Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his gaze was fixed because he could not see.
Tidings are here brought to Shiloh of the fatal issue of their battle with the Philistines. Bad news flies fast. This soon spread through all Israel; every man that fled to his tent brought it, with too plain a proof of it, to his neighbours. But no place was so nearly concerned as Shiloh.
Commenting on 1 Samuel 4:12-18
Now Eli was ninety eight years old,.... Which is very properly observed, he being now come to the end of his days, and which also accounts for his blindness after mentioned: and his eyes were dim, that he could not see; could not see the messenger, and read in his countenance, and perceive by his clothes rent, and earth on his head, that he was...
1Sa 4:15 Eli was ninety-eight years old, and “his eyes stood,” i.e., were stiff, so that he could no more see (vid., 1Ki 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.