q Through the whole Land, from tke Northern Bound-Dan; to the Southerny Beerſhebaz which was the whole lengtt, and largeſt extent of the Land. See Judges 20. 1, 2. 2 Sam 17. 11, r Both by Els Teſtimony, and particular Relation cf the foregoing Hiſtory g tc the People that came from all parts; and by ſucceeding Revela- tions made to him, whereof mention is made in the next Verſes which though placed after, might be done before.
21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh : for the LORD revealed himſelf co Samuel / in Shiloh, by the word of the LORD *#,
{ Or, did uſe to Reveal his mind to Samuel. *t i.e. By his word, the Noun for the Pronoun, which is frequent, as Levit 14+ 15, Oc. by his word of Command, which he choſe to deliver to 1/rael by his Mouth, as it here follows; or by his word of Propheſie concerning
future events. EHAP, IV:
The Iſraelites are ſmitten by the Philiſtines at Eben-ezer, 1==2, They fetch the Ark from Shilohs Receive it with a great Shout, to the Terrour of the Philiſtines, 3z==7, Who yet take Courage, and # ſued time beat the Iſraelites : The Ark is taken : The two Sons of El: are ſlain, $1 1, Which Eli hearing, fall:th backward from his ſeat, and breaketh his neck, 12 w——_=). His Daughter in law falls in labour; Namath her Son Icha- bed s And dicth, 18 = == 22.
A Nd the word of Samuel # || F came to all Iſrael, || Or, came Now lIirael went out againſt the Philiſtines þ to to paſ» battel, and pitched befide Eben-ezer c : and the Phili- 7 m— {tines pitched in Aphek d. = # i.co The word of the LORD revealed to Samuel, and by him to the People; Either, Firſt, The Prophetical Word mentioned be- fore, Chap: 3: 11, &'c. which is here faid to come, or to come to paſs; a5 it was foretold, to al Iſrael Burt the ſubje& of that Propheſie was not al 1ſrael, but Eli and his houſe, as is evident. Or rather, Se condly, A Word of Command, that all 1/ra«l ſhould go forth ro fight with the Phil:ftines, as the following words explain it, that ſo they might be ficſt humbled and puniſh-d for their ſins, and ſo prepared by degrees for their furure Deliverance. b Or, to meet rhe Philiſiines, who having by this time recruited themſelves after their great loſs by Samſon, Judges 16: 3o. and perceiving an eminent Prophet ariſingamong them, by whom they were likely to be Uni- ted, Counſelled, and Affiſted, rhoughe fir ro Suppreſs them in the beginning of their Hopes and Deſigns of reſcu:ng themſelves from their power. c A place ſo cailed here (by Anticipation ) from a fol'owing event, Chap: 7: 12. d A City fſocalled in the Tribe of Judah, Joſh; 15: 53. upon the borders of the Philifines Countrey : not that Aphek in Aſher, Joſh; 19: 30. Judges 13 31. which was very res mote from them. 2 And the Philiſtines put themſelves in aray againſt _. Iſrael: and when F. they joyned battel e, Iſrael was f Heb: rhe ſmicten before the Philiſtines : and they flew of + the 297, vs
army in the field, about four thouſand men; Y _ the e H-b: When the Battel was ſpread, i. e. when the two Armies ars had drawn forth th:mſclves into Military Order, and put themſelves into the uſual poſture for Fighting, and began to fight in their ſe- veral places. |
2 4 And when the fools were come into the camp, the elders of Ifrael faid, Wherefore hath the LORD {ſmicten us to day before the Philiſtines f2? Let us Þ fetch the ark of the covenant of the 41x66: rake LORD g out of Shiloh unto us, that when it cometh unto us.
among us, it may fave us out ot the hand of our ene= mies, |
f Seing our Cauſe is ſo juſt; our own juſt and neceffiry Defence from GOD'S and our Enemies, and we came nor forth to Barrel by our own motion, but by GOD'S Command delivered by Samuel. This was ſtrange blindneſs, that when there was ſo great a Cor- ruption in their Worſhip and Manners, Chap: 2. and ſuch a defe&i= on to Idolitrys Chap; 7: 3, Pſals 78: 58. they .could not ſee ſuf- ficient reaſon wky God ſhould ſuffer them rq fall by their Enemies. £ That great pledge of God's preſence and help, by whoſe Condu& our Anceſtors obtained ſucceſs, Numb: 10: 35. and 14: 44. Foſh: C: 4: Inſtead of the performance of Moral Duties, humbl ng chem- ſelves deeply for, and purging tnemſelves ſpeccily and throughly from al) tne fins, for which God was diſpleaſed with them, and now had chaſtifed them, rhey rake an cafier and cheaper Courſe, and put their Truſt in their Ceremonial Obfervances, not doubting but the very preſence of the Ark would give them the Vittory.
And therefore it is no wonder they meet with ſo fad a diſappoint- ment.
4 SO the people ſent” to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark + of the covenant of the LORD of hoſts, which dwelleth berzeen the * cheru-
} os. bims :
* Exod.
25:18,22.
Chap. IV:
i
| , ll hap IV. » . . il bims : and the two ſets of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas | were there 5 with the ark & of the covenant of God. | [|| þ Which it may ſeem they ſhould not have done without _ {|| Counſel of GOD, which they might eaſily have done by _ b I ; Either, Firſt, In the Camp. Or rather, Secendly, in Shiloh. h + Attending upon it, inftead of their Aged Father. _y [| 5 And when the ark of the covenant of the LOR [| came into the camp, all Iſrael ſhouted with a great ſhout : theearth rang again. + mages their we hs. and confidence of ſucceſs ; and partly, in deſign to encourage themſelves, and terrific their Ene-
mules.
6 And when the Philiſtines heard the noiſe of the ſhout, they ſaid, What meanerh the noiſe of this great ſhout in the camp of the Hebrews ? And they under- ſtood » that the ark of the LORD was come into the goes by *nformation from the 1/7aelites, who would readily tell them of it ta affright them.
| And the Philiſtines were afraid, for they ſaid, | God is come » into the camp. And they ſaid, Wo uhto us : for there hath not been ſuch a thing + here-
"1 fi
| Heb: | day, tofore o. Ee. l <p » To wit, in and with his Ark: or, they give the Name of
\ 077 : the Ark, before which he was Worſhipped, as they uſed
_ —_ ay oo ene of their falſe gods. » Not to our knowledge,
| or not in our times; for the forementioned removals of the Ark before it came to Shiloh. :
"8 Wo unto us : Who ſhal deliver us out of the hand
; of theſe mighty Gods p ? theſe are the Gods that ſmote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilder-