1 Samuel 4:12
And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head. And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.
On the same day as the battle a runner came from the army to Shiloh to bring Eli news of Israel's defeat and the loss of the ark. His clothes were torn and earth was upon his head as signs of grief. His coming belongs to God's judgment on Eli's house for Eli's failure to rule his own house well and restrain his children.
Eli was a good man, pure in morals and loving purity and righteousness, but too indulgent and lacking the moral courage to rebuke sin, reprove wrong, remove his vile sons from trust, strengthen his weak point, and suppress evil. He knew they profaned the house of God and felt sad over it, yet did not remove them, and this failure incurred God's displeasure. His sons were corrupt and ungodly, a proverb of reproach whose corrupting influence where they lived disgusted unbelievers and brought reproach on God's cause. Their wrongdoing was especially serious because of their position as priests. Eli's indulgence of their sin dishonored God and made him share in their guilt.
When God's rebuke came through the child Samuel, Eli accepted it as deserved without resentment toward Samuel. Defeat and death came as God's judgment: his sons died and the people suffered ruin. When the runner reported the battle, Eli could endure hearing that his guilty sons were slain, but could not bear hearing that the ark of God was taken. He knew his neglect to stand for the right and restrain wrong had at last deprived Israel of strength and glory, and the pallor of death came on his face and he fell backward and died.