1 Samuel 4

1 and Samuel's words were communicated to all the Israelites. The Israelites marched out to confront the Philistines in battle. They set up camp at Ebenezer, while the Philistines set up camp at Aphek.

And Samuel spake vnto all Israel: and Israel went out against the Philistims to battel and pitched beside Eben-ezer: and the Philistims pitched in Aphek.

2 The Philistines attacked the Israelites in formation, and when the battle spread, the Philistines defeated the Israelites, killing 4,000 of them on the battlefield.

And the Philistims put themselues in aray against Israel: and when they ioyned the battell, Israel was smitten downe before the Philistims: who slewe of the armie in the fielde about foure thousand men.

3 When the Israelite army returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord defeat us before Philistines today? Let's go and get the Ark of the Lord's Agreement from Shiloh, so that he can accompany us and save us from our enemies.”

So when the people were come into the campe, the Elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the Lord smitten vs this day before ye Philistims? let vs bring the Arke of the couenant of the Lord out of Shiloh vnto vs, that when it commeth among vs, it may saue vs out of the hande of our enemies.

4 So the army sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the Ark of the Lord Almighty's Agreement, he who sits on his throne between the cherubim. Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were there with the Ark of the God's Agreement.

Then the people sent to Shiloh, and brought from thence the Arke of the couenant of the Lord of hostes, who dwelleth betweene the Cherubims: and there were the two sonnes of Eli, Hophni, and Phinehas, with the Arke of the couenant of God.

5 When the Ark of the Lord's Agreement arrived in the camp, all the Israelites gave such a loud shout it made the ground shake.

And when the Arke of the couenant of the Lord came into the hoste, all Israel shouted a mightie shoute, so that the earth rang againe.

6 When the Philistines heard all the shouting, they asked, “What's the meaning of this shouting in the Israelite camp?” When they found out that the Ark of the Lord had arrived in the camp,

And when the Philistims heard the noyse of the shoute, they said, What meaneth the sound of this mightie shoute in the host of the Ebrewes? and they vnderstoode, that the Arke of the Lord was come into the hoste.

7 the Philistines were afraid. “A god has arrived in the camp,” they said. “We're in trouble, for nothing like this has happened before.

And the Philistims were afraide, and saide, God is come into the hoste: therefore saide they, Wo vnto vs: for it hath not bene so heretofore.

8 This is disaster for us! Who will save us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who attacked the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.

Wo vnto vs, who shall deliuer vs out of the hande of these mightie Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wildernes.

9 Be brave, and fight like real men, Philistines! Otherwise you'll end up as slaves to the Israelites, just as they were your slaves. Now be real men and fight!”

Be strong and play the men, O Philistims, that ye be not seruants vnto the Ebrewes, as they haue serued you: be valiant therefore, and fight.

10 So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated—every man ran away home. The death toll was very large: thirty thousand of the Israelite infantry were killed.

And the Philistims fought, and Israel was smitten downe, and fled euery man into his tent: and there was an exceeding great slaughter: for there fell of Israel thirtie thousand footemen.

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

And the Arke of God was taken, and the two sonnes of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas died.

12 A man from the tribe of Benjamin ran from the battle that day all the way to Shiloh. His clothes were torn and he had dirt on his head.

And there ranne a man of Beniamin out of the armie, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and earth vpon his head.

13 When he arrived, Eli was sitting there on his chair by the road, watching out for news because he was worried about the Ark of God. When the man came into town and gave his report, the whole town cried out loud.

And when hee came, loe, Eli sate vpon a seate by the wayside, wayting: for his heart feared for the Arke of God and when the man came into the citie to tell it, all the citie cried out.

14 Eli heard the crying and asked, “What's all this noise?” The man rushed over to Eli and told him what had happened.

And when Eli heard the noyse of the crying, he sayd, What meaneth this noyse of the tumult? and the man came in hastily, and tolde Eli.

15 Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were fixed because he couldn't see.

(Nowe Eli was fourescore and eighteene yeere olde, and his eyes were dimme that hee could not see)

16 “I've just come from the battle,” the man said. “I ran away from it today.” “What happened, my son?” Eli asked.

And the man sayd vnto Eli, I came from the armie, and I fled this day out of the hoste: and he sayd, What thing is done, my sonne?

17 “Israel ran away from the Philistines—we were badly defeated,” the messenger replied. “Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were killed, and the Ark of God has been captured.”

Then the messenger answered and sayd, Israel is fled before the Philistims, and there hath bene also a great slaughter among the people: and moreouer thy two sonnes, Hophni and Phinehas are dead, and the Arke of God is taken.

18 As soon as the Ark of God was mentioned, Eli fell backward from his chair by the town gate. Since he was old and heavy, he broke his neck and died. Eli had been Israel's leader for forty years.

And when he had made mention of the Arke of God, Eli fell from his seate backward by the side of the gate, and his necke was broken, and he dyed: for he was an olde man and heauie: and he had iudged Israel fourtie yeeres.

19 His daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news that the Ark of God had been captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth, but her labor pains were too strong.

And his daughter in lawe Phinehas wife was with childe neere her trauell: and when she heard the report that the Arke of God was taken, and that her father in lawe and her husband were dead, she bowed her selfe, and trauailed: for her paines came vpon her.

20 Just before she died, the women caring for her said, “Don't give up—you have given birth to a son!” But she didn't answer or give any response.

And about the time of her death, the women that stoode about her, sayd vnto her, Feare not: for thou hast borne a sonne: but she answered not, nor regarded it.

21 She named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory has left Israel,” because Ark of God had been captured, and her father-in-law and her husband had died.

And she named the childe Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel, because the Arke of God was taken, and because of her father in lawe and her husband.

22 She said, “The glory has left Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.”

She sayde againe, The glory is departed from Israel: for the Arke of God is taken.