What does 1 Samuel 4:21 mean?
Within hours of his death, Eli has a new grandchild. When the wife of his son Phinehas learns the ark of the covenant has been captured, her husband has been killed, and Eli has died suddenly, she goes into sudden labor. She gives birth to a son, but the shock of the birth is too much for her. The fact that her son is apparently healthy gives no comfort to this dying woman (1 Samuel 4:20).Phinehas's wife names their son Ichabod, which literally means "no glory." While dying, she mourns the death of her husband and father-in-law, but she names her son for the loss of the ark of God. Though she is no priest, she understands along with all in Israel that the Lord is the glory of His people. She believes, wrongly, that the loss of the ark to the Philistines is, in a sense, the loss of God Himself.
First Samuel 4:12–22 describes the reaction of the people of Shiloh, to news from the battle with the Philistines. A runner arrives and finds Eli, now ninety-eight and blind, sitting by the road at the gate. When Eli hears the news that the battle is lost, his sons are dead, and the ark is captured, he falls over backwards and dies. His daughter-in-law also reacts badly, going into premature labor and then dying herself after giving birth. She names the baby Ichabod, indicating the glory has departed from Israel because the ark has been captured.
Israel amasses an to fight against the Philistines. After losing badly in the first battle, the elders send for the ark of God to be brought from Shiloh. They seem to assume the mere presence of the ark will act like a lucky charm or talisman. The Philistines are terrified at the idea of fighting Israel's deity, but they still defeat the Israelites, slaughtering many soldiers and capturing the ark. A runner delivers the news to Eli that his sons are dead and the ark is captured. He dies, and his daughter-in-law goes into premature labor. Before she dies, she names the baby Ichabod, saying that the glory has departed from Israel.
