Who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods?— As no such thing had been done in all the former battles of the Israelites as bringing the ark into the camp, the Philistines, full of the ideas of local and tutelary deities, express their fear and surprise. It was, no doubt, in conformity to the ideas of the Philistines, that our translators render elohim, gods, in this place, though it would certainly have been rendered more properly, this mighty God, and this is the God, as in the seventh verse. It was a very common custom among the ancients to carry the most sacred symbols of their religion to war with them. As the Egyptians were not punished in the wilderness, Houbigant, following the Chaldee and Syriac, reads, and did wonders in the wilderness; agreeably to which the French version reads, who smote Egypt in the wilderness, outre toutes les autres plaies, besides all their other plagues.
REFLECTIONS.—The prophesy of Samuel concerning Eli's house was soon spread, and men waited with suspense for the fulfilment, which quickly began in this war with the Philistines, which is here recorded, and happened towards the latter end of Eli's government, about forty years after the death of Samson.
1. There was a pitched battle between the hosts of Israel and Philistia, wherein the former were worsted with the loss of four thousand men; nor need we wonder, when they seem neither to have consulted God in their war, nor to have repented of their sins.
2. On retiring to their camp, a council of war is held; wherein they seem not so much to have ascribed the stroke to God under an humbling sense of their deserts, as to express their anger for his Providence; and, instead of consulting his will, foolishly propose a contrivance of their own to secure their future victory, by bringing down the ark of God among them; as if the presence of that would ensure to them the power of him who dwelt between the cherubims over it. The resolution is no sooner taken than put in force, the ark sent for, and Eli's ungodly sons bring it down: how little blessing could be hoped from the ark in such hands. Note; (1.) The afflictive providences which humble the penitent, exasperate the hardened, and make them fret against the Lord. (2.) They who are most destitute of the power of godliness have the greatest dependance on the form of it, are most zealous for the ark, the liturgy, the priesthood, and the ritual observances, and trust more in these for salvation, than in the blood, the merit, and grace of the Redeemer, working the spiritual renovation of their hearts. (3.) However good any establishment may be, whilst the ministers are graceless, the ark they bear will be an empty coffer, and no divine blessing can be expected to attend them.
3. Joy and triumph now swell the heart of every Israelite, and they shout till the earth rings with their acclamations. Note; They usually glory most in external privileges who have least experience of inward religion; and their shouting, like Israel's, is the prelude not of victory, but of their everlasting shame and confusion.
4. The Philistines heard the shouts of Israel, and by their spies quickly learned the cause, which filled their host with consternation. Supposing the ark was Israel's God, they express their apprehensions of his presence: they had not so shouted before, nor was the ark of God with them when they were before defeated; and reflecting upon the traditionary notices of the former wonders that God had wrought in Egypt, though they mistake the circumstances, they tremble for the consequences. However, their leaders encourage the soldiers not utterly to despond, but if the danger be great, to exert the greater courage to extricate themselves from it, reminding them of their former victories over Israel, and holding up to them the ignominy of servitude under those who had served them. Note; Their triumphing will be short, whose trust is formality, and whose hope is delusion. The event little corresponded with the sanguine expectations of the Israelites. They were smitten before their enemies, thirty thousand of them slain in the battle, among whom fell the wicked sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas; and, to crown the victory, that ark in which they trusted, falls into the hands of their enemies. Note; (1.) The wickedness of those who undertake a measure often makes a good cause suffer. (2.) The first and sorest judgments of God will fall upon the heads of wicked and faithless ministers. (3.) They who go out of God's way, and act without his advice, can expect no success in their enterprizes.