Midrash for I Samuel 4:3
וַיָּבֹ֣א הָעָם֮ אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶה֒ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ זִקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לָ֣מָּה נְגָפָ֧נוּ יְהוָ֛ה הַיּ֖וֹם לִפְנֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֑ים נִקְחָ֧ה אֵלֵ֣ינוּ מִשִּׁלֹ֗ה אֶת־אֲרוֹן֙ בְּרִ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה וְיָבֹ֣א בְקִרְבֵּ֔נוּ וְיֹשִׁעֵ֖נוּ מִכַּ֥ף אֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃
And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said: ‘Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to-day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that He may come among us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies.’
Kohelet Rabbah
“In addition, all his days, he eats in darkness, and has much anger, illness, and rage” (Ecclesiastes 5:16).
“In addition, all his days, he” walks “in darkness” – this refers to the generation of the Judges. “And has much anger” – they would anger the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “Illness and rage”: “illness” – this is suffering; “and rage” – that they enraged the Holy One blessed be He and said: “Why, Lord, God of Israel, has this been in Israel, to have one tribe lacking in Israel today?” (Judges 21:3).
Another matter: “In addition, all his days, he” walks “in darkness” – this refers to the generation of Samuel. “And has much anger” – they would anger the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “Illness and rage”: “illness” – this is suffering; “and rage” – that they enraged [God] and said: “Why did the Lord cause us to be smitten?” (I Samuel 4:3). The ten tribes were exiled, and none remained of them. Judah and Benjamin were exiled, and some remained.74Thus, the ten tribes are another example of a group that walked in darkness and angered God.
“In addition, all his days, he” walks “in darkness” – this refers to the generation of the Judges. “And has much anger” – they would anger the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “Illness and rage”: “illness” – this is suffering; “and rage” – that they enraged the Holy One blessed be He and said: “Why, Lord, God of Israel, has this been in Israel, to have one tribe lacking in Israel today?” (Judges 21:3).
Another matter: “In addition, all his days, he” walks “in darkness” – this refers to the generation of Samuel. “And has much anger” – they would anger the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “Illness and rage”: “illness” – this is suffering; “and rage” – that they enraged [God] and said: “Why did the Lord cause us to be smitten?” (I Samuel 4:3). The ten tribes were exiled, and none remained of them. Judah and Benjamin were exiled, and some remained.74Thus, the ten tribes are another example of a group that walked in darkness and angered God.
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