It happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that [Eli] fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck broke, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.
The major historical element of continuity in this section is the fate of Eli’s sons (1 Samuel 4:9-11). The theological theme of fertility continues to be the primary unifying factor in the narrative.