Chapter 4

And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out⁴ against² the Philistines to battle, and pitched⁴ beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched¹ in Aphek.

And the Philistines put themselves in array⁴ against² Israel: and when they joined⁴ battle, Israel was smitten¹¹ before the Philistines: and they slew⁵⁵ of the army in the field about four thousand men.

And when the people were come⁴ into the camp, the elders of Israel said,⁴ Wherefore hath the LORD smitten¹ us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch⁴ the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh⁴ among us, it may save⁵⁵ us out of the hand of our enemies.⁶

So the people sent⁴ to Shiloh, that they might bring⁴ from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth⁶ [between] the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, [were] there with the ark of the covenant of God.

And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came² into the camp, all Israel shouted⁵⁵ with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.¹¹

And when the Philistines heard⁴ the noise of the shout, they said,⁴ What [meaneth] the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood⁴ that the ark of the LORD was come¹ into the camp.

And the Philistines were afraid,⁴ for they said,¹ God is come¹ into the camp. And they said,⁴ Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore. ⁸⁰³²

Woe unto us! who shall deliver⁵⁵ us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these [are] the Gods that smote⁵⁶ the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.

Be strong,¹⁰⁰ and quit³ yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants⁴ unto the Hebrews, as they have been¹ to you: quit³ yourselves like men, and fight.⁸

And the Philistines fought,¹¹ and Israel was smitten,¹¹ and they fled⁴ every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell⁴ of Israel thirty thousand footmen.

And the ark of God was taken;⁸ and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.¹

And there ran⁴ a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came⁴ to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent,⁷ and with earth upon his head.

And when he came,⁴ lo, Eli sat⁶ upon a seat by the wayside ^{3027 3197} watching:¹⁸ for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came⁶ into the city, and told⁵³ [it], all the city cried out.⁴

And when Eli heard⁴ the noise of the crying, he said,⁴ What [meaneth] the noise of this tumult? And the man came⁴ in hastily,¹⁴ and told⁵⁵ Eli.

Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim,¹ that he could¹ not see.²

And the man said⁴ unto Eli, I [am] he that came⁶ out of the army, and I fled¹ to day out of the army. And he said,⁴ What is there done, my son?

And the messenger¹⁸ answered⁴ and said,⁴ Israel is fled¹ before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead,¹ and the ark of God is taken.⁸

And it came to pass, when he made mention⁵³ of the ark of God, that he fell⁴ from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake,¹¹ and he died:⁴ for he was an old¹ man, and heavy.¹ And he had judged¹ Israel forty years.

And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, [near] to be delivered:² and when she heard⁴ the tidings that the ark of God was taken,⁹ and that her father in law and her husband were dead,¹ she bowed⁴ herself and travailed;⁴ for her pains came⁸ upon her.

And about the time of her death² the women that stood¹² by her said¹⁷ unto her, Fear⁴ not; for thou hast born¹ a son. But she answered¹ not, neither did she regard^{1 3820} [it].

And she named⁴ the child Ichabod, saying,² The glory is departed¹ from Israel: because the ark of God was taken,⁹ and because of her father in law and her husband.

And she said,⁴ The glory is departed¹ from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.⁸