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 the word of Samuel is to all Israel, and Israel goes out to meet the Philistines for battle, and they encamp by Eben-Ezer, and the Philistines have encamped in Aphek,

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 set themselves in array to meet Israel, and the battle spreads itself, and Israel is struck before the Philistines, and they strike among the ranks in the field about 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 come into the camp, and [the] elderly of Israel say, “Why has YHWH struck us today before the Philistines? We take the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH from Shiloh to ourselves, and it comes into our midst, and He saves us out of 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 send to Shiloh, and they take from there the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH of Hosts, inhabiting the cherubim, and there [are] two sons of Eli with the Ark of the Covenant of God, Hophni and Phinehas.

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 comes to pass, at the coming in of the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH to the camp, that all Israel shouts [with] a great shout, and the earth is moved.

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 hear the noise of the shouting, and say, “What [is] the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews?” And they perceive that the Ark of YHWH has 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 are afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp”; and they say, “Woe to us, for there has been nothing like this before.

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, who delivers us out of the hand of these majestic gods? These [are] the gods who are striking the Egyptians with every plague 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 become men, O Philistines, lest you do service to Hebrews, as they have done to you—then you have become men, and have fought.”

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 the Philistines fight, and Israel is struck, and they each flee to his tents, and the slaughter is very great, and thirty thousand footmen of Israel fall;

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

and the Ark of God has been taken, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, have 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 a man of Benjamin runs out of the ranks, and comes into Shiloh, on that day, and his long robes [are] torn, and earth [is] on 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 comes in, and behold, Eli is sitting on the throne by the side of the way, watching, for his heart has been trembling for the Ark of God, and the man has come into the city and declares [it], and all the city cries 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 Eli hears the noise of the cry and says, “What [is] the noise of this tumult?” And the man hurried, and comes in, and tells Eli.

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

And Eli is a son of ninety-eight years, and his eyes have stood, and he has not been able to see.

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 the man says to Eli, “I [am] he who has come out of the ranks, and I have fled out of the ranks today”; and he says, “What has been the matter, 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 he who is bearing tidings answers and says, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and also a great slaughter has been among the people, and also your two sons have died—Hophni and Phinehas—and the Ark of God has been captured.”

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 comes to pass, at his mentioning the Ark of God, that he falls backward from off the throne, by the side of the gate, and his neck is broken, and he dies, for the man [is] old and heavy, and he has judged Israel [for] forty 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, wife of Phinehas, [is] pregnant, about to bear, and she hears the report of the taking of the Ark of God, that her father-in-law and her husband have died, and she bows, and bears, for her pains have turned on 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 at the time of her death, the women who are standing by her say, “Do not fear, for you have borne a son,” she has not answered, nor set her heart [to 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 calls the youth Ichabod, saying, “Glory has removed from Israel,” because of the taking of the Ark of God, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.

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

And she says, “Glory has removed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been taken.”