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 Ebenezer, 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 killed of the army in the field about four thousand men.

3 And when the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Why has Jehovah smitten us today before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of Shiloh 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 Jehovah of hosts, 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 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 is the meaning of the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of Jehovah came into the camp.

7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God has come into the camp. And they said, Woe to us! For there has not been such a thing heretofore.

8 Woe to 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 strengthen yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Conduct 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 killed.

12 And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn, and with dirt 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 does the noise of this tumult mean? And the man hastened, and came and told Eli.

15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were dim so that he could not see.

16 And the man said to Eli, I am he who came out of the army, and I fled today out of the army. And he said, How did the matter go, my son?

17 And he who brought the news answered and said, Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has 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 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. 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 news 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 who stood by her said to her, Fear not, for thou have brought forth a son. But she did not answer, neither did she regard it.

21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory has 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 has departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken.