1 Samuel
4:1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against
the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the
Philistines pitched in Aphek.
4:2 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.
4:3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said,
Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us
fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that,
when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.
4:4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark
of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the
cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with
the ark of the covenant of God.
4:5 And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all
Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.
4:6 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 the LORD was come into the camp.
4:7 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.
4:8 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 the plagues in the
wilderness.
4:9 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.
4:10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every
man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell
of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
4:11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and
Phinehas, were slain.
4:12 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.
4:13 And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a 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.
4:14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the
noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli.
4:15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he
could not see.
4:16 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, What is there done, my son?
4:17 And the messenger 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.
4:18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he
fell from off the 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.
4:19 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 travailed; for her pains came upon her.
4:20 And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto
her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither
did she regard it.
4:21 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.
4:22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is
taken.
