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.
There is a word play in the Hebrew text that helps us understand the significance of the departure of God’s glory. The Hebrew word for "heavy" (1 Samuel 4:18) is kabed, and the word for "glory" (1 Samuel 4:21) is kabod. Rather than Israel enjoying glory from God’s presence through Eli’s priesthood, Eli himself had received the glory, as his heavy weight implies. Eli’s apparent self-indulgence was responsible for the departure of God’s glory from Israel and from his line of priests. [Note: See John H. Sailhamer, The Pentateuch as Narrative, p. 400-401.] 