1 Samuel 4:2
And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.
And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel,.... Prepared for battle, and put themselves in a posture for it; formed themselves in a line of battle, and so invited and challenged the Israelites to fight them:
and when they joined battle; engaged with each other, the Israelites doing the same, putting themselves in a proper form and posture for fighting; or "the battle was spread", or "spread itself" {b}; that is, as the Targum, they that made war were spread; the soldiers were placed in order for battle, to the right and left, which took up on both sides a large space; though Abarbinel understands this in a very different sense, and takes the word to have the same signification as in
Psalms 78:60, where it has the sense of forsaking; and so here the Israelites forsook the battle, and fled, which brought on their destruction, flight being, as the Jews say {c}, the beginning of fall or ruin, as it follows:
Israel was smitten before the Philistines; they had the worst of it and were beaten:
and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men; so many fell upon the spot, in the field.
{b} hmxlmh vjtw "et diffusum est praelium", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius.
{c} Misn. Sotah, c. 8. sect. 6.