# 1 Samuel 04 đź“–: The Ark Captured
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#đź’¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đź“‚ Internal Notes]]
## đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### The Ark of the Covenant is Lost to the Philistines
[[#Verse 01.]] Samuel revealed the word of the Lord to all Israel. Then the Israelites went out to fight the Philistines. They camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines camped at Aphek.Â
[[#Verse 02.]] The Philistines arranged their forces to fight Israel. As the battle spread out, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about 4,000 men in the battle line in the field.
[[#Verse 03.]] When the army came back to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why did the Lord let us be defeated today by the Philistines? Let’s take with us the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Shiloh. When it is with us, it will save us from the hand of our enemies.”
[[#Verse 04.]] So the army sent to Shiloh, and they took from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who sits between the cherubim. Now the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.Â
[[#Verse 05.]] When the ark of the covenant of the Lord arrived at the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the ground shook.
[[#Verse 06.]] When the Philistines heard the sound of the shout, they said, “What is this loud shout in the camp of the Hebrews?” Then they realized that the ark of the Lord had arrived at the camp.Â
[[#Verse 07.]] The Philistines were scared because they thought that gods had come to the camp. They said, “Woe to us! We’ve never seen anything like this!
[[#Verse 07]] The Philistines were scared because they thought that gods had come to the camp. They said, “Woe to us! We’ve never seen anything like this!Â
[[#Verse 08.]]Â Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all sorts of plagues in the desert!
[[#Verse 09.]] Be strong and act like men, you Philistines, or else you will wind up serving the Hebrews the way they have served you! Act like men and fight!”
[[#Verse 10.]] So the Philistines fought. Israel was defeated; they all ran home. The slaughter was very great; 30,000 foot soldiers from Israel fell in battle.Â
[[#Verse 11.]]Â The ark of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were killed.
### Eli Dies
[[#Verse 12.]] On that day a Benjaminite ran from the battle lines and came to Shiloh. His clothes were torn, and dirt was on his head.Â
[[#Verse 13.]] When he arrived in Shiloh, Eli was sitting in his chair on the lookout by the side ofthe road, for he was very worried about the ark of God. As the man entered the city to give his report,the whole city cried out.
[[#Verse 14.]] When Eli heard the outcry, he said, “What’s this commotion?” The man quickly came and told Eli.Â
[[#Verse 15.]]Â Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes looked straight ahead;Â he was unable to see.
[[#Verse 16.]] The man said to Eli, “I am the one who came from the battle lines! Just today I fled from the battle lines!” Eli asked, “How did things go, my son?”Â
[[#Verse 17.]] The messenger replied, “Israel has fled from the Philistines! The army has suffered a great defeat! Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead! The ark of God has been captured!”
[[#Verse 18.]] When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward from his chair beside the gate. He broke his neck and died, for he was old and heavy. He had judged Israel for forty years.
[[#Verse 19.]]Â His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and close to giving birth. When she heard that the ark of God was captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she doubled over and gave birth. But her labor pains were too much for her.Â
[[#Verse 20.]] As she was dying, the women who were there with her said, “Don’t be afraid! You have given birth to a son!” But she did not reply or pay any attention.
[[#Verse 21.]] She named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,” referring to the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband.Â
[[#Verse 22.]] She said, “The glory has departed from Israel, because the ark of God has been captured.”
## đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
###### Verse 19.
###### Verse 20.
###### Verse 21.
###### Verse 22.
## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Israel camped at Ebenezer and the Philistines at Aphek (4:1). Aphek lay near the coastal plain, on the edge of Philistine territory.
2. Israel lost about 4,000 men in the first battle (4:2) and 30,000 in the second (4:10).
3. The ark is described as the ark of the Lord who sits enthroned between the cherubim (4:4).
4. The Philistines knew the stories of Israel's God striking Egypt (4:8), even if they did not understand them correctly.
5. Hophni and Phinehas died on the same day (4:11), just as the man of God had warned (2:34).
6. A Benjamite ran from the battle to Shiloh with torn clothes and dirt on his head (4:12), traditional signs of grief.
7. Eli was ninety-eight years old and nearly blind (4:15).
8. Eli died by falling backward and breaking his neck, because he was old and heavy (4:18).
9. Eli had led Israel for forty years (4:18).
10. Psalm 78:60-61 and Jeremiah 7:12 later point back to this time when God abandoned Shiloh and allowed His ark to be captured.
## 🧠Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the glory of God dwelling with His people (John 1:14). Israel lost the glory when they used the ark like a good luck charm (4:3, 21), but Jesus promises to be with His people always (Matthew 28:20).
## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź’¬ Discussion Questions
1. Israel brought the ark into battle expecting it to save them (4:3). How can we be tempted to use God or religious things to get what we want?
2. Eli trembled for the ark of God (4:13). What does his concern reveal about him, even with all his failures?
3. Ichabod's name means the glory has departed (4:21-22). What are signs that God's glory is missing from a life or a church?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- đź“– verse 3: The elders bring the ark into battle, hoping it will save them.
- đź“– verse 11: The ark of God is captured, and Hophni and Phinehas die.
- đź“– verse 22: The glory has departed from Israel because the ark has been captured.
## đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference
- đź”— [[Psalm 78#Verse 59.|Psalm 78:59-64]] - God abandoned the tabernacle at Shiloh.
- đź”— [[Jeremiah 07#Verse 12.|Jeremiah 7:12-14]] - Go to Shiloh and see what God did there.
- đź”— [[1 Samuel 02#Verse 34.|1 Samuel 2:34]] - The sign that both of Eli's sons would die.
- đź”— [[John 01#Verse 14.|John 1:14]] - We saw His glory.
- đź”— [[Matthew 28#Verse 20.|Matthew 28:20]] - I am with you always.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
đź“ť SOAP: [[1 Samuel 04 - SOAP|Judgment Eventually Comes]]
## đź“‚ Internal Notes