Elis age at the loss of the ark of the covenant; appears in genealogical lists
The number 98 is not one of the central symbolic numbers in the Bible, but it appears in several specific contexts. The most prominent reference is in 1 Samuel 4:15, where Eli is ninety-eight years old when the Philistines capture the ark of the covenant. His advanced age, combined with his failing eyesight that left him unable to see, underscores both his physical and spiritual decline—a condition that reflects the decay in Israel's leadership at that time. Eli's 98 years mark the end of an era for the priesthood in Shiloh and usher in a new phase in Israel's history with Samuel's rise as prophet and judge. Beyond this narrative, the number appears in genealogical lists but carries no independent symbolic weight. In Ezra 2:16 and Nehemiah 7:21, the descendants of Ater, from the line of Hezekiah, are counted as 98. This is one of the smaller family groups that returned from exile in Babylon. Some have attempted to derive symbolism from 98 as the product of 7 × 14, where 7 represents perfection and 14 is linked to generations (cf. Matt 1:17). However, this is not an accepted traditional interpretation in Jewish or Christian exegesis. The Hebrew word צח (tsach), which can mean 'clear' or 'shining', has a gematria value of 98 (צ = 90, ח = 8). The word appears, among other places, in Song of Solomon 5:10 and Isaiah 18:4.*