1 Samuel 4:18-22

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:12-18

Tidings are here brought to Shiloh of the fatal issue of their battle with the Philistines. Bad news flies fast. This soon spread through all Israel; every man that fled to his tent brought it, with too plain a proof of it, to his neighbours. But no place was so nearly concerned as Shiloh. Thither therefore an express posted away immediately; it was a man of Benjamin; the Jews fancy it was Saul. He rent his clothes, and put earth upon his head, by these signs to proclaim the sorrowful news to... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:19-22

We have here another melancholy story, that carries on the desolations of Eli's house, and the sorrowful feeling which the tidings of the ark's captivity excited. It is concerning the wife of Phinehas, one of those ungracious sons of Eli that had brought all this mischief on Israel. It cost her her life, though young, as well as that of her father-in-law, that was old; for many a green head, as well as many a hoary head, has been brought by sorrow to the grave: it worketh death. By what is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:18

And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God ,.... Of the taking of that, it struck him to the heart, and killed him; the rest he bore tolerably well, the flight of Israel before the Philistines, the great slaughter made of them, the death of his two sons; but the taking of the ark was so dreadful to him, that he could not support under it: that he fell from off the seat backward, by the side of the gate ; which confirms the sense of 1 Samuel 4:13 though whether it was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:19

And his daughter in law, Phinehas's wife, was with child, near to be delivered ,.... Was near her time, as it is commonly expressed. Ben Gersom derives the word from a root which signifies to complete and finish F11 כלה "absolvere, consummare, perficere", Buxtorf. ; denoting that her time to bring forth was completed and filled up; though Josephus F12 Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 3.) sect. 4. says that it was a seven months' birth, so that she came two months before her time;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:20

And about the time of her death ,.... Which quickly came on after she was brought to bed: the women that stood by her ; who were called to her labour, and assisted at it: said unto her, fear not, for thou hast born a son ; perceiving that she was very low spirited, endeavoured to cheer and comfort her, by observing to her that the worst was over; and besides she had brought forth a man child, which was usually matter of joy to a family, and particularly to the woman that bears it,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:21

And she named the child Ichabod ,.... Which some render, "where is the glory?" as in the margin of our Bibles; but it signifies "no glory", as Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it; her husband being dead, she gives her child its name; the reason for which name follows: saying, the glory is departed from Israel : the God of glory, or the glorious Lord, was departed from Israel; the ark, the symbol of his presence, being taken from them, and carried captive by the enemy; see Psalm 78:61 . ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:22

And she said ,.... Repeating what she had said before, for the confirmation of it, or as correcting what the women had said; and so may be rendered: but she said ; giving her own and only reason for the name of the child: the glory is departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken ; so when the word, worship, and ordinances of God are removed from a people, the glory is gone from them; the God of glory is no more seen among them, who is so glorious in his nature, perfections, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 4:18

When he made mention of the ark of God - Eli bore all the relation till the messenger came to this solemn word; he had trembled before for the ark, and now, hearing that it was captured, he was transfixed with grief, fell down from his seat, and dislocated his neck! Behold the judgments of God! But shall we say that this man, however remiss in the education of his children, and criminal in his indulgence towards his profligate sons, which arose more from the easiness of his... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 4:19

And his daughter-in-law - This is another very affecting story; the defeat of Israel, the capture of the ark, the death of her father-in-law, and the slaughter of her husband, were more than a woman in her circumstances, near the time of her delivery could bear. She bowed, travailed, was delivered of a son, gave the child a name indicative of the ruined state of Israel, and expired! read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 4:20

But she answered not - She paid no attention to what the women had said concerning her having borne a son; that information she regarded not. read more

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