Denis would first give a commentary on the literal sense of a chapter, and follow this with a
spiritaul interpretation where applicable. I've inserted into his literal commentary his spiritual interpretation; which I have indented.
"And it came to pass in those days, the Philistines gathered for war" (1 Samuel 4:1), that is, to fight against Israel, who from the time of Samson had begun to oppose the Philistines, whom they had served for forty years prior, as is written in the Book of Judges (Judges 13:1). "Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle; Israel encamped" (1 Samuel 4:1), that is, the sons of Israel placed their battle lines and tents at "the Stone of Help." This was a large rock in the field which, as is reported below, was called the Stone of Help because of the events described there (1 Samuel 7:12). Thus, according to the historical order, this is said by prolepsis, that is, anticipation regarding the name of that place; but having respect for the time when these things were written, it is not an anticipation, because the place was then called by that name.
Furthermore, the Philistines came into Aphek, which is a place so named near the city of Jezreel, and they ordered their battle line—that is, their army—against Israel. For a crowd positioned in battle is nothing but a victim for the enemy, according to Vegetius in the book De Re Militari. "But when the conflict began" (1 Samuel 4:2), Israel turned their backs to the Philistines, and they were struck down everywhere in that conflict throughout the fields, about four thousand men of Israel. For the people of Israel were culpable and had not paid their due sacrifices. "And the people returned to the camp" (1 Samuel 4:3), that is, to their tents, which can be understood of the Israelites as well as the Philistines.
By the Philistines, who are interpreted as "falling by drinking," are
understood invisible enemies or even impious men inebriated by the
superfluity of vices. These engage in the battle of temptation, corporal
affliction, or persecution against the just. By these, the faithful are
often conquered because of their sins "in the fields," that is, in the
breadth of the way that leads to perdition (Matthew 7:13).
"And the elders of Israel said" (1 Samuel 4:3), that is, the nobles and leaders of the army or the princes of the tribes upon whom the common care rested: "Why has the Lord struck us today before the Philistines?" (1 Samuel 4:3). That is, why did He permit us, His worshipers, to be struck and some of us to be killed by uncircumcised idolaters? And in these words they implied that their enemies could do nothing except by the power granted to them by God, because the Lord is the moderator of wars, granting triumph to whom He wills for reasons known to His own wisdom. Thus they spoke in wonder: "Why has the Lord struck us?"
And having held a consultation among themselves, they thought that it had happened because of the absence of the Ark. For in the drying up [of the Jordan] and the devastation of Jericho, the Ark was carried before the people, as is clear in the book of Joshua (Joshua 3:6, 6:6); likewise, in the circling of Jericho, it was carried between the warriors and the common people (Joshua 6:9). Hence they added: "Let us bring to ourselves from Shiloh the Ark of the Lord" (1 Samuel 4:3), through the Levites or the priests. For in the book of Numbers it is held that it was to be carried by the Levites (Numbers 4:15), though in the aforementioned chapters of Joshua it is read as being carried by priests (Joshua 3:6). "And let it come into the midst of us so that it may save us from the hand of our enemies" (1 Samuel 4:3).
The people therefore sent certain Levites and priests to Shiloh, and they took from there the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of hosts (1 Samuel 4:4). It is called the "Ark of the Covenant of the Lord" because within it were kept the tables of the testament through which the Lord entered into a pact and covenant with Israel. "Sitting upon the Cherubim" (1 Samuel 4:4). In Exodus it is described that the Mercy Seat was the seat of God in the Holy of Holies (Exodus 25:17-22). Why is God said to be sitting "upon the Cherubim" rather than "upon the Mercy Seat"? It is answered that this is because, according to one exposition which seems supported by these words, that Mercy Seat was a certain golden table or plate raised above the Ark and supported at its extremities by two Cherubim, between whom that table was in the middle; because of which He is said to be "sitting above." And because the glory of the Lord used to appear there at times, it is also sung in the Psalm: "Thou who sittest upon the Cherubim" (Psalm 80:1). Finally, "Cherubim" is interpreted as "fullness of knowledge." The Lord is said to reside upon the Cherubim because He transcends the intellect, capacity, and knowledge of all intellectual substances.
"And the two sons of Eli were there with the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, Hophni and Phinehas" (1 Samuel 4:4), as the principal guardians of the Ark. And Phinehas, the firstborn of Eli, acted in many things in the office of his father, and he commanded his men not to return to him without the Ark, because of which they feared and fought more sharply, as is recounted in the Historia Scholastica. "And when the Ark of the Covenant had come into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great voice" (1 Samuel 4:5) for joy and out of hope of prevailing because of the dignity and presence of the Ark, for whose arrival they gave thanks to God. And perhaps to strike fear into their adversaries, they shouted in this manner. "And the earth rang out" (1 Samuel 4:5), and they heard the voice of the outcry and said: "What is this voice of great outcry" (1 Samuel 4:6)—that is, loud and joyful—"in the camp of the Hebrews?" They recognized that the Ark of the Lord had come into the camp. Whence did the Philistines recognize this, or how did they know to speak of the Ark? It must be answered that certain Hebrews often lived among the Philistines, and some heard many things from the Hebrews about their God and about the efficacy and sanctity of the Ark; therefore they suspected the Ark had come.
"And the Philistines were afraid, saying: 'God has come into the camp'" (1 Samuel 4:7), that is, God has come to them to help them. And they groaned, saying: "Woe to us! For there was not such great exultation yesterday or the day before" (1 Samuel 4:7). "Who shall save us" (1 Samuel 4:8)—that is, snatch us—"from the hand of these sublime Gods?" They speak in the plural, "Gods," though they could have known that the sons of Israel worship only one. It can be said that they used the plural for the singular. Or they supposed the sons of Israel worshiped certain other gods along with their supreme God, just as they often did. "These are the Gods who struck Egypt with every plague in the desert" (1 Samuel 4:8), that is, with the final, consummate plague they struck the Egyptians by drowning them in the Red Sea, which ran through part of the desert of Egypt, as is read in Exodus (Exodus 14:27-28). As if they were saying: "Just as the Egyptians were conquered, so shall we be conquered."
To this, as a certain man says, the following text seems to harmonize, where it is added: "Take courage and be men" (1 Samuel 4:9)—that is, manly—"O Philistines, lest you serve the Hebrews as they also served us" (1 Samuel 4:9). Indeed, it is not inconsistent that the same army feared because of certain considerations, and then animated and comforted one another because of other considerations, just as the same man fears and then consoles himself. This is also reported in the first book of Maccabees concerning the army of Jonathan (1 Maccabees 11:73). There are many examples of this in the Scriptures. The exposition of the Hebrews which he [the author] puts forward does not seem worthy of recitation.
"Take courage and fight" (1 Samuel 4:9). The Philistines therefore fought, and Israel was struck down, and everyone of the army of Israel who was able to escape fled to his tent. And a great slaughter was made, and thirty thousand footmen of Israel fell (1 Samuel 4:10). And the Ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli were dead (1 Samuel 4:11). A man of the tribe of Benjamin running from the battle line (1 Samuel 4:12)—whom the Hebrews say was Saul, claiming that he took the tables of the testament from the Gittite [Goliath] who had taken them from the Ark, and carried them back to Shiloh. This seems to belong to fables, because he was then a youth, nor could human power have taken the tables from that giant. If, however, he had done this by supernatural power, he could have by that same power taken the Ark away from the Philistines.
By the Israelites wondering at their own ruin and bringing the Ark of the Lord for their assistance, are understood Christians who, when any tribulation or pestilence is pressing, carry about the Sacrament and relics, yet do not amend their conduct and morals. Therefore, because of their demerits, they are not helped; rather, they are sometimes struck by a heavier plague. This occurs by the most just judgment of God, who, seeing the secrets of hearts, knows that they pray for the escape and cessation of corporal dangers not from a right root—that is, not from charity or sincere intention—but from a carnal love by which they love the present life and its prosperities. Thus, their prayer becomes sin (Psalm 109:7) and provokes the indignation of the Deity, since they pray importunely and foolishly for things they do not know would expedite their salvation, and they omit those things which God requires of them and which are necessary for salvation. All of this is truly contrary to equity.
Just as the Philistines were terrified by the shout of the Israelites
(1 Samuel 4:7-8), so the demons are accustomed to be driven away by song
and the ringing of sacred bells and to dread the Church. Yet, scorning
the less-than-virtuous life of churchmen—who praise God with their
mouths while turning their hearts far from Him (Isaiah 29:13; Matthew
15:8)—they exhort one another to attack the faithful and the clergy.
From these, alas, they prostrate many thousands daily, whom they lead
into diverse and grave sins.
He came into Shiloh on that day with his garment torn and his head sprinkled with dust (1 Samuel 4:12). And when he had arrived, Eli was sitting upon a seat (1 Samuel 4:13)—that is, a chair—facing the way that led to the place of the conflict, watching, or rather "waiting" according to some, because as the Hebrews say, he was already blind. Or, if he were still only partially sightless, he looked in that direction as best he could, desiring to know the outcome of the war. For his heart was trembling for the Ark of the Lord (1 Samuel 4:13); for on account of the threats made against him, he greatly feared a bad outcome, especially since he had heard that his sons would fall on a single day.
But after that man entered, he announced the news to the city, and the whole city wailed (1 Samuel 4:13). And Eli heard the sound of the outcry and said: "What is this sound of this tumult?" (1 Samuel 4:14). But the man hurried and came and told Eli. Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes had grown dim and he could not see (1 Samuel 4:15). And he said to Eli: "I am he who came from the battle, and I am he who fled from the battle line today" (1 Samuel 4:16). To whom Eli said: "What has happened, my son?" (1 Samuel 4:16). But he who brought the news, responding, said: "Israel has fled before the Philistines, and a great ruin has been made of the people. Moreover, your two sons are dead, Hophni and Phinehas, and the Ark of God is captured" (1 Samuel 4:17).
By the fact that the Hebrews lost their Ark and their glory and the tables of the testament containing the Decalogue (1 Samuel 4:11), it is judged figured that, because of their crimes—especially those committed against Christ—they were to be deprived of all the spiritual glory of their law and saving knowledge. It signifies that the law itself, as far as moral precepts are concerned, along with the books of the Prophets and the Psalms, was to be transferred to the Gentiles. When this was done, the priesthood and high priesthood of the Jews failed, as was also prefigured by the sudden death of the high priest Eli and his priest-sons (1 Samuel 4:17-18).
He especially feared lest the Ark should be captured, and when he heard it was taken, he fell backward. For upon hearing of the death of his sons and of the common people, he remained still; but upon hearing of the seizure of the Ark, he collapsed out of grief. From this it seems that the affection and zeal for God at that moment prevailed over his natural disposition and love for his offspring. Whence it is subjoined: "And when he had named the Ark of the Lord, he fell from his seat backward near the gate, and with his neck broken, he died" (1 Samuel 4:18). For he was an old man and of great age—specifically ninety-eight years old—and he had judged Israel for forty years (1 Samuel 4:18). Thus he is shown to have been made a judge at the age of fifty-eight.
"But his daughter-in-law, etc." (1 Samuel 4:19). Here is narrated how the wife of Phinehas, having heard such rumors, suddenly gave birth and expired in the birthing. First, however, she called the boy Ichabod (1 Samuel 4:21), which is interpreted as "inglorious" or "without honor." Whence she also added the cause for the naming, saying: "The glory is translated from Israel" (1 Samuel 4:21-22), that is, the thing itself—namely the Ark, or the glorying of Israel—is extinguished, such a holy thing having been taken away from them. She uttered these same words on behalf of her deceased husband and his brother, who, if they had lived, would have rightly spoken these words.
The destruction of the Synagogue was also designated by the death of the aforementioned daughter-in-law (1 Samuel 4:19-22). Nevertheless, in dying she brought forth a son, because a remnant of the Synagogue was saved, just as God foretold through Jeremiah: "I will gather one from a city and two from a family" (Jeremiah 3:14).
Finally, it must be considered that Eli and his daughter-in-law, who are otherwise censured, were so saddened by the capture of the Ark that they expired. By this, it is manifest that many Christians are to be rebuked, who are affected by little or no sadness by the capture of the Holy Sepulcher, the devastation of the entire Holy Land, and the profanation of the most sacred places. Again, the inhabitants of Shiloh wailed over the slaughter of the Israelites (1 Samuel 4:13), but over the daily spiritual death of sinners in the soul, over the condemnation of the perishing, and over the so manifold and enormous dishonoring and offending of God at almost every moment, there is scarcely anyone who sheds a tear. Where is spiritual love? Where is zeal for the divine honor? Yet for these causes, there is always a copious reason for piously mourning for every true faithful of Christ, as holy Basil says.
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