Day 78. 1 Samuel 4-7

The Philistines (1 Samuel 4:1) were a war-like people, skillful in the production of iron weapons, who had settled in the area of Gaza and were a constant threat to Israel for some 500 years. They were "sea people" who had come down from the Aegean—from Crete and the islands of modern Greece—and settled on the coast of Palestine after the collapse of civilization we call "Minoan." Their major cities are mentioned in the reading for today. They continued to harass Israel until they were finally destroyed by the Assyrians centuries hence.
So Israel goes into battle against these Philistines and suffers a terrible defeat (4:2). In the absence of a charismatic leader and in desperation, Israel decides to take the ark of covenant into battle as a sign of the presence of the LORD. The evil sons of Eli, the priests Hophni and Phinehas, come with it (4:4). But the LORD has forsaken Israel and the ultimate calamity occurs—the Israelite army is routed, the priests are killed, and the ark is captured by the Philistines.
At the news that the prediction that Samuel had made has been fulfilled, that his sons are dead and the ark captured, the old priest Eli falls backward from his seat by the gate of Shiloh and breaks his neck. At the news the wife of Phinehas, who is pregnant, goes into labor and dies in childbirth, but not before she has named her son Ichabod, which means, "The glory of Israel has departed."
And so it would seem. But the ark in enemy hands proves a dangerous trophy. The LORD will not tolerate the presence of other gods, so the image of the Philistine god Dagon is thrown down and shattered when the ark is lodged in his temple (5:1 and following). It brings fear and the plague to any city of the Philistines into which it is brought.
The plague mentioned in 5:12 may be the first recorded outbreak of the Black Death, the bubonic plague, which devastated Europe in the 14th century. Bubonic plague is carried by fleas which in turn are carried by rodents, and the disease is marked by the appearance of tumors. Note that the guilt offering the Philistines send back with the ark consists of "five gold tumors and five gold mice" (6:4) symbolic of the plague from which they suffer.
So the Philistines send back the ark, together with these symbolic offerings in a cart drawn by two cows, which carry it directly back to Israel. The LORD has not utterly forsaken his people after all, and when they see the ark, they greet its return with rejoicing (6:13).
God has given his people another chance, and Samuel calls them to abandon the idolatry that has caused them to suffer at the hands of Philistines (7:3). Under his leadership there is a ceremony of general contrition at Mizpah (7:5) where the people confess their sins. The drawing and pouring out of water is a penitential symbol, suggestive of weeping (7:6).
The tide has turned. The LORD is with them again. The Philistines prepare to attack, but they are thrown into confusion when "the LORD thundered with a mighty voice" (7:10) and the men of Israel follow up their advantage by pursuing them and striking them down in great numbers.
So in order to call the people to remembrance of their covenant, Samuel sets up a stone called "Ebenezer"—the name means "stone of the helper"—to signify that that "thus far the LORD has helped us" (7:12). The LORD keeps the Philistines at bay. Lost Israelite territory is recovered. There is peace between Israel and the Amorites. And Samuel judges Israel all his life, traveling in a wide circle to hear cases, settle disputes, and administer justice (7:15-16). He is the last of the judges and arguably the greatest, but the good times do not last, as we shall see in tomorrow's reading. . . .