4
1 The
word of Samuel
came to all
Israel.
Now Israel went
out against the
Philistines to
battle, and
encamped beside Ebenezer;
and the
Philistines encamped
in Aphek.
2 The
Philistines put
themselves in
array against
Israel. When they
joined battle,
Israel was
defeated by the
Philistines, who
killed about four thousand
men of the
army in the
field.
3 When
the people had
come into the
camp, the elders
of Israel said, “Why
has the LORD
defeated us today
before the
Philistines? Let’s get
the ark of the
LORD’s covenant
out of Shiloh
and bring it
to us, that
it may come
among us and
save us out
of the hand
of our enemies.”
4 So
the people sent
to Shiloh, and
they brought from
there the ark of
the covenant of
the LORD of
Armies, who
sits above the
cherubim; and the
two sons of
Eli, Hophni and
Phinehas, were
there with the ark
of the covenant
of God.
5 When
the ark of the
LORD’s covenant
came into the
camp, all Israel
shouted with a
great shout, so
that the earth
resounded.
6 When
the Philistines
heard the noise
of the shout,
they said, “What
does the noise
of this great
shout in the
camp of the
Hebrews mean?” They
understood that
the LORD’s ark had
come into the
camp.
7 The
Philistines were
afraid, for
they said, “God
has come into
the camp.”
They said, “Woe to
us! For there
has not been
such a thing
before.
8 Woe to
us! Who shall
deliver us out
of the hand
of these mighty gods?
These are the gods
that struck the
Egyptians with all
kinds of plagues
in the wilderness.
9 Be
strong and behave
like men, O
you Philistines,
that you not
be servants to
the Hebrews, as
they have been
to you.
Strengthen yourselves like
men, and fight!”
10 The
Philistines fought,
and Israel was
defeated, and each
man fled to
his tent. There
was a very
great slaughter;
for thirty thousand
footmen of Israel
fell.
11 God’s ark
was taken; and
the two sons
of Eli, Hophni
and Phinehas, were
slain.
12 A
man of Benjamin
ran out of
the army and
came to Shiloh
the same day,
with his clothes
torn and with dirt
on his head.
13 When
he came, behold,
Eli was sitting
on his seat
by the road
watching, for his
heart trembled
for God’s ark. When
the man came
into the city
and told about
it, all the
city cried out.
14 When
Eli heard the
noise of the
crying, he said,
“What does the
noise of this
tumult mean?”
The man hurried,
and came and told
Eli.
15 Now Eli
was ninety-eight
years old. His
eyes were set,
so that he
could not see.
16 The
man said to
Eli, “I am
he who came
out of the
army, and I
fled today out
of the army.”
He said, “How
did the matter
go, my son?”
17 He
who brought the
news answered, “Israel
has fled before
the Philistines,
and there has
been also a
great slaughter
among the people.
Your two sons
also, Hophni and
Phinehas, are dead,
and God’s ark has
been captured.”
18 When
he made mention
of God’s ark, 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.
19 His
daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife,
was with child,
near to giving
birth. When she
heard the news
that God’s ark was
taken and that
her father-in-law
and her husband
were dead, she
bowed herself and
gave birth; for
her pains came
on her.
20 About
the time of
her death the women
who stood by
her said to
her, “Don’t be
afraid, for you
have given birth
to a son.”
But she didn’t
answer, neither
did she regard
it.
21 She
named the
child Ichabod,
saying, “The glory
has departed from
Israel!” because God’s ark was
taken, and because
of her
father-in-law and
her husband.
22 She said,
“The glory has
departed from
Israel; for God’s ark
has been taken.”