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).
