Jonathan Defeats the Philistines

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(1 Samuel 14:1) Now it came to pass one day that Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison that is on the other side." But he did not tell his father.

At the end of the last chapter, three companies of Philistines had pretty much surrounded Saul, Jonathan, and their small army of six hundred men.  The Philistines were busy plundering the land and not immediately intent on attacking Saul and his men.  It appears they must have remained like that for at least a couple of days or more, because "one day" Jonathan, Saul's son, decided it was time to do something.  He told his armor-bearer that they should go over to the Philistine garrison that was on the other side of them.  However, he did not tell his father of his plan.

(2) And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron, and the people with him were about six hundred men, (3) And Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord's priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan was gone.

Saul waited in the uppermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron which was north of Gibeah in the field of Gibeah.  He still had his six hundred men, no more or no less, and that included Ahijah the priest.  He came from the line of Eli who had been the Lord's priest in Shiloh.  Ichabod was the child that Phinehas's wife bore prematurely on hearing the news that the ark had been taken and that her husband and Eli, her father-in-law, had died (1 Samuel 4:19).  Ichabod apparently had an older brother named Ahitub, whose son was Ahijah.  Saul and the people with him did not know that Jonathan was gone.

(4) And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines' garrison, a sharp rock on the one side and a sharp rock on the other side, and the name of the one Bozez and the name of the other Seneh. 

I believe "the passages" refers to the common passageways from one place to another that were now obstructed by the Philistines.  Jonathan had to find another way to cross over to the Philistine garrison.  Between the passages were two large sharp rocks that were known and even named, one Bozez meaning "shining" which might suggest smooth and slippery, and the other Seneh meaning "thorn" or "bramble."  

(5) The forefront of the one was situated northward opposite Michmash and the other southward opposite Gibeah.

I believe the sense is that both rocks were in the way between the passages, not across from each other, but the northern one faced Michmash and the southern one faced Gibeah.

(6) And Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us, for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few."

Jonathan again told his armor bearer that they should go over to the garrison of the Philistines, and in additional encouragement, he said that the Lord might do the work for them, as there was no limit to God's power.  God could save with an army or with just a few men.  That shows that Jonathan had great faith in the Lord.  He hadn't said that the Lord would definitely do the work for them, because he had not received a word from the Lord, but he had no doubt that his Lord was well able if it was in His will to do so.

(7) And his armorbearer said to him, "Do all that is in your heart; turn, behold, I am with you according to your heart."

Jonathan's armor bearer told Jonathan to do what was in his heart to do, to turn the way he wanted to go, and he would willingly follow him.

(8) Then Jonathan said, "Behold, we will pass over to these men, and we will let them discover us. (9) If they say thus to us, 'Wait until we come to you,' then we will stand still in our place and will not go up to them. (10) But if they say thus, 'Come up to us,' then we will go up, for the Lord has delivered them into our hand, and this be a sign to us."

Jonathan told his armor bearer that they would pass over to the Philistines and let them discover them.  Then if the Philistines told them to wait there until they came to them, they would stand there and not go to them.  However, if they said, "Come up to us," they would see that as a sign that the Lord had delivered the Philistines into their hands, and they would indeed go to the Philistines.  That would be a sign from the Lord telling them what they should do.

It's funny; my first instinct was that Jonathan should have prayed to the Lord, that it was a bit arrogant to set up his own scheme and expect the Lord to go along with it.  Well, for one thing, we don't know that Jonathan didn't pray first.  He probably did have some sort of leading to make him take such a bold step.  But then I also realized that I have done the same thing.  When the Lord doesn't speak directly to you, then asking Him to show you the right way between two choices with a sign from Him seems perfectly acceptable and shows faith in Him to direct your paths, "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:6).  Jonathan did acknowledge God and His power to save them (verse 6), and he had faith that He would direct them in the way they should go.

(11) And both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines, and the Philistines said, "Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves."

Jonathan and his armor bearer did indeed reveal themselves to the Philistines at that post, and the Philistines took note among themselves that the Hebrews had come out of hiding.

(12) And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, "Come up to us, and we will show you something." And Jonathan said to his armor bearer, "Come up after me, for the Lord has delivered them into the hand of Israel."

The men at the garrison responded to Jonathan and his armor bearer's presence, by telling them to come up to them and they would show them something.  Jonathan told his armor bearer to follow him, as he had full faith and confidence that the Lord had delivered those Philistines into Israel's hand.  Not that it made a difference in the way the Philistines told them to come to them, but they did use the exact phrase "Come up to us" that Jonathan had put forth in his plan (verse 10). 

(13) And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armor bearer after him, and they fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer slew after him.

Jonathan climbed up on his hands and knees in a way not easily accessible.  He didn't go the way the Philistines would have expected him to go on the main passageway.  He evidently caught the men off guard, and they fell before him.  Obviously, we know Who really knocked them down.  His armor bearer then killed the men.

(14) At that first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were a half acre of land.

Jonathan and his armor bearer killed about twenty men at that garrison and within half an acre from it.

(15) And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked, so it was a very great trembling.

The Philistine host trembled with fear, those in the field, and among all the people.  Men inside the garrison who had not been outside and killed, and the plunderers who ravaged the land, were also terrified and panic-stricken, especially when the earth began to quake, as well, which was surely by God.

(16) And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on stampeding.

The watchmen of Saul at Gibeah saw the Philistine army melting away, as they fled and stampeded over one another.

(17) Then Saul said to the people with him, "Number now, and see who is gone from us." And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.

Saul then ordered a roll be taken, and when it was, it was discovered that Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.

(18) And Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God here" (for the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel).

Saul told the priest Ahijah to bring the ark of God to him, for the Israelites had brought the ark with them.

(19) And it came to pass, while Saul talked to the priest, that the noise in the host of the Philistines went on and increased, and Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand."

While Saul was talking to the priest, the noise of the Philistines grew louder, and Saul told the priest to stop what he was doing, which was surely to inquire of the Lord over the ark.  Saul once again showed some impatience.

(20) And Saul and all the people with him assembled themselves, and they came to battle, and behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, very great confusion.

Saul and his men assembled themselves to battle against the Philistines, but they witnessed their enemy fighting themselves because there was so much confusion.  God, whom Saul was too impatient to hear from, had already taken care of the matter.

(21) Moreover, the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before that time, who went up with them into the camp from round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.

The Israelites who had been with the Philistines as their servants, had also gone with the Philistines to their camp from the areas round about the camp.  They then went and joined Saul and Jonathan.

(22) Likewise, all the men of Israel who had hid themselves in Mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.

Additionally, the men of Israel who had been hiding in Mount Ephraim, in caves, rocks, thickets, and pits (1 Samuel 13:6), when they heard that the Philistines had fled, they also joined Saul's army and chased after the fleeing Philistines.  The historian Josephus wrote that at this time Saul's army had increased to 10,000.

(23) So the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle passed over to Beth Aven. 

So the Lord had saved Israel that day with only two men, as Jonathan had had faith He could (verse 6).  Now the battle shifted to Beth Aven. 

(24) And the men of Israel were distressed that day for Saul had adjured the people, saying, "Cursed the man who eats food until evening, that I may be avenged on my enemies." So none of the people tasted food.

It appears that when Saul had assembled his people to pursue the Philistines (verse 20), he had given them a strict order that none of them was to eat anything until the evening so that no time would be lost in making victory over the Philistines, that "he" might be avenged on "his" enemies.  That sounds a bit arrogant and self-centered considering it had been Jonathan and his armor bearer who had thus far done the avenging.

(25) And all the land came to a wood, and there was honey on the ground. (26) And when the people had come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped, but no man put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.

As the people were pursuing the Philistines, they came into a wooded area where there was honey on the ground.  Honey was dripping all over, but no one dared pick up any to eat because of the severe command of Saul that carried with it a curse (verse 24).

(27) But Jonathan had not heard when his father charged the people with the oath; therefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were enlightened.

Jonathan had not heard his father's order, and he took his rod and dipped the end of it in a honeycomb and ate the honey.  His eyes brightened as he became refreshed.

(28) Then answered one of the people who said, "Your father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, 'Cursed the man who eats food this day.'" And the people were faint.

Someone spoke up and told Jonathan that his father had ordered that no one eat until the evening and had issued the order with a curse. And all the people were faint with hunger.

(29) Then Jonathan said, "My father has troubled the land. See, I pray you, how my eyes have been enlightened because I tasted a little of this honey. (30) How much more, if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? For now would there not have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?"

Jonathan said that his father had distressed the people with his order.  He told the people to observe how his eyes had brightened because he was refreshed with a little bit of honey.  He added that had the people been allowed to eat freely of the spoil of the Philistines as they came upon it, there would probably have been a much greater slaughter of their enemies by that time.

(31) And they struck the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people were very faint.

The people struck the Philistines from Michmash, the place where the camp of the Philistines was when Jonathan first attacked them, to Aijalon in Judah, about twelve miles.  It appears the people did not eat the honey as Jonathan had encouraged them to do.  By this time, they were extremely faint.  

(32) And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and killed them on the ground, and the people ate them with the blood.

The people were so starved they rushed upon the spoil of the Philistines and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and killed them on the spot and ate them raw with the blood still in them, which was against God's law.  

(33) Then they told Saul, saying, "Behold, the people sin against the Lord in that they eat with the blood." And he said, "You have transgressed; roll a great stone to me this day." (34) And Saul said, "Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, 'Bring me here every man's ox, and every man's sheep, and slaughter them here, and eat, and do not sin against the Lord in eating with the blood.'" And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night and killed them there.

It was told to Saul that the people had sinned against the Lord in eating flesh with the blood.  Saul then told the people that they had sinned and asked that a large stone be rolled to him.  He then sent word among the people to bring their oxen and their sheep, whatever they intended to eat, and slaughter them there on the stone where they could properly drain the blood, and thusly not sin against the Lord.  All the people brought their animals that night to the stone and killed them there. 

So it was night by the time the people flew upon the spoil of the Philistines and ate ravenously flesh of the animals with the blood.  So they had waited to eat until the evening.  Note that the people feared the order of Saul more than they feared sinning against the Lord.   

(35) And Saul built an altar to the Lord; the same was the first altar that he built to the Lord.

Saul built an altar to the Lord.  It was the first one he had built himself.  He had before sacrificed at altars that were already there, but this was the first he built himself.   

(36) And Saul said, "Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them." And they said, "Do whatever seems good to you." Then the priest said, "Let us draw near here to God."

Saul then proposed that they go after the Philistines by night and plunder them all night long until the morning light and not leave a man of them alive.  The people agreed to do whatever Saul thought was right.  Then the priest suggested that they should draw near to God to ask what He wanted them to do.

(37) And Saul asked counsel of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel?" But He did not answer him that day.

Saul had already made up his mind what he wanted to do.  He just wanted God to bless his plan.  He had not inquired of God first what he should do.  He went through the motions now that the priest had suggested it, and he asked God if he should go after the Philistines, and would He deliver them into the hand of Israel.  But God did not answer him.  From the beginning, Saul had not waited for instruction from the Lord.  In verse 19, he was too impatient to wait for the priest to inquire of the Lord and had gone through with his own plan.  He had made a foolish strict order that caused the people to sin.  He now made a decision to go after the Philistines that night and now made a show of pretending that he sought the Lord's guidance.  The Lord did not play that game.

(38) And Saul said, "Draw near here, all the chief of the people, and know and see where this sin has been this day. (39) For as the Lord lives who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die." But not a man among all the people answered him.

Saul called all the chiefs of the people together to determine what sin had been committed that day, for he concluded that the reason the Lord didn't answer was because there was sin among them.  He never considered it might be his own.  Then Saul made another rash oath.  He said as the Lord who saved Israel lived, even if the sin was found in his own son, even he would die.  But none of the people answered him.  They knew Jonathan had eaten honey against his father's order, but he had done it unknowingly, and besides, they probably had affection for him as he was the one who had truly saved them that day.

Saul did proclaim that the Lord was the one who saved Israel, but in his arrogance, he was more concerned about someone not obeying his order than any real sin against God.  If someone disobeyed his order, was that really a sin?  It always seems that Saul gives a show of religion, but God is not the true object of his heart.  It always seems to be about Saul first.  Jesus said in Matthew 15:9, "But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."  James said in James 1:26, "If any man among you seems to be religious and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is vain."  Those seem to sum up Saul pretty well.

(40) Then he said to all Israel, "You be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side." And the people said to Saul, "Do what seems good to you." (41) Therefore Saul said to the Lord God of Israel, "Give a perfect lot." And Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the people escaped.

Then Saul spoke to all the people, instructing them to divide into two groups, he and Jonathan on one side against all the people on the other.  The people again told Saul he should do what seemed good to him.  Saul then asked the Lord to give a perfect lot, as if He didn't always, and have it land on the guilty party.  The lot showed that the guilty party was among Saul and Jonathan, and the people were shown to be innocent.

(42) And Saul said, "Cast between me and Jonathan my son." And Jonathan was taken.

Saul, having no sense of his own guilt, would have his own son put to death because he did not obey his order.  It's interesting that God would show Jonathan as the guilty one.  Eating the honey was not a sin against God.  However, it wasn't God's intention that Jonathan be killed, but rather to reveal Saul's arrogant rashness in making such an oath.

(43) Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." And Jonathan told him, and said, "I only tasted a little honey with the end of the rod in my hand; lo, I must die."

Saul asked Jonathan what he had done to have the lot fall to him, what "sin" had he committed?  Jonathan told him that he had only tasted a little honey with the end of his rod, and for that, he must die.  Jonathan didn't even try to defend himself with the fact he had not heard his father's order.  He willingly accepted his fate.  Or was he rather pointing out that for so trivial a matter, he must die, pointing out the absurdity of so harsh a punishment for something that was not a sin against God.  Since God was using this as a lesson for Saul, I'm sure His spirit could have been directing responses.

(44) And Saul answered, "God do so and more also, for you shall surely die, Jonathan."

Saul's point was that God may do even more evil if he did not follow through with his oath, so he told Jonathan he must surely die.

(45) And the people said to Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, who has wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid! As the Lord lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day." So the people rescued Jonathan that he did not die.

The people spoke up for Jonathan, asking if Jonathan with whom God had surely worked to bring salvation to Israel should die.  It was obvious that he had not offended God, but God had used him mightily to save Israel.  Adam Clarke put it this way, in his Commentary on the Bible, "Here was a righteous and impartial jury, who brought in a verdict according to the evidence."  After all, no man should die except for a breach of the law of God, and Jonathan had not broken any law of God, so he should not die.  So the people rescued Jonathan from his death penalty, but actually, it was God who saved him by exposing Saul's arrogance and recklessness.

(46) Then Saul went up from following the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.

Saul gave up following the Philistines since he did not get an answer from the Lord, and he probably thought he had lost the opportunity, since his plan had been to attack at night.  The Philistines who remained went back to their own place.

(47) So Saul took the kingdom over Israel and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines, and wherever he turned himself, he vexed them. (48) And he gathered a host and struck the Amalekites and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them.

Saul established his sovereignty over Israel.  It seemed to have been taken from him when he was in Gibeah with only 600 men and surrounded by Philistines.  Having obtained victory over the Philistines, he recovered his kingdom and resumed his administration.  He fought his enemies on all sides, defending Israel against them.  Wherever he turned, he troubled his enemies.  He assembled an army and struck the Amalekites, as well, delivering Israel out of the hands of all who plundered them.

(49) Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Malchishua, and the names of his two daughters were, the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal.

Saul had three sons, Jonathan, Ishui, and Malchishua, and two daughters, Merab and Michal.  Actually, Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Bible, pointed out that Saul had other children.  He had another son named Ishbosheth, sometimes called Eshbaal.  The commentators I study presume that the reason he wasn't mentioned here is because the author intended to mention only Saul's sons who went with him into the battles.  Saul also had other children by a concubine, or second wife, Rizpah.

(50) And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz, and the name of the captain of his army was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle. (51) And Kish, the father of Saul, and Ner, the father of Abner, were the sons of Abiel.

Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz.  The captain of his army was Abner, the son of Saul's uncle Ner, making Abner his cousin.  Saul's father Kish and his uncle Ner were brothers and the sons of Abiel.

(52) And there was fierce war against the Philistines all the days of Saul, and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him to him.

Saul continued to fight fierce battles against the Philistines all the days of his life.  Whenever he saw any strong or valiant man, he took them for his purposes, just as Samuel had forewarned the people he would do, in 1 Samuel 8:11, "This will be the manner of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them for himself..."

The Ark of God is Taken by the Philistines

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(1 Samuel 4:1) 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.

Samuel had grown to manhood, and the Lord had raised him and prepared him to be His prophet.  Now Samuel, as the Lord's prophet, spoke the words of the Lord to all Israel.  At that time Israel went to battle against the Philistines.  The Israelites pitched beside a place later called Ebenezer, which would be so named in 1 Samuel 7:12.  The Philistines pitched in Aphek, a city in the tribe of Judah, bordering on the Philistines.

(2) And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel, and when they joined battle, Israel was defeated before the Philistines, and they killed of the army in the field about four thousand men.

The Philistines formed their battle line, and when Israel engaged with them, the Philistines defeated the Israelites and killed four thousand men.

(3) And when the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh to us, that when it comes among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies."

When the people returned to their camp, the elders rightly perceived that the Lord Himself defeated them before the Philistines, but they failed to understand why or to seek counsel of the Lord.  They were incredulous that the Lord should allow those heathens to defeat them.  They had become complacent.  I can't help but relate that to my country today.  Americans have become so fat and lazy and smug, they take no notice of the dangers on the horizon, thinking those things never happen to us, or if they do, we always bounce back.  People are oblivious of why they were ever blessed in the first place and have turned their backs on God.  Likewise the Israelites did not look inward but foolishly placed their confidence in an external object, the ark, to save them.  They did not look to the Lord.

(4) So the people sent to Shiloh that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts who dwells 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.

The people sent word to Shiloh to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord who would appear and dwell in the mercy seat between two cherubim that covered the seat.  Eli's sons were there with the ark and presumably brought the ark to the camp themselves.  When the ark came into the camp, the people shouted with great joy and confidence in their coming success.  They shouted with such a great shout, the earth shook.

(6) And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, "What does the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?" And they understood that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp.

When the Philistines heard the shouting, they wondered among themselves what it meant.  Then they perceived that it was the ark of the Hebrews' Lord.

(7) And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, "God has come into the camp." And they said, "Woe to us! For there has not been such a thing before. (8) Woe to us! Who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? These are the Gods who struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness."

The Philistines were then afraid when they realized the Israelites' God had come into their camp.  They feared for their fate for they had never fought the Israelite God before, at least not so obvious a presence.  They had heard about the ten plagues that were inflicted on the Egyptians, and they didn't think they stood a chance against their Gods, as they called Israel's Lord, because they were accustomed to their many gods.

(9) "Be strong and conduct yourselves like men, O you Philistines, that you be not servants to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Conduct yourselves like men and fight!"

However, the Philistines gave themselves a pep talk.  Since there was no one else to deliver them out of the hands of the Israelites' God, they had to depend on their own strength.  It is interesting that they evidently thought the Hebrew God to be stronger than their gods, yet they presumed to fight against Him anyway.  Of course, that could have been the Spirit of God spurring them on for His purposes.  They did not want to become servants to the Israelites as they had previously been servants to them, so they had to gather their strength and fight.

(10) And the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled every man to his tent, and there was a very great slaughter, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.

The Philistines did fight, and they defeated Israel, killing thirty thousand of their army.  The men who escaped death ran back to their tents.

(11) And the ark of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.

The Philistines had taken the ark of the Lord and had killed Hophni and Phinehas who had been with the ark.

(12) And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head.

A Benjamite from the Israelite army ran that same day to Shiloh.  His clothes were torn and there was dirt on his head which were signs of distress and mourning.

(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. 

When the man in mourning came into the city, it seems he bypassed Eli who sitting by the wayside watching for he feared for the fate of the ark of the covenant.  He didn't so much fear for his sons as he expected their death because of the divine prophecy he had received.  He now displayed honor for God and His ark above his sons, whereas God through prophecy had accused Eli of honoring his sons above Him (1 Samuel 2:29).  Once again, I see Eli as a good man, but a weak one.  However, it is true that he sinned when he should have honored God above his sons and dealt with them accordingly but didn't.  The man in mourning came into the city and told what had happened in the battle, and all the people in the city cried out.

(14) And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, "What does the noise of this tumult mean?" And the man came in hastily and told Eli. (15) Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were dim that he could not see. (16) And the man said to Eli, "I am he who came out of the army, and I fled today out of the army." And he said, "What is there done, my son?"

When Eli heard the cries of the people, he asked what the commotion meant.  The man came to tell him.  Eli was very old and had become blind, so the man described himself to Eli.  He told him he had come from the army, and Eli asked him for news of the battle.

(17) And the messenger answered and said, "Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people, and your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been taken."

The man told Eli that the Israelites had fled from the Philistines in defeat, and that there had been a great slaughter, including his two sons who were dead.  He told him that the ark of God had been 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 broke, and he died, for he was an old man and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

It was when the man told Eli that the ark of God had been taken, that he was so struck with grief that he fell backward off his seat and broke his neck.  He was very old, probably with brittle bones, and he was heavy, so that his fall broke his neck and he died.  It's noteworthy that Eli was heavy, meaning fat, and you don't normally think of men in Eli's position as fat men.  That was usually the condition of gluttonous and wicked kings.  But Eli had become fat with the best offerings of the people (1 Samuel 2:29).  Eli had judged Israel for forty years.

(19) And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas's wife, was with child due 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 gave birth for her pains came upon her.

Eli's daughter-in-law, Phinehas's pregnant wife, was so distraught when she heard the news that the ark had been taken and that Eli and her husband were dead, that she went into labor.

(20) And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said, "Fear not, for you have borne a son." But she did not answer, neither did she regard it.

After she delivered the baby, she was dying.  The women who stood by her tried to encourage her by telling her she had borne a son which was usually a matter of joy, but she did not answer them, nor did she seem to regard what they said at all.

(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."

As she was dying, she named her child Ichabod which literally meant "no glory."  She gave as her reason for naming him Ichabod, that the glory had departed from Israel because the ark of God had been taken and her father-in-law and her husband had died.  That may have been what the women attending her thought was the reason, but Phinehas's wife repeated her reason, specifying it was only because the ark of God had been taken that the glory had departed from Israel, and that is why she named her child Ichabod.  It was not because of the death of her father-in-law and her husband that she said the glory had departed, but only because the ark was taken.

I am struck by the sincere love of God and His ark displayed by Eli and his daughter-in-law.  Although there was much sin and apathy in Israel that caused God to turn away from them and allow His ark to be taken by heathens and "suffered His glory for a time to become eclipsed," as Adam Clarke put it in his Commentary on the Bible, these two were so struck by sorrow and the horror of it, it killed them.  Nothing brings such overpowering grief and feelings of desolation and even hopelessness than the thought that God has left us, that He has turned His back on us.  Although they had become complacent, these two apparently had a deep love for God.  They just needed to be reminded of that fact.  However, it was too late for them as they died, but their lesson for us lives on forever.  God hates a lukewarm Christian (Revelation 3:16).