1 Samuel 4

1 Thus the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now the Israelites went out to meet the Philistines in battle and camped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines camped at Aphek.

And so it was, when the word of Samuel had reached all Israel, that Israel went forth to meet the Philistines in battle, and they encamped near Eben-ezer, while, the Philistines, encamped in Aphek.

2 The Philistines arrayed themselves against Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who struck down about four thousand men on the battlefield.

And the Philistines set themselves in array to meet Israel, and, when the battle spread, then was Israel smitten before the Philistines, —and there were slain of the army in the field about four thousand men.

3 When the troops returned to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why has the LORD brought defeat on us before the Philistines today? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh, so that it may go with us to save us from the hand of our enemies.”

And, when the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath Yahweh smitten us to-day, before the Philistines? Let us fetch unto us, out of Shiloh, the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, that, when it cometh into our midst, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.

4 So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD of Hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

So the people sent to Shiloh, and bare from thence the ark of the covenant of Yahweh of hosts, who inhabiteth the cherubim, —and, there, were the two sons of Eli, with the ark of the covenant of God, namely, Hophni and Phinehas.

5 When the ark of the covenant of the LORD entered the camp, all the Israelites raised such a great shout that it shook the ground.

And so it was, when the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came into the camp, that all Israel brake out into a loud shout of joy, —so that the earth rang again.

6 On hearing the noise of the shout, the Philistines asked, “What is this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews?” And when they realized that the ark of the LORD had entered the camp,

And, when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said—What meaneth the noise of this loud shout of joy in the camp of the Hebrews? And they learned that, the ark of Yahweh, had come into the camp.

7 the Philistines were afraid. “The gods have entered their camp!” they said. “Woe to us, for nothing like this has happened before.

And the Philistines were afraid, for they said—God hath come into the camp. And they said—Woe to us! for there hath not happened the like of this, heretofore.

8 Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.

Woe to us! Who shall rescue us out of the hand of these majestic gods? These, are the gods, who smote the Egyptians with all manner of smiting in the desert!

9 Take courage and be men, O Philistines! Otherwise, you will serve the Hebrews just as they served you. Now be men and fight!”

Take courage, and quit yourselves like men, ye Philistines, lest ye come into bondage to the Hebrews, as they have been in bondage unto you, —therefore must ye quit yourselves like men, and fight.

10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and each man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great—thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell.

So the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man to his home; and the slaughter became exceeding great, —and there fell of Israel—thirty thousand footmen.

11 The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

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

12 That same day a Benjamite ran from the battle line all the way to Shiloh, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.

And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and entered Shiloh on the same day, —with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.

13 When he arrived, there was Eli, sitting on his chair beside the road and watching, because his heart trembled for the ark of God. When the man entered the city to give a report, the whole city cried out.

And, when he entered, lo! Eli was sitting upon his chair, by the wayside, watching, for his heart was trembling for the ark of God, —and, the man, entered to tell the news in the city, and all the city made outcry.

14 Eli heard the outcry and asked, “Why this commotion?” So the man hurried over and reported to Eli.

And, when Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said—What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And, the man, hasted, and came, and told Eli.

15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his gaze was fixed because he could not see.

Now, Eli, was ninety-eight years old; and his eyes were fixed, that he could not see.

16 “I have just come from the battle,” the man said to Eli. “I fled from there today.” “What happened, my son?” Eli asked.

So the man said unto Eli, I, am he that came in from the army, yea, I, from the army, fled to-day. And he said—What is the thing that hath happened, my son?

17 The messenger answered, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are both dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”

And the bearer of tidings answered, and said—Israel hath fled before the Philistines, Moreover also, a great smiting, hath taken place among the people, —Moreover also, thy two sons, are slain, Hophni and Phinehas, And, the ark of God, is taken.

18 As soon as the ark of God was mentioned, Eli fell backward from his chair by the city gate, and being old and heavy, he broke his neck and died. And Eli had judged Israel forty years.

And it came to pass, when he mentioned the ark of God, that he fell from off his seat backwards, at the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died, for, old, was the man, and, heavy, —and, he had judged Israel forty years.

19 Now Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news of the capture of God’s ark and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband, she collapsed and gave birth, for her labor pains overtook her.

Now, his daughter-in-law, wife of Phinehas, was with child, ready to give birth, and, when she heard the tidings, as to the taking of the ark of God, and the death of her father-in-law, and her husband, she bowed herself and gave birth, for her pains had seized her.

20 As she was dying, the women attending to her said, “Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son!” But she did not respond or pay any heed.

And, about the time of her death, the women that stood by her said: Do not fear, for, to a son, hast thou given birth. But she neither answered nor regarded.

21 And she named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,” because the ark of God had been captured and her father-in-law and her husband had been killed.

And she called the boy I-chabod ["Where’s the glory?"]! saying, Exiled is the glory from Israel, —In regard to the taking of the ark of God, and to her father-in-law, and to her husband.

22 “The glory has departed from Israel,” she said, “for the ark of God has been captured.”

So she said—Exiled is the glory from Israel, —For the ark of God hath been taken.