46. B.C. 1149 to 1095

B.C. 1149 to 1095

Chapter VI

Timeline View:

1. As Samson does not appear to have exercised any authority, civil or military, even in the southern portion of Palestine adjoining the Philistine territory to which his operations were confined, he might be described as a scourge of the Philistines rattler than a Judge of Israel. Without doubt, the civil government, as far as any existed in such disorderly times, was directed by the high priest—which office, during a portion of Samson’s time, appears to have been held by Eli, although, for chronological purposes, his administration is said to begin where the history of Samson ends. Eli judged Israel for forty years after the death of Samson. In the course of his administration, Hannah, the wife of Elkanah, a Levite, who had been barren, and on that account much insulted by another wife of Elkanah, who was fruitful, in her distress prayed to the Lord to give her a son, and vowed that if her shit were granted, she would dedicate that son as a Nazarite to the Lord all the days of his life. The petition was heard, and she called her son Samuel, signifying “heard of God,” or “given of God.” In accordance with the vow of special dedication, the child had no sooner reached a proper age than he was taken to the tabernacle at Shiloh, and left there under the care of Eli, who soon became much attached to him, and, as he grew up, employed him in personal attendance on himself, and in various services about the tabernacle.

2. Eli himself was descended from Ithamar, the second son of Aaron, and appears to have been the first high priest of the younger branch of the family. We know not on what occasion the elder branch, descended from Eleazer, had been set aside. Eli was a pious man, but of too easy and mild a disposition for his high situation. His gentle rebukes had therefore very little effect upon his two sons, Hophni and Phineas, who proved so degenerate, that they were guilty of the grossest excesses and most criminal abuses of their priestly office; and hence the presentation of offerings and sacrifices became disagreeable and hateful to all the people. Although sensible of their had conduct, Eli did not interpose his authority to put a stop to it.

3. Thus matters proceeded until the boy Samuel had attained the age of twelve years, when he was called by night, in a very remarkable way, to the prophetic office. On that occasion the destruction and deposition of Eli’s house were denounced, on account of the iniquities of his sons and his own criminal neglect—“because his sons made themselves vile, and be restrained them not.” Samuel could not conceal this revelation from Eli. The aged pontiff, in conformity with the usual passive piety of his character, answered meekly, “It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth to him good!” From that time forward Samuel was favored with frequent communications from God. The youth also conducted himself with so much propriety aid discretion, that the people generally looked to him with affection and confidence, as appointed of God to an office which appears to have been for a long time intermitted.

4. Ten years after the call of Samuel, the Israelites, without the consent or authority of their Divine King, whom they ought to have consulted, embarked in an ill-considered war with the Philistines. Being defeated in the first engagement with the loss of 4000 men, they had the presumption to send for the ark of God, out of the tabernacle, that they might fight under its protection. It was borne to the wars by Hophni and Phineas with other priests; and its arrival filled the Philistines with dread, as they identified it with the presence of “the mighty God, that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues.” Yet they encouraged one another to fight manfully to save themselves from such bondage as that in which they had held the Israelites. Again they were victorious: 30,000 men of Israel fell in the battle; Hophni and Phineas were slain; and the ark of the covenant was taken. Eli, now blind with age, and his heart trembling for the ark of God, sat watching by the way side for the first news from the battle. He soon heard the disastrous tidings, and when the messenger announced that “the ark of God was taken,” he fell off his seat, and, being heavy and old, his neck was broken by the fall.

Ox-Wagons

Ox-Cart

5. The Philistines conveyed the ark to Ashdod, and placed it in the temple of Dagon their god, whose idol bore a figure half fish and half man. By this they perhaps in tended to chew that their god had triumphed over the God whom the Hebrews worshipped. But He, always jealous of His glory, delayed not to vindicate it on this occasion. On successive nights, the image of Dagon was found thrice to have fallen prostrate before the ark, and the third time it was broken in pieces. He also smote the Philistines with a grievous disease, and with swarms of field-mice which marred the land; and they were at length compelled to appease the wrath of the God of Israel, by trespass offerings expressive of the plagues with which they had been visited. These were five golden mice, and five golden emerods, which they put in a coffer beside the ark. They then set the ark on a new car, drawn by milch cows taken from their calves. which. without guidance, took the right road to the land of Israel, and stopped at Bethshemesh, a city of the priests in the tribe of Judah. The restored ark, which had been seven months among the Philistines, was received with great joy by the people; but this was soon turned into mourning, for not fewer than 50,070 men were struck with sudden death for presuming to look into the ark. This made the men of Bethshemesh as much afraid as the Philistines had been, to have the ark any longer among them, and they invited the inhabitants of the neighboring town of Kirjath-jearim to send and take it to themselves. They did so, and deposited it in the house of Abinadab, “upon the hill,” who set apart his son Eleazer to take care of it. There it remained for eighty-two years, or until the tenth year of the reign of king David.

6. Notwithstanding these signal events, the Israelites, who remained in subjection to the Philistines, continued careless of the obligations of the covenant, and negligent of the worship of God. The exertions of Samuel, however, in the course of time, brought them round to a better state of feeling; and after twenty years, they were disposed to return to their allegiance to their Divine King. Having, therefore, put aside all their strange gods, they held a solemn feast of humiliation for their sins at Mizpeh in Benjamin, and there poured out water before the Lord in token of their grief. Samuel, who was then formally recognized as judge over Israel, earnestly interceded for them, and implored deliverance from the Philistines, who had taken alarm at this large assemblage, and were then advancing to disperse them. This prayer was answered by a thunder-storm so tremendous, and so entirely unexpected at that season of the year, as struck such terror and amazement into the Philistines, that they were easily put to flight, and were pursued and smitten by the Israelites. The consequences of this victory relieved them from the yoke of the Philistines, who were obliged to restore the places taken from Israel, and were not in a condition to give any further disturbance during Samuel’s administration.

7. The prophet-judge administered the government with great ability and care; and perhaps made the office of the judge in time of peace, more efficient than it had ever been before. For the regular administration of justice, he took an annual circuit through the land to Bethel, Gilgal, Mizpeh, and Ramah, which last was the place of his usual residence. At that place he erected an altar for sacrifices; and this was doubtless by special order or permission, as otherwise it would have been contrary to the letter and spirit of the law. Besides, the ark, that most sacred symbol of the Divine Presence, was not then in the tabernacle, and the spot destined for its final resting-place was not yet known.

8. At length Samuel, growing “old and grey headed,” appointed his sons Joel and Abiah to act as his deputies in the southern district of Palestine. They accordingly settled their residence at Beer-sheba; but, in their management of affairs, they proved as unlike their father as Eli’s sons had been unlike him. Greedy of gain, and careful only how to turn their public employment to their own private advantage, “they took bribes, and perverted judgment.”

Bird