Chapter Note Matthew Henry Commentary (Complete)
F I R S T S A M U E L
CHAP. IV.
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, 1 Samuel 4:1 ; 1 Samuel 4:2 . II. Their foolish project to fortify themselves by bringing the ark of God into their camp upon the shoulders of Hophni and Phinehas 1 Samuel 4:3 ; 1 Samuel 4:4 ), which made them secure 1 Samuel 4:5 ) and struck a fear into the Philistines, but such a fear as roused them, 1 Samuel 4:6 - 9 . III. The fatal consequences of it: Israel was beaten, and the ark taken prisoner, 1 Samuel 4:10 ; 1 Samuel 4:11 . IV. The tidings of this brought to Shiloh, and the sad reception of those tidings. 1. The city was put into confusion, 1 Samuel 4:12 ; 1 Samuel 4:13 . 2. Eli fainted away, fell, and broke his neck, 1 Samuel 4:14 - 18 . 3. Upon hearing what had occurred his daughter-in-law fell in labour, bore a son, but died immediately, 1 Samuel 4:19 - 22 . These were the things which would make the ears of those that heard them to tingle.
Book Note Matthew Henry Commentary (Complete)
AN
EXPOSITION,
W I T H P R A C T I C A L O B S E R V A T I O N S,
OF THE FIRST BOOK OF
S A M U E L.
This book, and that which follows it, bear the name of Samuel in the title, not because he was the penman of them (except of so much of them as fell within his own time, to the twenty-fifth chapter of the first book, in which we have an account of his death), but because the first book begins with a large account of him, his birth and childhood, his life and government; and the rest of these two volumes that are denominated from him contains the history of the reigns of Saul and David, who were both anointed by him. And, because the history of these two kings takes up the greatest part of these books, the Vulgar Latin calls them the First and Second Books of the Kings, and the two that follow the Third and Fourth, which the titles in our English Bibles take notice of with an alias: otherwise called the First Book of the Kings, c. The LXX. calls them the first and second Book of the Kingdoms. It is needless to contend about it, but there is no occasion to vary from the Hebrew verity. These two books contain the history of the last two of the judges, Eli and Samuel, who were not, as the rest, men of war, but priests (and so much of them is an appendix to the book of Judges), and of the first two of the kings, Saul and David, and so much of them is an entrance upon the history of the kings. They contain a considerable part of the sacred history, are sometimes referred to in the New Testament, and often in the titles of David's Psalms, which, if placed in their order, would fall in these books. It is uncertain who was the penman of them it is probable that Samuel wrote the history of his own time, and that, after him, some of the prophets that were with David (Nathan as likely as any) continued it. This first book gives us a full account of Eli's fall and Samuel's rise and good government, 1 Samuel 1:1 - 81 Samuel 1:1 - 8 Of Samuel's resignation of the government and Saul's advancement and mal-administration, 1 Samuel 9:1 - 151 Samuel 9:1 - 15 The choice of David, his struggles with Saul, Saul's ruin at last, and the opening of the way for David to the throne, 1 Samuel 16:1 - 311 Samuel 16:1 - 31 And these things are written for our learning.
