The Philistines, however, made a new attack, and the Israelites were again defeated, with great slaughter; thirty thousand were slain, and the rest put to flight. And a messenger came to Heli, saying: “Thy two sons, Ophni and Phinees, are dead, and the Ark of the Lord is taken.” Now Heli, who was far advanced in years, on hearing that the Ark was taken, fell from his chair[1] backwards by the door, and broke his neck and died. The Philistines took the Ark of the Lord, and placed it in the temple of Dagon[2], their false god.
Next morning, when they went into the temple, they found the idol lying prostrate on the ground before the Ark. Besides, the Lord afflicted them with many evils on account of the Ark. Many persons died, and from the fields there came forth a multitude of mice , and there was great confusion in the country.
Perceiving this, the Philistines resolved that the Ark of God should no longer remain amongst them. Then they took the Ark and laid it upon a cart, and taking two kine, or young cows, they yoked them to the cart. The cows took the way that led to Bethsames, and thus the Ark was brought again into the country of the Israelites.
Meanwhile, after the death of Heli, Samuel had become Judge in Israel. He assembled the people, reproached them for their evil doings, and then said: “If you turn to the Lord with all your heart, and put away the strange gods from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve Him only[3], He will deliver you out of the hands of the Philistines.”
So they humbled themselves before God in prayer and fasting, Samuel interceding and offering sacrifice for them. And the Lord
- ↑ Fell from his chair. The good old High Priest did not fall backwards when he heard that his sons had perished, but only when the messenger told him that the Ark had been taken. This last news struck him with more horror than the first, for he believed that it meant that God’s covenant with His people was now broken, and that Israel would be destroyed.
- ↑ In the temple of Dagon. This was not in order to pay honour to the Ark, but so as to make an offering of it to their god Dagon, to whom they believed they owed their victory. God, however, proved to them that their idol was worth nothing, and could do nothing.
- ↑ Him only. For they worshipped idols at the same time that they were worshipping the Lord God.
