1 Samuel 4:13-22

13 And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching; for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told it, all the city cried out.

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

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

16 And the man said unto Eli, "I am he that came from the army, and I fled today from the army." And he said, "What is done there, my son?"

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

18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he 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.

19 And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, soon to be delivered. And when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed, for her pains came upon her.

20 And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said unto her, "Fear not, for thou hast borne a son." But she answered not, neither did she regard it.

21 And she named the child Ichabod [that is, Where is the glory?], saying, "The glory has departed from Israel"--because the ark of God was taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband.

22 And she said, "The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken."

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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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

1 Samuel 4:13-22

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1 Samuel 4:13-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 4