A. The Capture of the Ark 4:1b-22

 

A new subject comes to the forefront in this section and continues to be a significant motif throughout the rest of Samuel. It is the ark of the covenant. The writer drew attention to the ark in this chapter by mentioning it seven times including a notation at the end of each text section (vv. 4, 11, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22). Following the reference to Samuel the prophet in 4:1 the writer did not mention him again until 7:3.

"The purpose of the story in 1 Sam. 4-6 of the ark's imprisonment in Philistia and its travels to different Philistine cities, as well as to Beth-Shemesh, is to give an historical background for the Philistines' rule over the whole country prior to the emergence of the Israelite state which could still accentuate Yahweh's supremacy as an unconquerable deity. The story explains how Yahweh finally became superior to his captors."⁵¹

The major historical element of continuity in this section is the fate of Eli's sons (4:9-11). The theological theme of fertility continues to be the primary unifying factor in the narrative.

 1. The battle of Aphek 4:1b-11

The Philistines, as we have already seen in Judges, were Israel's primary enemy to the west at this time. Samson, too, fought the Philistines (Judg. 13-16).⁵²There are about 150 references to the Philistines in 1 and 2 Samuel. They originally migrated from Greece primarily by way of Crete (Caphtor, cf. Gen. 10:14; Jer. 47:4; Amos 9:7). Their major influx into Canaan occurred about 1200 B.C., about 100 years before the events recorded in this chapter. However there were some Philistines in Canaan as early as Abraham's day (Gen. 21:32; et al.).⁵³

The town of Aphek (cf. 29:1; New Testament Antipatris, Acts 23:31) lay on the border between Philistine and Israelite territory. It was about 11 miles east and a little north of Joppa (and modern Tel Aviv). Archaeologists have not yet located Ebenezer, but it was obviously close to Aphek and on Israel's side of the border.⁵⁴

In the first encounter with the Philistines the enemy slew 4,000 Israelite soldiers (v. 2), and in the second 30,000 Israelites fell (v. 10). Between these two encounters the Israelites sent to Shiloh for the ark. The ark had always been the place where God dwelt in a special way among the Israelites. It contained the tablets of the Decalogue and the mercy seat where the high priest atoned for the sins of the nation. It was for these reasons a symbol of God and His presence. During the long period of the judges the Israelites as a whole had adopted an increasingly pagan attitude toward Yahweh. They felt that they could satisfy Him with simply formal worship and that they could secure His help with offerings rather than humility. They were treating the ark the same way they treated God. They believed the ark's presence among them in battle would insure victory.

"We eventually all learn what Israel discovered in battle against the Philistines. Having the paraphernalia of God and having God are not the same."⁵⁵

The paraphernalia that modern believers sometimes rely on in place of God include a crucifix, a picture of Jesus, or a family Bible positioned conspicuously on the coffee table but seldom read. Others base their hope of spiritual success on a spiritually strong spouse, regular church attendance, or even the daily reading of the Bible. These things are no substitute for a vital personal relationship with God.

Perhaps the elders of Israel remembered that in Joshua's conquest of Jericho the ark played a very important and visible part in the victory (Josh. 6:2-20). Nevertheless then the people trusted in Yahweh, not in the ark as a talisman. The custom of taking idols into battle so their gods would deliver them was common among ancient warriors (cf. 2 Sam. 5:21; 1 Chron. 14:12). Obviously the Israelites were wrong in thinking that the presence of the ark would guarantee success.

"The offenses against the ark as pledge of Yahweh's presence appear to be mainly of two kinds: (1) a misplaced reliance on the ark, and (2) an irreverent disregard for the ark."⁵⁶

The Hebrew word eleph, translated thousand (v. 2), can also mean military unit. Military units were of varying sizes but considerably smaller than 1,000 soldiers.⁵⁷

Ancient Near Eastern artists sometimes pictured a king sitting on a throne supported on either side by a cherub, which the artist represented as a winged lion (sphinx) with a human head.⁵⁸This may have been the image of the Lord of hosts (armies) "who sits above the cherubim"that the writer had in mind here (v. 4).

The fact that the people shouted loudly when the ark arrived at Ebenezer from Shiloh (v. 5) may be another indication that they were hoping to duplicate the victory at Jericho (cf. Josh. 6:20). Likewise the response of the Philistines when they heard the cry recalls Rahab's revelation of how the Canaanites feared Yahweh (Josh 2:9-11). These allusions to the victory at Jericho contrast the Israelites' present attitude toward God with what it had been at that earlier battle.

The fact that the Israelites suffered a devastating slaughter (Heb. makkah, v. 10), many times worse than their earlier recent defeat (v. 2), proved that victory did not come from the ark but from the Lord. Defeat was due to sin in the camp, specifically Hophni and Phinehas' sin (cf. 2:25). Israel had suffered defeat at Ai about 300 years earlier for the same reason: sin among the people (Josh. 7:11). Trying to duplicate previous spiritual victories by going through the same procedures is no substitute for getting right with God (cf. Judg. 16:20; Matt. 23:25).

God did not record the destruction of the tabernacle at Shiloh, but some writers assume the Philistines razed it after they captured the ark.⁵⁹However, the writer of Chronicles mentioned that it still stood in David's day (1 Chron. 21:29) and when Solomon began to reign (2 Chron. 1:3). The writer of Samuel showed less interest in the sanctuary structure than in the ark. The Philistines may have destroyed the town of Shiloh, but it "revived sufficiently to produce a few worthy citizens in later generations (cf. 1 Ki. 11:29; Je. 41:5)."⁶⁰

The Two Tabernacles and the Ark

Moses' Tabernacle at:

The Ark at:

David's Tabernacle at:

Gilgal (Josh 5:10; 10:15, 43)

Gilgal(Josh. 6:12)

Shiloh(Josh. 18:1, 9-10)

Shiloh(Josh. 18:10)

Bethel(Judg. 20:18-28; 21:1-4)

Bethel(Judg. 20:27)

Shiloh(1 Sam. 1:3)

Shiloh(1 Sam. 4:3)

Ebenezer(1 Sam. 4:4-5)

Ashdod(1 Sam. 5:1)

Gath(1 Sam. 5:8)

Ekron(1 Sam. 5:10)

Bethshemesh(1 Sam. 6:12-14)

Kiriath-jearim(1 Sam. 7:1)

Mizpah(1 Sam. 7:9-10)

Gilgal(1 Sam. 10:8; 13:8-10; 15:10-15)

Nob(1 Sam. 17:54; 21:1-9)

Gibeon(1 Chron. 16:39-40; 21:29; 1 Kings 3:4; 2 Chron. 1:3)

Perez-uzzah(2 Sam. 6:2-11; 1 Chron. 13:5-14)

Jerusalem(1 Chron. 15:1)

Jerusalem(2 Sam. 6:12-17; 1 Chron. 15:2-16:6, 37-38)

 2. The response of Eli 4:12-18

The deaths of Hophni and Phinehas, who accompanied the soldiers into battle, were the sign God promised Eli that He would remove the priestly privilege from Eli's descendants eventually (2:34). The writer carefully recorded that it was the news that the Philistines had captured the ark, not that his two sons had died, that shocked Eli and caused him to die (v. 18).

There is a word play in the Hebrew text that helps us understand the significance of the departure of God's glory. The Hebrew word for "heavy"(v. 18) is kabed, and the word for "glory"(v. 21) is kabod. Rather than Israel enjoying glory from God's presence through Eli's priesthood, Eli himself had received the glory as his heavy weight evidenced. Eli's self-indulgence was responsible for the departure of God's glory from Israel and from his line of priests.⁶¹

The battle of Aphek recorded in this chapter took place in 1104 B.C. Since Eli was 98 years old when he died on hearing the news that the Philistines had taken the ark in this battle, he must have been born in 1202 B.C.⁶²

 3. The response of Phinehas' wife 4:19-22

Likewise the news of the loss of the ark is what distressed Phinehas' wife more than the news of the deaths of her husband, father-in-law, and brother-in-law (vv. 21-22).

"With the surrender of the earthly throne of His glory, the Lord appeared to have abolished His covenant of grace with Israel; for the ark, with the tables of the law and the capporeth [mercy seat], was the visible pledge of the covenant of grace which Jehovah had made with Israel."⁶³

Her words may also reflect a pagan viewpoint to some extent, that because the Philistines had stolen what represented Yahweh the Lord Himself had abandoned the nation. In view of God's promises and revealed plans for Israel, she should have known that He had not abandoned His people (cf. Matt. 28:20). Furthermore the Israelites knew that the true God is omnipresent.

Most of the Israelites evidently thought that since Israel had lost the ark it had lost God.⁶⁴However because the people had not lived in proper covenant relationship with Him Israel had only lost God's blessing. They were disregarding God's Law, so God's glory had departed from Israel (v. 22; cf. Exod. 19:5-6). His people could not enjoy fertility.

Someone has said that if you feel far from God, you need to remember that He is not the one who moved. God has promised that if His people will draw near to Him He will draw near to them (2 Chron. 7:14; James 4:8; Heb. 10:22).