This phrase indicates that Eli served Israel as a judge and that he did so for a complete generation (forty years).1 It suggests that he was supportive of the plans to take up arms against the Philistines seeing as the ark of the covenant would not have left the tabernacle without his permission. We know from Deuteronomy 17:8–13 that priests in Israel were involved in deciding some law cases.2
18 A peine eut-il fait mention de l'arche de Dieu, qu'Eli tomba de son siège à la renverse, à côté de la porte; il se rompit la nuque et mourut, car c'était un homme vieux et pesant. Il avait été juge en Israël pendant quarante ans.