I Samuel 4:15
A plain-spoken deep dive on this verse. Read the chapter →
Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his gaze was fixed because he could not see.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Eli was ninety-eight years old, and "his eyes stood," i.e., were stiff, so that he could no more see (vid., Kg1 14:4). This is a description of the so-called black cataract (amaurosis), which generally occurs at a very great age from paralysis of the optic nerves.
Open source ↗The predictions in the foregoing chapters concerning the ruin of Eli's house here begin to be fulfilled; how long after does not appear, but certainly not long. Such sinners God often makes quick work with. Here is, I. The disgrace and loss Israel sustained in an encounter with the Philistines (Sa1 4:1, Sa1 4:2). II. Their foolish project to fortify themselves by bringing the ark of God into their camp upon the shoulders of Hophni and Phinehas (Sa1 4:3, Sa1 4:4), which made them secure (Sa1 4:5) and struck a fear into the Philistines, but such a fear as roused them (Sa1 4:6-9). III. The fatal consequences of it: Israel was beaten, and the ark taken prisoner (Sa1 4:10, Sa1 4:11). IV. The tidings of this brought to Shiloh, and the sad reception of those tidings. 1. The city was put into confusion (Sa1 4:12, Sa1 4:13). 2. Eli fainted away, fell, and broke his neck (Sa1 4:14-18). 3. Upon hearing what had occurred his daughter-in-law fell in labour, bore a son, but died immediately (Sa1 4:19-22). These were the things which would make the ears of those that heard them to tingle.
Open source ↗4:15 blind: See 3:2 and corresponding study note.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
And at that time Eli, whose eyesight had grown so dim that he could not see, was lying in his room.
When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son.” “Here I am,” Esau replied.
Jeroboam’s wife did as instructed; she arose and went to Shiloh and arrived at Ahijah’s house. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were dim because of his age.
The length of our days is seventy years— or eighty if we are strong— yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.