1 Samuel 4

1 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.

And it came to pass in those days that the Philistines gathered themselves together against Israel to war; and Israel went out to meet them and encamped at Abenezer, and the Philistines encamped in Aphec.

2 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.

And the Philistines prepare to fight with Israel, and the battle was turned against them; and the men of Israel fell before the Philistines, and there were smitten in the battle in the field four thousand men.

3 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.

And the people came to the camp, and the elders of Israel said, Why has the Lord caused us to fall this day before the Philistines? let us take the ark of our God out of Selom, and let it proceed from the midst of us, and it shall save us from the hand of our enemies.

4 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.

And the people sent to Selom, and they take thence the ark of the Lord who dwells between the cherubs: and both the sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, [were] with the ark.

5 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.

And it came to pass when the ark of the Lord entered into the camp, that all Israel cried out with a loud voice, and the earth resounded.

6 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.

And the Philistines heard the cry, and the Philistines said, What [is] this great cry in the camp of the Hebrews: and they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.

7 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.

And the Philistines feared, and said, These are the Gods that are come to them into the camp.

8 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!

Woe to us, O Lord, deliver us to-day for such a thing has not happened aforetime: woe to us, who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these [are] the Gods that smote Egypt with every plague, and in the wilderness.

9 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.

Strengthen yourselves and behave yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye may not serve the Hebrews as they have served us, but be ye men and fight with them.

10 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.

And they fought with them; and the men of Israel fall, and they fled every man to his ten; and there was a very great slaughter; and there fell of Israel thirty thousand fighting men.

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

And the ark of God was taken, and both the sons of Heli, Ophni, and Phinees, died.

12 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.

And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the battle, and he came to Selom on that day: and his clothes [were] rent, and earth [was] upon his head.

13 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.

And he came, an behold, Heli was upon the seat by the gate looking along the way, for his heart was greatly alarmed for the ark of God: and the man entered into the city to bring tidings; and the city cried out.

14 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.

And Heli heard the sound of the cry, and said, What [is] the voice of this cry? and the men hasted and went in, and reported to Heli.

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

Now Heli [was] ninety years old, and his eyes were fixed, and he saw not.

16 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?

And Heli said to them that stood round about him, What [is] the voice of this sound? And the man hasted and advanced to Heli, and said to him, I am he that is come out of the camp, and I have fled from the battle to-day: and Heli said, What [is] the even, [my] son?

17 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.

And they young man answered and said, The men of Israel fled from the face of the Philistines, and there was a great slaughter among the people, and both thy sons are dead, and the ark of God is taken.

18 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.

And it came to pass, when he mentioned the ark of God, that he fell from the seat backward near the gate, and his back was broken, and he died, for [he was] an old man and heavy: and he judged Israel twenty years.

19 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.

And his daughter-in-law the wife of Phinees [was] with child, [about] to bring forth; and she heard the tidings, that the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead; and she wept and was delivered, for her pains came upon her.

20 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.

And in her time she was at the point of death; and the women that stood by her, said to her, Fear not, for thou hast born a son: but she answered not, and her heart did not regard it.

21 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.

And she called the child Uaebarchaboth, because of the ark of God, and because of her father-in-law, and because of her husband.

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

And they said, The glory of Israel is departed, forasmuch as the ark of the Lord is taken.