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 it was doon in tho daies Filisteis camen to gidere in to batel; for Israel yede out ayens Filisteis in to batel, and settiden tentis bisidis the stoon of help. Forsothe Filisteis camen in to Aphet,

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 maden redi scheltrun ayens Israel. Sotheli whanne the batel was bigunnun, Israel turned backis to Filisteis; and as foure thousynde of men weren slayn in that batel `euery where bi feeldis;

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.”

and the puple of Israel turnede ayen to tentis. And the grettere men in birthe of Israel seiden, Whi hath the Lord smyte vs to dai bifore Filisteis? Brynge we to vs fro Silo the arke of boond of pees of the Lord, and come it in to the myddis of vs, that it saue vs fro the hond of oure enemyes.

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.

Therfor the puple sente in to Silo, and thei token fro thennus the arke of boond of pees of the Lord of oostis, `that sat on cherubyn. And Ophym and Fynees, twei sones of Heli, weren with the arke of boond of pees of the Lord.

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 whanne the arke of boond of pees of the Lord hadde come in to the castels, al Israel criede with grete cry, and the erthe sownede.

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 Filisteis herden the vois of cry, and seiden, What is this vois of greet cry in the castels of Ebrews? And thei knewen, that the arke of boond of pees of the Lord hadde come in to castels.

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 Filisteis dredden, and seiden, God is come in to `the castels; and thei weiliden, and seiden, Wo to vs!

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.

for so greet ful ioiyng was not yistirdai, and the thridde day passid; wo to vs! who schal kepe vs fro the hond of `these hiye goddis? these ben the goddis, that smytiden Egipt with al veniaunce in deseert.

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!”

Filisteis, be ye coumfortid, and be ye men, serue ye not Ebrews, as thei serueden vs; be ye coumfortid, and fiyte ye.

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.

Therfor Filisteis fouyten, and Israel was slayn, and ech man flei in to his tabernacle; and a ful greet veniaunce was maad, and thretti thousynde of foot men of Israel felden doun.

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

And the arke of God was takun; and, twei sones of Heli, Ophym and Fynees, weren deed.

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.

Sotheli a man of Beniamyn ran fro the scheltrun, and cam in to Silo in that dai, with his cloth torent and his heed bispreynt with dust; and whanne he was comen,

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.

Heli sat `on an hiye seete, `and bihelde ayens the weie; for his herte was dredyng for the arke of the Lord. Sotheli aftir that thilke man entride, he telde to the citee, and al the citee yellide.

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 Heli herde the soun of cry, and seide, What is this sown of this noise? And he hastide, and cam, and telde to Heli.

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

Forsothe Heli was of foure score yeer and eiytene, and hise iyen dasiwiden, and he myyte not se.

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

And he seide to Heli, Y am that cam fro batel, and Y am that flei to dai fro the scheltrun. To whom Ely seide, My sone, what is doon?

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.”

Forsothe he that telde answeride, and seide, Israel flei bifor Filisteis, and a greet fal is maad in the puple; ferthermore and thi twey sones, Ophym and Fynees, ben deed, and the arke of God is takun.

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 whanne he hadde nemyd the arke of God, Hely felde fro `the hiye seete bacward bisidis the dore, and `was deed; for the nollis weren brokun. For he was an eld man, and of greet age; and he demyde Israel bi fourti yeer.

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.

Forsothe his douyter in lawe, `the wijf of Finees, was with childe, and niy the child bering; and whanne `the message was herd that the arke of God was takun, and that hir fadir in lawe was deed, and hir hosebonde, sche bowide hir silf, and childide; for sodeyn sorewis felden in to hir.

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.

Sotheli in that moment of hir deeth, wymmen that stoden aboute hir, seiden to hir, Drede thou not, for thou hast childid a sone. And sche answeride not to hem, for nether `sche perseyuede.

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 sche clepide the child Ichaboth, and seide, The glorie of the Lord is translatid fro Israel, for the arke of God is takun; and for hir fadir in lawe and for hir hosebonde sche seide,

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

The glorie of God is translatid fro Israel, for the arke of God is takun.