1 Samuel 4:13-22

13 cumque ille venisset Heli sedebat super sellam contra viam aspectans erat enim cor eius pavens pro arca Domini vir autem ille postquam ingressus est nuntiavit urbi et ululavit omnis civitas

14 et audivit Heli sonitum clamoris dixitque quis est hic sonitus tumultus huius at ille festinavit et venit et adnuntiavit Heli

15 Heli autem erat nonaginta et octo annorum et oculi eius caligaverant et videre non poterat

16 et dixit ad Heli ego sum qui veni de proelio et ego qui de acie fugi hodie cui ille ait quid actum est fili mi

17 respondens autem qui nuntiabat fugit inquit Israhel coram Philisthim et ruina magna facta est in populo insuper et duo filii tui mortui sunt Ofni et Finees et arca Dei capta est

18 cumque ille nominasset arcam Dei cecidit de sella retrorsum iuxta ostium et fractis cervicibus mortuus est senex enim erat vir et grandevus et ipse iudicavit Israhel quadraginta annis

19 nurus autem eius uxor Finees praegnans erat vicinaque partui et audito nuntio quod capta esset arca Dei et mortuus socer suus et vir suus incurvavit se et peperit inruerant enim in eam dolores subiti

20 in ipso autem momento mortis eius dixerunt ei quae stabant circa eam ne timeas quia filium peperisti quae non respondit eis neque animadvertit

21 et vocavit puerum Hicabod dicens translata est gloria de Israhel quia capta est arca Dei et pro socero suo et pro viro suo

22 et ait translata est gloria ab Israhel eo quod capta esset arca Dei

1 Samuel 4:13-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 4

This chapter is a narrative of a war between Israel and the Philistines, in the time of Samuel, and of the consequences of it. In the first battle, the Philistines had the better of the Israelites, which caused the latter to inquire into the reason of it, and who proposed to fetch the ark of the Lord, and did, to repair their loss, and prepare for a second battle, in which they hoped to succeed, and which struck a panic into their enemies, 1Sa 4:1-7, who yet encouraged and stirred up one another to behave in a courageous manner, and victory a second time was on their side, a great number of the Israelites were slain, among whom were Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, and the ark of God was taken, 1Sa 4:8-11, the news of which being brought to Eli, he fell back and died, 1Sa 4:12-18 and to his daughter-in-law, who upon it fell into labour, and died also, 1Sa 4:19-22.