A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 2 · Commentary on 1 Samuel · Chapter 4
1 Samuel, CHAP. IV.
CHapter the Fourth, Relateth how part of Samuel's Prophecy concerning Eli and his Sons was fulfilled here, &c.
The Remarks upon it are, Firſt, A new War ariſeth betwixt the Philiſtines and Iſrael; which was thus occaſioned.
Firſt, The Philiſtines having by this time recruited themſelves after their dreadful damage by Sampſon, Judg. 16.30. and now underſtanding that an Eminent Prophet was now ariſing in Iſrael, by whom they might be both United and Aſſiſted; they thought fit [Venienti occurrere morbò] to ſuppreſs the Iſraelites in the beginning of their hopes of being reſcued from their Tyrannical Dominion: Hereupon they came forth to fight againſt Iſrael, while their Judge Eli was Old and Feeble, and Samuel was Young and Tender. And,
Secondly, On the other hand the Iſraelites had a word of command from God by Samuel to go forth and fight the Philiſtines; that thereby they might firſt be puniſhed for their ſins, and duly humbled before the Lord, and ſo truly prepared for their future Victory. Hereupon they Fight, and the Philiſtines ſlew four thouſand of them, ver. 1, 2.
The Second Remark is, So Sottiſh and Blind was Iſrael in the beginning of Samuel's Day, that they quite miſtook the real cauſe of their preſent Calamity in falling before the Philiſtines, v. 3. ſeeing they had ſo juſt a quarrel, and in their own defence only; they engaged in the Battle, and that at Gods command by Samuel: Therefore do they aſcribe their preſent diſaſter to the abſence of the Ark in the Army, becauſe its preſence had been ſo ſucceſsful to their Anceſtors, Numb. 10.35. and 14.44. and 32.6. and Joſh. 6.4. But alas, this was a meer fallacy now to take; [non cauſam pro cauſà] For in thoſe former inſtances Iſrael was then in a ſtate of favour with God, but now they were in a ſtate of direful Defection to Apoſtacy and Idolatry, Chap. 2.12, &c and Chap. 7.3. and Pſal. 78.58, 61, 62, 64. but none of thoſe foul faults could the, find out, much leſs the Plague of their own Hearts; and thereupon their Sin found out them, 1 King. 8 38. Numb. 32.23.
N. B. So groſly …gnorant was Iſrael now, that their deficiencies in Morals, they think to make up with ſome cheap Ceremonials.
N. B. Too many ſuch we have in our Day.
N. B. Iſrael here can eaſier fetch the Ark into their Army, than Reform what offended God, by Repenting of their ſins, and Returning to the Covenant made with Him.
The Third Remark is, The Ark of the Covenant is fetched (without waiting upon God for his warrant, or conſulting with Samuel) which ſhould not have been ſevered from the Mercy-Seat, and between the Cherubims, v. 4.
N. B. Therefore as Mendoza thinketh, they fetch'd all together, to ſhew what an horrible loſs did befal Iſrael, when the Ark did fall into the Philiſtines hands; which, had this People been truly Penitent, would not have been: But the two Sons of Belial went with the Ark, and this alone was enough to Forſeit and Betray it.
The Fourth Remark is, The entrance of the Ark into the midſt of the Army, cauſeth, (1.) The Iſraelites to rejoice; And (2.) The Philiſtines to tremble, v. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Now Iſrael on the one hand placeth their confidence in an Ark of Wood among them, not regarding the abſence of the God of Iſrael from his Ark: Herein they were become as bad as the Superſtitious Philiſtines themſelves; who carried their Carved Images (which are called their Gods) into the Field with them, 2 Sam. 5.21. that they might fight for them. But ſuch Carnal Confidence always concludes in Dreadful Confuſion, as it did here. But on the other hand, as Iſrael Triumph'd at the Arks preſence, (though it was but a Short Triumph, Job 20.5. and a Triumph without a Victory) ſo the Philiſtines trembled at it, crying, [Was there ever ſuch a thing heretofore?] that is, not as they knew of, though it had been at the Siege of Jericho, and in the War with the Meidianites, Numb. 31.6, &c. and they add [Wo unto us] Acknowledging the God of Iſrael to be mightier than their Gods, yet harden themſelves and reſolve to fight, &c.
The Fifth Remark is, The Second Battle had far more Fatal and Foul effects to Iſrael notwithſtanding their Carnal Confidence that the Ark of Wood would fight for them, than the firſt had; for now there fell down Dead Thirty Thouſand men, v. 10. The Ark wherein they truſted was taken, and the two Belialists, that were the bearers of it, Hophni and Phinehas, were both ſlain, ver. 11. Of whom Joſephus ſaith, that their Father Eli charged them, that they ſhould live and die with it, and if it were loſt never to look him in the Face more.
N. B. By all this God taught his People that his Ark and Ordinances, were never inſtituted by him to become Sanctuaries to impenitent ſinners, but for the Comfort of thoſe that truly repent and believe, &c. Pſal. 132.8.
The Sixth and Laſt Remark is, The ſad Cataſtrophe cauſed by the very tidings of this diſmal Defeat.
Firſt, Old Eli ſat trembling, v. 12, 13. his guilty Conſcience miſgave him from Samuel's Prediction. Bad News like bad Weather comes in haſtily unſent for, v. 14, 15, 16, 17. He bears to hear of the loſs of his Subjects as Judge, and of his Sons as a Father; but the loſs of the Ark as an High Prieſt; this knocks him down backward v. 18. and 'tis hard to tell whether his Neck or Heart was firſt broken; after he had been Iſraels Supream Governor beth in Civils and Spirituals Forty Years. And,
Secondly, His Daughter in-Law, a good Wiſe to a bad Husband, was by grief for the like loſs, (not of her Husband but of the Ark) brought to travel before her full time, and ſo ſhe brought forth; yet was ſhe ſo overwhelmed with ſorrow, that ſhe was uncapable of comfort when told it, but her Soul and her Son paſſed out of her Body almoſt both together, ſave only that ſhe named him twice Jechabod; ſpeaking but once of the loſs of her Father and Husband, but twice of the loſs of the Ark, Iſrael's Glory. This good Woman bewailed her Spiritual loſs more than Civil or Domeſtick, v. 19, 20, 21.