And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the 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.
When the messenger mentioned what happened to the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair beside the gate. His neck broke and he died, because he was an old and heavy man. He had been Israel's judge for forty years.
This verse describes how the elderly priest Eli died from shock when he heard that God's ark had been captured by Israel's enemies.
📚 Historical Context
Eli was the high priest and judge of Israel during a dark period when the nation repeatedly turned away from God. The ark of the covenant, which represented God's presence among His people, had just been captured by the Philistines in battle - a devastating spiritual and national disaster. This happened around 1100 BC during the time when judges ruled Israel before the monarchy began.
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