The Israelites are smitten by the Philistines at Eben-ezer, 1, 2.They fetch the ark from Shiloh; receive it with a great shout, to the terror of the Philistines, 3-8; who yet take courage, and a second time beat the Israelites: the ark is taken; the two sons of Eli are slain, 9-11; which Eli hearing, falleth backward from his seat, and breaketh his neck, 12-18.His daughter-in-law falls in labour, nameth her son Ichabod, and dieth, 19-22.
Matthew Henry: 'The predictions in the foregoing chapters concerning the ruin of Eli's house here begin to be fulfilled; how long after does not appear, but certainly not long. Such sinners God often makes quick work with. Here is, I. The disgrace and loss Israel sustained in an encounter with the Philistines, verses 1-2. II. Their foolish project to fortify themselves by bringing the ark of God into their camp upon the shoulders of Hophni and Phinehas (verses 3-4), which made them secure (verse 5) and struck a fear into the Philistines, but such a fear as roused them, verses 6-9. III. The fatal consequences of it: Israel was beaten, and the ark taken prisoner, verses 10-11. IV. The tiding…
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