Worthy.Bible » STRONG » 1 Samuel » Chapter 4 » Verse 12-18

1 Samuel 4:12-18 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

12 And there ran H7323 a man H376 of Benjamin H1144 out of the army, H4634 and came H935 to Shiloh H7887 the same day H3117 with his clothes H4055 rent, H7167 and with earth H127 upon his head. H7218

13 And when he came, H935 lo, Eli H5941 sat H3427 upon a seat H3678 by the wayside H1870 H3027 H3197 watching: H6822 for his heart H3820 trembled H2730 for the ark H727 of God. H430 And when the man H376 came H935 into the city, H5892 and told H5046 it, all the city H5892 cried out. H2199

14 And when Eli H5941 heard H8085 the noise H6963 of the crying, H6818 he said, H559 What meaneth the noise H6963 of this tumult? H1995 And the man H376 came H935 in hastily, H4116 and told H5046 Eli. H5941

15 Now Eli H5941 was ninety H8673 and eight H8083 years H8141 old; H1121 and his eyes H5869 were dim, H6965 that he could H3201 not see. H7200

16 And the man H376 said H559 unto Eli, H5941 I am he that came H935 out of the army, H4634 and I fled H5127 to day H3117 out of the army. H4634 And he said, H559 What is there done, H1697 my son? H1121

17 And the messenger H1319 answered H6030 and said, H559 Israel H3478 is fled H5127 before H6440 the Philistines, H6430 and there hath been also a great H1419 slaughter H4046 among the people, H5971 and thy two H8147 sons H1121 also, Hophni H2652 and Phinehas, H6372 are dead, H4191 and the ark H727 of God H430 is taken. H3947

18 And it came to pass, when he made mention H2142 of the ark H727 of God, H430 that he fell H5307 from off the seat H3678 backward H322 by H1157 the side H3027 of the gate, H8179 and his neck H4665 brake, H7665 and he died: H4191 for he was an old H2204 man, H376 and heavy. H3513 And he had judged H8199 Israel H3478 forty H705 years. H8141

Commentary on 1 Samuel 4 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 4

1Sa 4:1-11. Israel Overcome by the Philistines.

1. the word of Samuel came to all Israel—The character of Samuel as a prophet was now fully established. The want of an "open vision" was supplied by him, for "none of his words were let fall to the ground" (1Sa 3:19); and to his residence in Shiloh all the people of Israel repaired to consult him as an oracle, who, as the medium of receiving the divine command, or by his gift of a prophet, could inform them what was the mind of God. It is not improbable that the rising influence of the young prophet had alarmed the jealous fears of the Philistines. They had kept the Israelites in some degree of subjection ever since the death of Samson and were determined, by further crushing, to prevent the possibility of their being trained by the counsels, and under the leadership, of Samuel, to reassert their national independence. At all events, the Philistines were the aggressors (1Sa 4:2). But, on the other hand, the Israelites were rash and inconsiderate in rushing to the field without obtaining the sanction of Samuel as to the war, or having consulted him as to the subsequent measures they took.

Israel went out against the Philistines to battle—that is, to resist this new incursion.

Eben-ezer … Aphek—Aphek, which means "strength," is a name applied to any fort or fastness. There were several Apheks in Palestine; but the mention of Eben-ezer determines this "Aphek" to be in the south, among the mountains of Judah, near the western entrance of the pass of Beth-horon, and consequently on the borders of the Philistine territory. The first encounter at Aphek being unsuccessful, the Israelites determined to renew the engagement in better circumstances.

3-9. Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us—Strange that they were so blind to the real cause of the disaster and that they did not discern, in the great and general corruption of religion and morals (1Sa 2:22-25; 7:3; Ps 78:58), the reason why the presence and aid of God were not extended to them. Their first measure for restoring the national spirit and energy ought to have been a complete reformation—a universal return to purity of worship and morals. But, instead of cherishing a spirit of deep humiliation and sincere repentance, instead of resolving on the abolition of existing abuses, and the re-establishing of the pure faith, they adopted what appeared an easier and speedier course—they put their trust in ceremonial observances, and doubted not but that the introduction of the ark into the battlefield would ensure their victory. In recommending this extraordinary step, the elders might recollect the confidence it imparted to their ancestors (Nu 10:35; 14:44), as well as what had been done at Jericho. But it is more probable that they were influenced by the heathenish ideas of their idolatrous neighbors, who carried their idol Dagon, or his sacred symbols, to their wars, believing that the power of their divinities was inseparably associated with, or residing in, their images. In short, the shout raised in the Hebrew camp, on the arrival of the ark, indicated very plainly the prevalence among the Israelites at this time of a belief in national deities—whose influence was local, and whose interest was especially exerted in behalf of the people who adored them. The joy of the Israelites was an emotion springing out of the same superstitious sentiments as the corresponding dismay of their enemies; and to afford them a convincing, though painful proof of their error, was the ulterior object of the discipline to which they were now subjected—a discipline by which God, while punishing them for their apostasy by allowing the capture of the ark, had another end in view—that of signally vindicating His supremacy over all the gods of the nations.

1Sa 4:12-22. Eli Hearing the Tidings.

13-18. Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside—The aged priest, as a public magistrate, used, in dispensing justice, to seat himself daily in a spacious recess at the entrance gate of the city. In his intense anxiety to learn the issue of the battle, he took up his usual place as the most convenient for meeting with passers-by. His seat was an official chair, similar to those of the ancient Egyptian judges, richly carved, superbly ornamented, high, and without a back. The calamities announced to Samuel as about to fall upon the family of Eli [1Sa 2:34] were now inflicted in the death of his two sons, and after his death, by that of his daughter-in-law, whose infant son received a name that perpetuated the fallen glory of the church and nation [1Sa 4:19-22]. The public disaster was completed by the capture of the ark. Poor Eli! He was a good man, in spite of his unhappy weaknesses. So strongly were his sensibilities enlisted on the side of religion, that the news of the capture of the ark proved to him a knell of death; and yet his overindulgence, or sad neglect of his family—the main cause of all the evils that led to its fall—has been recorded, as a beacon to warn all heads of Christian families against making shipwreck on the same rock.