A little while after God spoke to Samuel, the Israelites fought against
the Philistines. They were beaten. Then they took the ark of God from the
tabernacle and marched against the Philistines. At first the Philistines
were afraid of the ark. But they fought bravely. The Israelites were
again beaten. Eli’s two sons were killed and the ark of God was taken.
Eli was then ninety-eight years old. He was blind. He was sitting on a
bench by the roadside when he heard the sad news. He was so overcome by
the intelligence he fell over backward and brake his neck. That was what
God told Samuel would happen.
[Illustration: ELI RECEIVING THE NEWS OF THE DEATH OF HIS SONS.]