2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.
When the battle began, Israel turned their backs to the Philistines, etc. Once the conflict between Israel and the pagan peoples broke out over true religion, with the former fighting for the worship of the one true God and the latter for the defense of idols, Israel’s faith failed, and it fell into the errors of the pagans more easily than the pagans could be converted to follow its faith. Nonetheless, a significant portion, although others sinned, remained steadfast in defending the camp of spiritual virtues. Do not think these words refer to the status of the ancient people of God merely allegorically, but also that they have a moral application for you. For whenever you try to fight back unclean spirits in a spiritual venture, not relying on your own strength but trusting in that stone which was cut without hands from the mountain (Dan. II), and which alone knows how to overthrow the kingdoms of the devil, immediately the enemies of truth oppose your every good deed with new fury. However, be careful not to turn the back of your mind to the enemies by sinning, as the apostle James warns: Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James IV). Yet since it is written: The outcome of battle is varied, and now the sword consumes one, now another (2 Sam. II), if by chance you have retreated and the enemy has prevailed for a time, if he has trampled the fruitful fields of your good conduct, and boasted that he laid low prudence, fortitude, justice, and temperance, the four most excellent leaders followed by the whole army of virtues, you should not abandon the camp of your best purpose, which you have pitched near the firm rock, but rather with the remedy of humility and repentance restore the lost ranks of virtues with new forces; according to him who said: If the spirit of a ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for composure mitigates great offenses (Eccl. X). Therefore, when the danger of conflict from adversaries presses, offer the Ark of fervent faith as your aid. But if perchance the wicked by mixing in heresy, or by any other kind of deceit, should take it away for a time, still the aid of divine mercy will not fail you, which often allows its own to fall temporarily that, recognizing their own weakness, they might afterwards be more cautious in virtues and kept perfect for rewards. Finally, the Ark soon returns home joyfully and stays in the city’s citadel for twenty years, because virtue often received again through repentance fills the mind even more ardently than before the storm of temptation, and accompanies it to fulfill the complete Decalogue of divine law, and to receive the perpetual joy of the heavenly reward. But now that we have touched on these moral interpretations, let us return to the order of the lesson and seek the new fruits of spiritual allegory in the very old forest of the letter.
[AD 735] Bede on 1 Samuel 4:2