1 Samuel 4
1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the
Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Eben-ezer: and the Philistines
encamped in Aphek.
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.
3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said,
Wherefore hath Jehovah smitten us to-day before the Philistines? Let us fetch
the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of Shiloh unto 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 thence the ark of the
covenant of Jehovah of hosts, who sitteth [above] the cherubim: and the two sons
of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5 And when the ark of the covenant of Jehovah came into the camp, all Israel
shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.
6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth
the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood
that the ark of Jehovah was come into the camp.
7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And
they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.
8 Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? these
are the gods that smote the Egyptians with all manner of plagues in the
wilderness.
9 Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not
servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men,
and fight.
10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man
to his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel
thirty thousand footmen.
11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas,
were slain.
12 And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same
day, with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.
13 And when he came, lo, Eli was sitting upon his seat by the wayside watching;
for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city,
and told it, all the city cried out.
14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise
of this tumult? And the man hasted, and came and told Eli.
15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were set, so that he
could not see.
16 And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled
to-day out of the army. And he said, How went the matter, my son?
17 And he that brought the tidings answered and said, Israel is fled before the
Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and
thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.
18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that [Eli] feel
from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck brake, and he
died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
19 And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be
delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and
that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and brought
forth; for her pains came upon her.
20 And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her,
Fear not; for thou hast brought forth a son. But she answered not, neither did
she regard it.
21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel;
because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father-in-law and her
husband.
22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel; for the ark of God is taken.