1 Samuel 4:4 Ulasan

The predictions in the foregoing chapters concerning the ruin of Eli's house here begin to be fulfilled; how long after does not appear, but certainly not long. Such sinners God often makes quick work with. Here is, I. The disgrace and loss Israel sustained in an encounter with the Philistines (Sa1 4:1, Sa1 4:2). II. Their foolish project to fortify themselves by bringing the ark of God into their camp upon the shoulders of Hophni and Phinehas (Sa1 4:3, Sa1 4:4), which made them secure (Sa1 4:5) and struck a fear into the Philistines, but such a fear as roused them (Sa1 4:6-9). III. The fatal consequences of it: Israel was beaten, and the ark taken prisoner (Sa1 4:10, Sa1 4:11). IV. The tidings of this brought to Shiloh, and the sad reception of those tidings. 1. The city was put into confusion (Sa1 4:12, Sa1 4:13). 2. Eli fainted away, fell, and broke his neck (Sa1 4:14-18). 3. Upon hearing what had occurred his daughter-in-law fell in labour, bore a son, but died immediately (Sa1 4:19-22). These were the things which would make the ears of those that heard them to tingle.

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, Sa1 4:1, 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, Sa1 4:8, the news of which being brought to Eli, he fell back and died, Sa1 4:12 and to his daughter-in-law, who upon it fell into labour, and died also, Sa1 4:19.

So the people sent to Shiloh,.... They liked the proposal of the elders, took their advice, and joined with them in a message to Eli the high priest at Shiloh: that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubim; which overshadowed the mercy seat that was upon the ark, and was the residence of the divine Majesty; wherefore having this with them, they concluded they should have the presence of God with them, and so success, see Psa 53:1. and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God; these, either with or without the leave of Eli, took the ark out of the tabernacle, and carried it on their shoulders to the camp, or however attended it there, being borne by other priests or Levites; and by this means they were brought into the camp, and so to battle, to meet their doom there; according to Bunting (d), it was carried by them forty two miles. (d) Travels of the Patriarchs, &c. p. 123.

6. This is certainly the plan, this is the work of Israel against the battle of those falling by the cup — but indeed an unheard-of plan and work, because it is not of Israel according to the spirit, but of Israel according to the flesh; that is, not of one who sees God, but of one who thinks he sees the God whom he despises. For what is it to send to Shiloh, except to have recourse to the law of Moses, to whom it is said by the Lord: "Come, I will send you to Pharaoh" (Exod. 3:10)? What is it to bring the ark of the Lord, except to bring forward the sacraments of the old law by recalling them in order to refute the truth of the new faith? And because they allow none of their own to be ignorant of the same knowledge of the law, the ark is ordered to be brought into their midst. What likewise is the meaning of what they say, "And let it save us from the hand of our enemies," except that while they stubbornly defend the old things, they repel the new, and they hold this as their confidence of salvation — that they cannot be drawn by the zeal of good preachers to the reasoning of the true faith? Therefore, because they boast that they possess the truth of divine knowledge through the old law, they affirm that the same ark, which they order to be brought for their salvation, belongs to the Lord of hosts. And because they think they excel in incomparable knowledge of the same law, while the ark is said to be brought, it is declared to belong to the Lord of hosts who sits upon the cherubim. (Verse 5.) And when the ark had come, all Israel shouted with a great cry.

And the two sons of Eli were with the ark of the covenant of the Lord, etc. The sons of Eli, by both name and merit, signify that the people not believing in Christ in the flesh was partly aided by the fault of the priests of that time. Indeed, Ophni means ‘unshod,’ as stated above; Phinehas means ‘dumb mouth.’ The former signifies dissolution of actions, and the latter also signifies the inactivity of teaching, when even the perfect priests should be adorned by the walk of good work and should be free in the voice of preaching.

A battle between Israel and the Philistines, in which the former are defeated, with the loss of four thousand men, Sa1 4:1, Sa1 4:2. They resolve to give the Philistines battle once more, and bring the ark of the Lord, with Hophni and Phinehas the priests, into the camp, Sa1 4:3, Sa1 4:4. They do so, and become vainly confident, Sa1 4:5. At this the Philistines are dismayed, Sa1 4:6-9. The battle commences; the Israelites are again defeated, with the loss of thirty thousand men; Hophni and Phinehas are among the slain; and the ark of the Lord is taken, Sa1 4:10, Sa1 4:11. A Benjamite runs with the news to Eli; who, hearing of the capture of the ark, falls from his seat, and breaks his neck, Sa1 4:12-18. The wife of Phinehas, hearing of the death of her husband, and father-in-law, and of the capture of the ark, is taken in untimely travail, beings forth a son, calls him I-chabod, and expires, Sa1 4:19-22.

The Lord of hosts - See on Sa1 1:3 (note). Dwelleth between the cherubims - Of what shape the cherubim were, we know not; but there was one of these representative figures placed at each end of the ark of the covenant; and between them, on the lid or cover of that ark, which was called the propitiatory or mercy-seat, the shechinah, or symbol of the Divine presence, was said to dwell. They thought, therefore, if they had the ark, they must necessarily have the presence and influence of Jehovah.

ISRAEL OVERCOME BY THE PHILISTINES. (Sa1 4:1-11) 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" (Sa1 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 (Sa1 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.

War with the Philistines. Loss of the Ark.Death of Eli and His Sons - 1 Samuel 4 At Samuel's word, the Israelites attacked the Philistines, and were beaten (Sa1 4:1, Sa1 4:2). They then fetched the ark of the covenant into the camp according to the advice of the elders, that they might thereby make sure of the help of the almighty covenant God; but in the engagement which followed they suffered a still greater defeat, in which Eli's sons fell and the ark was taken by the Philistines (Sa1 4:3-11). The aged Eli, terrified at such a loss, fell from his seat and broke his neck (Sa1 4:12-18); and his daughter-in-law was taken in labour, and died after giving birth to a son (Sa1 4:19-22). With these occurrences the judgment began to burst upon the house of Eli. But the disastrous result of the war was also to be a source of deep humiliation to all the Israelites. Not only were the people to learn that the Lord had departed from them, but Samuel also was to make the discovery that the deliverance of Israel from the oppression and dominion of its foes was absolutely impossible without its inward conversion to its God.