And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek. Ver. 1. _And the word of Samuel came to all Israel._] It was commonly noised and noticed what he had foretold against Eli and the whol... [ Continue Reading ]
And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men. Ver. 2. _And the Philistines put themselves in array._] Heb., Marshalled themselves: to meet Israel, as... [ Continue Reading ]
And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies. Ver. 3. _Wh... [ Continue Reading ]
So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth [between] the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, [were] there with the ark of the covenant of God. Ver. 4. _So the people sent to Shiloh._] This they di... [ Continue Reading ]
And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again. Ver. 5. _And when the ark, &c._] The ark was indeed to the Israel of God, the chiefest evidence of his gracious presence, and the most principal type of Christ. The... [ Continue Reading ]
And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What [meaneth] the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp. Ver. 6. _And they understood._] _Per exploratores,_ saith Vatablus, by their scouts and int... [ Continue Reading ]
And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore. Ver. 7. _And the Philistines were afraid._] But without cause; for God - who as Josephus well saith, was greater than the ark - was their enemy. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these [are] the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. Ver. 8. _Woe unto us!_] So at the siege of Mountabon, in France, when the Popish soldiers heard the people of God within the town singing a p... [ Continue Reading ]
Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight. Ver. 9. _Be strong, and quit yourselves like men._] Though they were convinced that they should fight against God, yet they hearten up... [ Continue Reading ]
And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. Ver. 10. _Every man into his tent,_] _i.e., _ Into his house, _pedibus pro armis usi, et depositis hastis domum ad beato... [ Continue Reading ]
And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain. Ver. 11. _And the ark of God was taken._] By the wicked Philistines, who had as little joy of it - for it plagued them - as the Israelites before had benefit by it: _Ut videas quid, ant quantum res sanctae sine... [ Continue Reading ]
And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head. Ver. 12. _And there ran a man of Benjamin._] Not Saul, as some of the Jewish doctors have dreamed, but another Benjamite. _ With his clothes rent._] In token of gri... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 13. _Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching,_] _i.e., _ Waiting what news from the camp, and praying fo... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 14. _And the man came in hastily._] Aι βλαβαι ποδωκεις : Ill news, like ill weather, cometh ere it be sent for; but this doleful messenger was not so discree... [ Continue Reading ]
Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see. Ver. 15. _And his eyes were dim._] Heb., Stood. They were shrunk in his head by the contraction of the sinews.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the man said unto Eli, I [am] he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son? Ver. 16. _And I fled today out of the army._] I am an eyewitness, and therefore may be credited. But he should not have poured forth all the ill news at once,... [ Continue Reading ]
And the messenger answered and said, Israel is 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. Ver. 17. _Israel is fled, &c._] Themselves had by their sins abandoned the vict... [ Continue Reading ]
_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 brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years._ Ver. 18. _When he made mention of the ark._] This word struck him... [ Continue Reading ]
And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, [near] 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. Ver. 19. _That the ark af God was taken.... [ Continue Reading ]
And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard [it]. Ver. 20. _Neither did she regard it._] _See Trapp on "_ 1Sa 4:19 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. Ver. 21. _And she named the child Ichabod,_] _i.e., _ Inglorious, _a_ as Josephus interpreteth it. Now no glory, because no ark. _b_ And b... [ Continue Reading ]
And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken. Ver. 22. _The glory is departed._] This comes in twice; the other of her father and husband is but once named.... [ Continue Reading ]