1 Samuel 4:14 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:12-18

Tidings are here brought to Shiloh of the fatal issue of their battle with the Philistines. Bad news flies fast. This soon spread through all Israel; every man that fled to his tent brought it, with too plain a proof of it, to his neighbours. But no place was so nearly concerned as Shiloh. Thither therefore an express posted away immediately; it was a man of Benjamin; the Jews fancy it was Saul. He rent his clothes, and put earth upon his head, by these signs to proclaim the sorrowful news to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:14

And when Eli heard the noise of the crying ,.... The shrieks of the men and women, which were very clamorous and terrible. Eli had his hearing, though not his sight; he could not see the distress in their countenances, but he heard the lamentations they made: and said, what meaneth the noise of this tumult ? it seems the people ran about, wringing their hands, and making doleful shrieks; the noise of which Eli heard, and the meaning of which he inquired after, or what should be the cause... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:12-18

Victory in defeat. The facts given are— 1 . Eli, aware of the absence of the ark on the battle field, awaits with anxiety the earliest tidings of the issue of the conflict. 2 . A fugitive relates to him and to the people of Shiloh the nature of the disaster that had befallen Israel. 3 . The effect of the news on the city is a wailing cry of despair, and on Eli sudden death. By record and tradition the people were familiar with the disasters and sufferings occasionally... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:14

And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he asked the meaning of this tumult. The word signifies any confused noise, as the splashing of rain ( 1 Kings 18:41 ), but especially the din made by a multitude of people ( Job 39:7 ). It exactly expresses here the Babel of voices, all asking news at once, which at the coming of the messenger surged around the high priest's throne. He demands the reason, and the uproar is quelled, while "the man hasted, and came and told Eli." Not came in,... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 4:1-22

The Philistines capture the ark (4:1-22)For many years the Philistines had oppressed Israel (Judges 13:1). Samson had begun to save Israel from them (Judges 13:5), but the Philistines now fought back and decided to extend their rule further into Israel’s territory. The Israelites should have realized that their defeats were God’s punishments upon them because of their sin, and turned to him in repentance. Instead they thought that they would guarantee his help by carrying the symbol of his... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Samuel 4:14

noise of this tumult. Figure of speech Pleonasm. App-6 . read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Samuel 4:1-22

A. The Capture of the Ark 4:1-22A 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 (1 Samuel 4:4; 1 Samuel 4:11; 1 Samuel 4:17-19; 1 Samuel 4:21-22). Following the reference to Samuel the prophet in 1 Samuel 4:1, the writer did not mention him again until 1... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Samuel 4:12-18

2. The response of Eli 4:12-18The 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 (1 Samuel 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 (1 Samuel 4:18). Eli’s primary concern, to his credit, was the welfare of Israel.There is a word play... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 4:1-22

Capture of the Ark by the Philistines. Death of EliThe reason which led to 1 Samuel 4:1; being detached from its proper context is that without it this chapter seems to begin with inexplicable abruptness. The explanation of this lack of connexion is that the editor is now using a different document. This section is in no sense a continuation of the preceding. It does not proceed with the history of Samuel, whose name does not even occur in it, but relates the journeyings of the ark. Alike in... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - 1 Samuel 4:14

(14) What meaneth the noise?—The blind old man, we must suppose, was seated on his chair of state, surrounded by priests and Levites, who were in attendance on him as high priest and judge. As the runner drew near, and the torn dress and the dust sprinkled on his head—the symbols of disaster—became visible, the wail of woe would soon run through the place. The cry of sorrow was the first intimation to the blind Eli: he was soon to hear the details. His question was probably, in the first place,... read more