
Auxilioque vocare Deos, et tendere palmas.
Virg. Aen. lib. v., ver. 685.
"The prince then tore his robes in deep despair,
Raised high his hands, and thus address'd his prayer."
Pitt.
We have a remarkable example in the same poet, where he represents the queen of King Latinus resolving on her own death, when she found that the Trojans had taken the city by storm: -
Purpueros moritura manu discindit amictus.
Aen. lib. xii., ver. 603.
She tears with both her hands her purple vest.
But the image is complete in King Latinus himself, when he heard of the death of his queen, and saw his city in flames: -
- It scissa veste Latinus, Conjugis attonitus fatis, urbisque ruina,
continued...
Barnes's 1-samuel 4:12 Bible Commentary
Runners who were swift of foot, and could go long distances were important and well-known persons (compare 2 Samuel 18:19-31). There seem to have been always professional runners to act as messengers with armies in the field (2 Kings 11:4, 2 Kings 11:6,2 Kings 11:19, the King James Version "guards").
Earth upon his head - In token of bitter grief. Compare the marginal references.
