Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Samuel 4:18

"And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that [Eli] feel from off his 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." — 1 Samuel 4:18 (ASV)

He fell from off the seat backward. —The compiler of these books was not motivated by any friendly feeling toward the high priest Eli. In composing this history of the events that led to Samuel's elevation to the judgeship, he simply assembled the materials he possessed from the records of those days and gives us a vivid picture of the calamities under Eli's rule. Since he never overlooks Eli's weakness or attempts to hide his blind nepotism, we sense here the complete truth of this touching incident that ended the old man’s life. He loved the Ark, because of its close connection with his God, better, after all, than his two sons.

We have already seen that he could bear the stern announcement of the ruin and degradation of his proud family's fortune, for which he had worked only too faithfully; he could bear to see another—the boy Samuel—preferred over him, the high priest and judge of Israel; he could endure hearing about the defeat and ruin of the country over which he had ruled for so long, and which he loved so well; even the news of the death of his sons he could listen to with sad resignation; but when his ears caught the words, the ark of God is taken, the old man’s heart broke, and he died.

The chronicler of this period, who certainly never favored Eli, leaves us with the impression that despite all his faults and imperfections, he was still a servant of God. Wordsworth quotes here Psalms 137:5-6: If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth: if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. —The dying words of Archbishop Whitgift were, “Pro Ecclesia Dei,”—“For the church of God.”

And he had judged Israel forty years. —“When I read of Eli the priest, of the sons of Aaron, judging Israel forty years, and of Samuel, certainly a Levite, though not a priest, traveling a circuit as an itinerant judge in Israel (1 Samuel 7:16), and of others of the families of Levi appointed by King David to be judges and officers, not only in all the business of the Lord, but also for the outward business of Israel (2 Samuel 15:35; 1 Chronicles 26:29–32)—when I observe in Church histories, ever since the world has had Christian rulers, how ecclesiastical persons have been employed by their sovereigns in their most important consultations and state affairs, I cannot help but wonder at those who criticize courts, power, jurisdiction, and the temporal possessions and affairs of bishops and other ecclesiastical persons.

I do not say this to justify abuses by men, but to justify the lawfulness of the thing.”—Bishop Sanderson, quoted by Wordsworth.