1 Samuel 4:1-22
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THE PHILISTINES TAKE THE ARK OF THE COVENANT (4:1-11):
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The Israelites went to battle against the Philistines, but they were defeated, and 4,000 Israelites were killed.
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After being defeated, the elders of Israel concluded they needed to bring the Ark of the Covenant with them into the next battle and God would give them victory.
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The Ark was brought from Shiloh and Hophni and Phinehas accompanied it.
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When the Philistines heard the Ark of God was in the enemy camp, they were afraid because they knew the stories of how the God of Israel defeated the Egyptians in Moses’ day.
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Through their fear, they mustered their courage and met Israel on the battlefield.
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The Philistines defeated Israel, killed 30,000 Israelites, including the 2 sons of Eli, and captured the Ark of the Covenant.
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THE DEATH OF ELI (4:12-22):
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A Benjaminite man fled the battle and reported the results to the people of Shiloh.
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When the townspeople heard the news, they all cried out in lament.
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Then the Benjaminite found Eli, who at this point was blind and very old (98 years old, 4:15).
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First, he told Eli Israel had been defeated.
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Second, he told him his two sons had been killed.
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Third, he told Eli the Ark of the Covenant had been captured by the Philistines.
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When he heard about the Ark, Eli fell backwards in his chair, broke his neck, and died.
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He had been a judge in Israel for 40 years.
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When Eli’s pregnant daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was told that her husband was dead, her father-in-law was dead, and the Ark of the Covenant had been taken, she went into labor.
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She gave birth to a son, but she died after the delivery.
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Before dying, she named her son Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.”
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