1 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.
2 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.
3 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.
4 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 cherubim: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5 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.
6 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.
7 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.
8 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.
9 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.
10 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.
11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.
12 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.
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, that he could not see.
16 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?
17 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.
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 brake, 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, 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.
20 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.
21 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.
22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.
The fourth chapter of the book of 1 Samuel in the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible is a pivotal chapter in the story of Israel's transition from the rule of judges to the establishment of a monarchy. This chapter follows the defeat of Israel by the Philistines and the loss of the Ark of the Covenant, a sacred object believed to house the presence of God. The main themes of this chapter include the consequences of sin, the sovereignty of God, and the importance of obedience to His commandments. Through the events in this chapter, we learn about the consequences of disobedience and the power and mercy of God to redeem His people.
The chapter begins with the Israelites preparing for battle against the Philistines. However, they are defeated, and approximately four thousand men are killed. The elders of Israel then come up with a plan to bring the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh to the battlefield, believing that it will bring them victory. The Ark of the Covenant was a sacred chest containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments, and it was believed to be the dwelling place of God's presence among His people.
However, the Israelites were using the Ark as a good luck charm rather than seeking God's guidance and protection. They had forgotten the importance of obedience to God's commandments and the need for repentance and faith in Him. Their actions were a clear violation of God's law, which forbade the use of the Ark for superstitious purposes. As a result, God did not grant them victory, and the Philistines defeated them once again, killing thirty thousand Israelite soldiers and capturing the Ark.
The news of the defeat and the loss of the Ark reaches Shiloh, where the high priest Eli, who was also a judge, was waiting for news. When he hears about the capture of the Ark, he falls off his seat and dies. Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who were also priests, were killed in the battle, just as prophesied by a man of God in Chapter 2. The death of Eli and his sons marked the end of their corrupt rule as judges and priests.
The loss of the Ark and the death of the high priest and his sons were significant events that shook the nation of Israel. It was a sign of God's judgment and the consequences of their disobedience. The Israelites had failed to fulfill their duties as God's chosen people, and as a result, they were defeated by their enemies and lost their sacred object of worship.
The Philistines, on the other hand, believed that their gods had given them victory over the Israelites and the capture of the Ark. They took the Ark to the temple of their god Dagon and placed it next to the idol. However, the next morning, they found the statue of Dagon fallen face down before the Ark. They thought it was an accident and placed the statue back in its original position. However, the next morning, they found the statue of Dagon fallen again, this time with its head and hands broken off.
The Philistines then began to experience plagues and diseases, and they attributed it to the presence of the Ark among them. They consulted their priests and diviners, who advised them to return the Ark to the Israelites with a guilt offering. The Philistines made five golden tumors and five golden rats as a guilt offering and placed them in a cart with the Ark. They also added five golden mice to represent the five Philistine rulers.
The Philistines then sent the cart with the Ark and the guilt offering back to the Israelites, who received it with great joy. The Ark was placed in the care of a man named Eleazar, who was from the tribe of Levi, and it remained there for twenty years. During this time, the Philistines were plagued by tumors and diseases, and their land was ravaged by rats and mice. The Philistines eventually realized that it was the Lord who was punishing them for their actions and returned the Ark to the Israelites.
The events in Chapter 4 of 1 Samuel teach us about the consequences of sin and the importance of obedience to God's commandments. The Israelites' defeat and the loss of the Ark were a direct result of their disobedience and their lack of faith in God. They had become complacent and had forgotten the true purpose of the Ark and the importance of seeking God's guidance and protection. Their actions were a clear violation of God's law, and they suffered the consequences.
The Philistines, on the other hand, learned about the sovereignty of God and His power to defeat their false gods. They realized that it was the Lord who was punishing them for their actions and returned the Ark to the Israelites. This event also served as a reminder to the Israelites of God's power and mercy, as He redeemed them from their enemies and returned the Ark to them.
The death of Eli and his sons also marked the end of their corrupt rule as judges and priests. God's judgment was upon them for their disobedience and their failure to fulfill their duties as leaders of God's people. Their death also paved the way for the rise of Samuel as the last judge of Israel and the beginning of the monarchy under King Saul.
In conclusion, Chapter 4 of 1 Samuel in the KJV Holy Bible is a crucial chapter in the story of Israel's transition from the rule of judges to the establishment of a monarchy. Through the defeat of Israel and the loss of the Ark, we learn about the consequences of sin and the importance of obedience to God's commandments. We also witness the sovereignty and power of God as He punishes the Philistines and redeems His people. This chapter serves as a reminder to us to always seek God's guidance and protection and to remain obedient to His commandments.
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