The Philistines were scared because they thought that gods had come to the camp. ¹  They said, “Too bad for ²  us! We’ve never seen anything like this!

biblegateway 1Sa 4:7

The Philistines were afraid, for they said, "God has come into the camp." And they said, "Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before.

they panicked. "The gods have entered their camp!" they said. "Woe to us, nothing like this has happened before.

Then they were frightened and said, "A god has come into their camp." They also said, "Oh no! Nothing like this has ever happened before.

biblegateway 1Sa 4:7

the Philistines were afraid. "A god has come into the camp," they said. "We’re in trouble! Nothing like this has happened before.

the Philistines were afraid, for they said, "A god has come into the camp." And they said, "Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before.

bibleoremus 1Sa 4:7

the Philistines were afraid; for they said, "Gods have come into the camp." They also said, "Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before.

they were alarmed. “A god has come into the camp,” they cried. “We are lost! No such thing has ever happened before.

biblegateway 1Sa 4:7

So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, "God has come into the camp!" And they said, "Woe to us! For such a thing has never happened before.

And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.

biblegateway 1Sa 4:7

The Philistines were scared because they thought that gods had come to the camp. ¹  They said, “Too bad for ²  us! We’ve never seen anything like this!

¹ tn The Hebrew text has a direct quote, “because they said, ‘Gods have come to the camp.’” Even though the verb translated “have come” is singular, the following subject should be taken as plural (“gods”), as v. 8 indicates. Some emend the verb to a plural form.

² tn Traditionally “woe to.” They thought disaster was imminent.