1 Samuel 4:15-22

15 Now `Eli was ninety-eight years old; and his eyes were set, so that he could not see.

16 The man said to `Eli, I am he who came out of the army, and I fled today out of the army. He said, How went the matter, my son?

17 He who brought the news answered, Yisra'el is fled before the Pelishtim, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people, and your two sons also, Hofni and Pinechas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.

18 It happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that [`Eli] fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck broke, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. He had judged Yisra'el forty years.

19 His daughter-in-law, Pinechas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the news that the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and brought forth; for her pains came on her.

20 About the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, Don't be afraid; for you have brought forth a son. But she didn't answer, neither did she regard it.

21 She named the child Ikhavod, saying, The glory is departed from Yisra'el; because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.

22 She said, The glory is departed from Yisra'el; for the ark of God is taken.

1 Samuel 4:15-22 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.