1Sa 4:18 | TNotes | STEP | 4:18 Eli fell backward: Either he was startled or he had a heart attack when he heard the message. Eli’s fatal fall symbolizes his family’s fall from the priesthood and the end of the abomination that his sons began (2:12-17 ). • Israel’s judge: Priesthood and judgeship were not incompatible (cp. Exod 18:13-26 ; Deut 17:8-13 ). Samuel replaced Eli as Israel’s judge and provided leadership that Eli had failed to provide (see 1 Sam 7:12-17 ). • The phrase for forty years incorporates Eli’s career into the conceptual and temporal framework of the book of Judges (cp. Judg 3:11 ; 5:31 ; 8:28 ; 13:1 ).

a4:18►

b2:12-17►

cExod 18:13-26►

dDeut 17:8-13►

e1 Sam 7:12-17►

fJudg 3:11►

g5:31►

h8:28►

i13:1►

‏ 1 Samuel 4:18

4:18 ^a Eli fell backward: Either he was startled or he had a heart attack when he heard the message. Eli’s fatal fall symbolizes his family’s fall from the priesthood and the end of the abomination that his sons began (2:12-17 ^b).

• Israel’s judge: Priesthood and judgeship were not incompatible (cp. Exod 18:13-26 ^c; Deut 17:8-13 ^d). Samuel replaced Eli as Israel’s judge and provided leadership that Eli had failed to provide (see 1 Sam 7:12-17 ^e).

• The phrase for forty years incorporates Eli’s career into the conceptual and temporal framework of the book of Judges (cp. Judg 3:11 ^f; 5:31 ^g; 8:28 ^h; 13:1 ⁱ).