1 Samuel 4:16

16 And the man said unto Eli, I come from the battle; I fled today out of the army. And he said unto him, What has happened, my son?

1 Samuel 4:16 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 4:16

And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army,
&c.] It is very probable that the people Eli inquired of told him there was a messenger come from the army, though they did not choose to relate to him the news he brought:

and I fled today out of the army;
so that as he was an eyewitness of what was done in the army, the account he brought was the earliest that could be had, in bringing which he had made great dispatch, having ran perhaps all the way:

and he said, what is there done, my son?
has a battle been fought? on which side is the victory? is Israel beaten, or have they conquered? how do things go? he uses the kind and tender appellation, my son, to engage him to tell him all freely and openly.

1 Samuel 4:16 In-Context

14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What is the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily and told Eli.

15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes had become dim so that he could not see.

16 And the man said unto Eli, I come from the battle; I fled today out of the army. And he said unto him, What has happened, my son?

17 And the messenger answered and said, Israel fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God was taken.

18 And it came to pass when he made mention of the ark of God, Eli fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck broke, and he died; for he was an old man and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.