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 As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.