1 Samuel 4:18
And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
When the messenger named the taking of the ark of God, Eli, an old and heavy man who had judged Israel forty years, fell backward from his seat beside the gate, broke his neck, and died. He had waited by the way with a trembling heart for fear the ark would fall into Philistine hands, and though he could endure the tidings of Israel's defeat and the death of his two sons, the loss of the ark overwhelmed him with unbearable anguish. He saw in its capture the fruit of his own sin in dishonoring God and causing His presence to withdraw, and his death came under the same divine judgment as his sons because through indulgent neglect he failed to reprove and restrain their vile profaning of God's house. God permitted this greatest of calamities, with thirty thousand slain and the ark taken, to humble Israel and expose the vanity of trusting in the outward symbol of His presence for victory and strength while profaning the commandments it contained. His mournful fall warns parents and those entrusted with the church that they are accountable for the sins they lightly tolerate, and must govern their own houses, promptly correct and subdue wrongdoing, and stand for the right rather than be led by their children or follow human wisdom.
Eli's Fall and Death
Eli fell backward from his seat by the side of the gate when mention was made that the ark of God was taken, and his neck broke, and he died. The anguish over the capture overwhelmed him because he saw in it that his own sin had dishonored God and had caused God to withdraw His presence from Israel. His grief brought upon him the judgment of God which he shared with his sons, for he was guilty in great measure through criminal neglect to restrain their wrongdoing. The pallor of death came upon his face as he knew his failure to stand for the right and restrain wrong had at last deprived Israel of her strength and glory, and he collapsed and fell backward and died.
He was an old man, and heavy, and he had judged Israel forty years. His disastrous end closed a life whose indulgence toward his sons brought ruin on his family and disaster to Israel.
He had waited by the wayside with a trembling heart, afraid the ark of God would be taken and polluted by the Philistines. The capture of the ark was counted the greatest calamity that could befall Israel.
He could bear the news that his two sons were slain and Israel defeated, having reason to expect it, and he bore it with calmness. But when told the ark of God was taken he wavered in anguish that he could not bear, and fell backward from his seat and died. He could endure hearing that his sons were slain in battle, but he could not bear the loss of the ark, because he knew his neglect in restraining wrong had deprived Israel of its strength and glory.
Sin and Divine Judgment
Eli saw in the taking of the ark the fruit of his own sin, which had dishonored God and caused Him to withdraw His presence from Israel. The tidings overwhelmed him because he recognized that dishonor and withdrawal as his own doing. His falling backward and dying under that grief shared the wrath and judgment of God that fell upon his sons, for he was guilty in great measure of their transgressions through criminal neglect to restrain them. Because he restrained them not, the heavy curse was declared that their sins should not be purged with sacrifice nor offerings forever, and when Samuel told him he submitted, saying it is the Lord, let Him do what seems good to Him.
Though pure in morals himself and loving purity and righteousness, he followed human wisdom instead of God's commands and was too indulgent, lacking the moral courage to reprove his sons and remove them from their sacred trust though they were wicked and vile and profaned the house of God. His loose, slack manner of bringing them up made them corrupt and ungodly, a proverb of reproach exerting a corrupting influence, leading Israel astray by their wickedness. That course brought the frown of God upon him, disgusted unbelievers, and brought reproach upon God's cause. His indulgent, unrestrained management brought disaster and death to himself, ruin to his sons, and ruin to thousands in Israel.
The capture of the ark was counted the greatest calamity that could befall Israel, and God permitted it to show how vain it was to trust in the ark as the symbol of His presence and their boasted strength and confidence while they were profaning the commandments contained in the ark, humbling them by removing it. Israel wrongly trusted that the presence of the ark would guarantee victory despite sin, but outward religious observance could not shield them from the consequences of unchecked wrongdoing. Eli's failure to reprove and restrain his sons in their sacred offices and to correct the evils prevailing brought that calamity upon the nation. His sons died in battle, the ark was taken, thirty thousand of Israel were slain, and he himself lost his life.
Warning to Parents and Leaders
Eli's mournful fall — falling backward from his seat by the gate, breaking his neck and dying when he heard that the ark of God was taken — was the judgment and retribution for his failure to promptly restrain his sons, and it warns that delay in dealing with sin brings grave consequences. His indulgent, unrestrained management of his wicked and vile sons, following human wisdom instead of God's commands in training them, brought disaster and death to himself, ruin to his sons, and ruin to thousands in Israel, for because he restrained them not they led Israel astray and the curse followed that their sins should not be purged with sacrifice nor offerings forever. When Samuel told him that heavy curse he submitted, saying it is the Lord, let Him do what seemeth Him good, yet soon the wicked priests were slain, thirty thousand of Israel were slain, and the ark was taken, all this evil resulting from his failure to restrain his sons. The fact that God so particularly noticed parental neglect then proves He notices it no less in these last days, so parents today are accountable in great measure for their children's faults and must lead and not be led by their children, governing them, correcting their passions and subduing them without delay, or God will surely destroy the children in the day of His fierce anger and the unrestraining parents will not be blameless.
The same history stands especially as a warning to parents in holy office and servants of God who in self-confidence think they know a better way of training children than God has given in His word, for they are not prepared to judge or decide in matters of the church unless they can rule well their own house and have their families in good subjection. Those responsible for the church, especially ministers accepted as teachers from God, are taught that treating sin lightly and allowing it to remain among God's people and disregarding it brings severe consequences and calamity, as Eli's failure to reprove and restrain his sons in their sacred offices cost his own life, the capture of the ark, and the slaying of thirty thousand people. Though pure in morals and loving purity and righteousness, he was too indulgent and lacked moral courage to reprove his vile sons and remove them from their trust though they profaned the house of God, failing to stand for the right and restrain wrong until Israel was deprived of her strength and glory. He could endure hearing that his sons were slain in battle, but he could not bear the news that the ark was taken, and the pallor of death came upon his face as he fell backward and died, showing that those who dishonor the cause of truth must be reproved and wrongs promptly removed.
The sin that brought this retribution was blind and foolish fondness, indulging and petting the child, surrendering to her and letting her rule instead of disciplining and managing her, and the same sin brings the same retribution to parents, especially ministers. Such indulgence closes the gates of heaven before the child so that with present habits and disposition she will never see the kingdom of God, while it puts the parents' own salvation in peril. At the Judgment it will be shown to have resulted in the loss of scores of children, for parents reap what they sow, and the evil spreads as an indulged minister's child gives lessons that others follow in indulging their own children.