Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 4:9
Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.
9. quit yourselves ] i.e. behave. Cp. 1Co 16:13. “To quit oneself” = “to acquit oneself,” to release oneself from obligation by meeting the claims upon or expectations entertained of oneself. It is derived from Lat. quietare, through Fr. quitter. Cp. Milton, Samson Agonistes, 1709,
“Samson hath quit himself
Like Samson.”
servants ] Tributary vassals. See Jdg 13:1. The Philistines appear to have had some Israelites as actual slaves (ch. 1Sa 14:21).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 9. Be strong, c.] This was the address to the whole army, and very forcible it was. “If ye do not fight, and acquit yourselves like men, ye will be servants to the Hebrews, as they have been to you and you may expect that they will avenge themselves of you for all the cruelty you have exercised towards them.”
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Quit yourselves like men; since you can expect no relief from your gods, who are not able to resist theirs, it concerns you to put forth all your strength and courage, and once for all to act like brave and valiant men.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines,…. Since this was all they had to depend upon, their manly courage; if they did not exert that it was all over with them; and seeing their case was desperate, having gods as well as men to fight with, it became them to exert themselves to the uttermost; which did they, there was a possibility still of gaining victory, and so immortal honour to themselves; these words seem to be spoken by the generals and officers of the army of the Philistines to the common soldiers:
that ye be not servants to the Hebrews, as they have been to you; that is, before and in the times of Samson; but it appears from hence that at this time neither the Philistines ruled over the Israelites, nor the Israelites over them; but as there was danger of their becoming subject to Israel, they had better die gloriously in the field of battle than to be in the base state of servitude:
quit yourselves like men, and fight; this is repeated to animate them to battle, which they supposed was not far off by the shoutings of the Israelites, and which they must prepare for.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
But instead of despairing, they encouraged one another, saying, “ Show yourselves strong, and be men, O Philistines, that we may not be obliged to serve the Hebrews, as they have served you; be men, and fight! ”
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(9) Be strong, . . . O ye Philistines . . .The ring of these striking wordspart of the same Philistine tradition of their splendid successprobably embodied in some well-known hymn of victory, was evidently in St. Pauls mind when he wrote his stirring words of exhortation to his loved Corinthian Church, Quit ye like men; be strong.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
1Sa 4:9 Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.
Ver. 9. Be strong, and quit yourselves like men. ] Though they were convinced that they should fight against God, yet they hearten up themselves, and resolve to fight howsoever: so doth every obstinate sinner. Ahaziah sent a third captain to fetch the prophet ai despito di Die, as if he would despitefully spit in the face of Heaven, and wrestle a fall with the Almighty.
That ye be not servants unto the Hebrews.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
quit yourselves like = the Hebrew verb hayah, to become; as “was “should be rendered in Gen 1:2.
men. Hebrew. ‘ish or ‘enosh. App-14.
as = according as.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Be strong: 2Sa 10:12, 1Co 16:13, Eph 6:10, Eph 6:11
as they have: Deu 28:47, Deu 28:48, Jdg 10:7, Jdg 13:1, Isa 14:2, Isa 33:1
quit yourselves like men: Heb. be men
Reciprocal: Jos 1:6 – Be strong Jdg 18:9 – be not 2Sa 2:7 – let your 1Ch 19:13 – of good Jer 34:9 – Hebrew
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Sa 4:9. Be strong, and quit yourselves like men When they were recovered out of the fright which had at first seized them, they considered that they had made the Israelites subject to them notwithstanding the power of their God, and had also overthrown them in a late battle. Probably the words of this verse were spoken by some of their commanders, or they spoke thus to encourage one another.