1 Samuel 4

Chap. IV. Ver. 1-22. The Israelites fight with the Philistines, and are defeated; the ark is taken, and Eli dies, &c.— On what ground, or from what motive, the Israelites at this time ventured to attack their enemies, is unknown, for it does not appear that they had any divine authority, either through Samuel or Eli. The latter, we find, when he heard that the ark was gone into the camp, (ver. 13.) sat watching by the wayside, and his heart trembled for its safety. This circumstance may, perhaps, lead us into the true origin of this unfortunate conflict. The sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, having lost their character with all the wise and good in Israel, now seek to ingratiate themselves with the army, and bringing down the ark, evidently without the consent of their father, try to persuade the people that the ark itself would save them, without the divine presence residing in it.

And this has ever been the fatal error of vain and presumptuous professors: “The temple of the Lord are we,” said some vain-glorious boasters; and the sons of Belial, that had defied the Lord, and almost broken their father’s heart, now flatter themselves—“When the ark cometh among us, (say they) it will save us from our enemies.” They vainly thought, that by bringing up the Ark they should secure the divine support. When the ark arrived, therefore, they “shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.” The Philistines were now alarmed, for they understood that their God was come: the God that smote the Egyptians; and they anticipated a like destruction. Whether or not any one discovered to them the real fact, that the God of Israel was not with the ark, we know not; they, however, encouraged each other to fight like men, and they soon found they had none but men to fight with; for Israel was a second time defeated, with great slaughter: even the ark itself was taken, and the ungodly sons of Eli, who had probably been the authors of this rash attempt, were both slain.

Eli himself, now full ninety-eight years old, who we have seen, sat trembling to hear the issue, (for he could neither see nor move,) no sooner heard the fate of the ark, than he fell down, probably in an apoplectic fit, and broke his neck, and died; the wife of Phinehas, also, who was now pregnant, and near her time, hearing of the event, was taken in premature labour, and died; but before she died, she named the child E-chabod, saying, “The glory is departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken.” This language may lead us to hope that there was some good thing in her toward the Lord her God, as well as in her father Eli; and from both instances we may learn, never to infer from temporal judgments on any persons, their desertion of God, and final misery.

Yet we may see, also, what an awful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God. He had said, ((1 Samuel 3:12).) “When I begin I will make an end;” and lo! in one day Eli, his two sons, and one of their wives, are summoned to another world; Israel defeated, the priests slain, the supreme magistrate dead, and the ark of God taken.

Notes on the verses

Ver. 10. The Lord came and stood.—This is generally understood of a divine appearance; but Dr. Clarke thinks it referred only to the voice appearing stationary. So we read, ((Genesis 3:8).) of “the voice of the Lord walking in the garden,” &c.

Ver. 15. Samuel feared, &c.—[Samuel reverenced Eli as a father, and feared to distress him by showing what God had purposed to do. It does not appear that God commanded Samuel to deliver this message; he, therefore, did not attempt it till adjured by Eli.]—Bagster.

Ver. 20. From Dan to Beer-sheba.—These were the northern and southern extremities of Israel.

Ver. 21. The Lord appeared again.—This is explained by the words following as revealed himself “by the word of the Lord;” i.e. by the Spirit of God.

Chap. IV. Ver. 1. And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.—This clause is joined, by the ancient versions, to the former chapter, nearly thus: “The Lord revealed himself to Samuel by the word of the Lord, and the word of Samuel came to all Israel;” or, as Dr. Boothroyd renders it, “And Samuel said it to all Israel.” The attaching the clause to this chapter, seems to imply, that it was by his direction that Israel made this attack upon the Philistines, for which there is no authority.—Aphek.—[This place was situated in the tribe of Judah, and is probably the same as Aphekah, (Joshua 15:53). It must be carefully distinguished from that near Jezreel, and another in Asher.]—Bagster.

Ver. 5. All Israel shouted.—[They vainly supposed that the ark would save them, when the God of it had departed from them because of their wickedness. It was customary with all the nations of the earth to take their gods and sacred ensigns with them to war. The Persians, Indians, Greeks, Romans, Germans, Philistines, &c. did so. Consecrated crosses, blessing and hallowing of colours and standards, are the modern remains of these ancient superstitions.]—Bagster.