1 Samuel 4 13

1 Samuel 4:13 kjv

And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out.

1 Samuel 4:13 nkjv

Now when he came, there was Eli, sitting on a seat by the wayside watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told it, all the city cried out.

1 Samuel 4:13 niv

When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair by the side of the road, watching, because his heart feared for the ark of God. When the man entered the town and told what had happened, the whole town sent up a cry.

1 Samuel 4:13 esv

When he arrived, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told the news, all the city cried out.

1 Samuel 4:13 nlt

Eli was waiting beside the road to hear the news of the battle, for his heart trembled for the safety of the Ark of God. When the messenger arrived and told what had happened, an outcry resounded throughout the town.

1 Samuel 4 verses

1 Samuel 4 13 Meaning

First Samuel 4:13 describes the high priest Eli's anxious wait for news regarding the battle between Israel and the Philistines. He is positioned by the roadside, a place where information would arrive. His primary concern, so deep it caused his heart to tremble, was not merely the battle's outcome or the fate of his sons, but specifically the Ark of God, which had been taken into battle by his sons. This verse highlights the profound spiritual dread Eli experienced over the potential loss or dishonor of this most sacred emblem of God's presence and covenant with Israel.

1 Samuel 4 13 Context

First Samuel chapter 4 recounts a significant military defeat for Israel by the Philistines, culminating in the capture of the Ark of God. Prior to this, Israel, led by Eli's corrupt sons Hophni and Phinehas, had mistakenly brought the Ark into battle, viewing it superstitiously as a good-luck charm rather than acknowledging it as a symbol requiring God's holy presence and obedience. The high priest Eli, advanced in years and physically frail, particularly suffering from poor eyesight, awaited news of this pivotal conflict. His anxiety was primarily directed toward the sacred Ark, reflecting an awareness, albeit late and inadequate, of its paramount spiritual significance and the potential disaster its loss would represent for the nation and their relationship with God. This verse sets the stage for Eli's tragic demise upon hearing the devastating news of the Ark's capture, linking the impending national and personal catastrophe to the dishonor shown to God's covenant.

1 Samuel 4 13 Word analysis

• Eli: The high priest and judge of Israel. Old, near blind (1 Sam 3:2), representing a declining spiritual leadership that has failed to restrain his wicked sons.
• Sat upon a seat (כִּסֵּא, kisseh): While 'kisseh' can mean a throne, here it denotes a place of waiting or authority, likely a chair, situated for viewing the road. It emphasizes his sedentary state, symbolic of his spiritual stagnation and physical decline.
• By the wayside (דֶּרֶךְ, derekh): The road or path leading into Shiloh, a common place for travelers and news to arrive. It highlights his anticipation and vulnerability, as he is outside, exposed, awaiting critical information.
• Watching (צֹפֶה, tsofeh): A participle, indicating continuous and intent observation, akin to a watchman. Eli was intently looking for a messenger, symbolizing his deep, nervous expectation of news from the battle.
• For his heart trembled (לִבּוֹ חָרֵד, libbo khared): 'Libbo' (his heart) signifies the core of his being—emotions, thoughts, will. 'Khared' (trembled) conveys deep fear, dread, and agitation. It indicates not just concern but a profound physical and emotional terror. This trembling is specific to the Ark, revealing his awareness of its profound sacredness and the dire consequences of its potential loss.
• For the Ark of God (עַל־אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים, al-aron ha'Elohim): The sacred Ark of the Covenant, representing God's throne and presence among His people (Ex 25:22). Eli's ultimate fear was not for his sons or even the nation's military defeat, but for the sacred object that embodied God's covenant with Israel. This reveals that despite his failings, he still possessed some understanding of spiritual priorities, though his actions did not fully align. Its capture would signify divine abandonment.

• "Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching": This phrase paints a vivid picture of an old, infirm leader desperately awaiting crucial news. His static posture yet intense "watching" illustrates his powerlessness in the face of the unfolding crisis, emphasizing his limited capacity for action and his dependence on incoming information.
• "For his heart trembled for the Ark of God": This explains the depth of Eli's fear. It contrasts with a potential concern for his sons' safety or Israel's military success, emphasizing his acute awareness of the theological significance of the Ark. His fear is spiritual, signifying dread over the sacrilege and abandonment God's presence might incur, or perhaps a prophetic sense of impending divine judgment related to the Ark and his family's stewardship.

1 Samuel 4 13 Bonus section

Eli's spiritual blindness, though perhaps metaphorical for his moral failing concerning his sons, contrasts starkly with his profound spiritual awareness regarding the Ark's holiness. While he couldn't physically see, his spiritual apprehension for the Ark's fate was keen, suggesting a latent piety obscured by his permissiveness. This specific fear for the Ark, above all else, also serves as a strong indictment against his sons, Hophni and Phinehas, whose own sacrilegious behavior directly jeopardized this holy object and ultimately led to its capture. Eli's physical position by the "wayside" awaiting a messenger reflects an ancient judicial practice where elders and judges would sit by the city gates or roadsides to administer justice and receive news, thus making his vulnerable wait more poignant. His fear foreshadows not just his death but the capture of the Ark (symbolizing the "glory departed" – Ichabod, 1 Sam 4:21) and the temporary spiritual withdrawal of God's overt presence from Israel due to their unfaithfulness and priestly corruption.

1 Samuel 4 13 Commentary

1 Samuel 4:13 vividly captures the tension of divine judgment upon Eli and Israel. Eli's fear was primarily for the Ark of God, highlighting its immense sacredness and theological significance as the representation of God's presence and covenant. This fear contrasts sharply with the irreverence shown by his sons and by the Israelites, who treated the Ark superstitiously as a magical totem. Eli's trembling heart underscores his deep, albeit belated, spiritual understanding of the potential catastrophe should the Ark be captured—a symbolic removal of God's manifest presence. His posture and internal agony set the scene for the devastating news he is about to receive, signifying the end of his priesthood and a period of spiritual darkness for Israel, directly linking the national calamity to the pervasive spiritual corruption within Eli’s own house.