1 Samuel 4

1 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,

And what Samuel had said happened to all Israel. And Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Eben-ezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.

2 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;

And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel; and the battle spread, and Israel was routed before the Philistines; and they slew in battle array in the field about four thousand men.

3 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.

And the people came into the camp; and the elders of Israel said, Why has Jehovah smitten us to-day before the Philistines? Let us fetch ourselves the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of Shiloh, that it may come among us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies.

4 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.

So the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought from thence the ark of the covenant of Jehovah of hosts, who sitteth between the cherubim; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there by the ark of the covenant of God.

5 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.

And it came to pass when the ark of the covenant of Jehovah came into the camp, that all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth shook.

6 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.

And the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, and said, What is the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of Jehovah had come into the camp.

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

And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there has not been such a thing heretofore.

8 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.

Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? these are the gods that smote the Egyptians with every plague in the wilderness.

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

Shew yourselves valiant and be men, ye Philistines, that ye may not have to be servants to the Hebrews, as they have been servants to you: be men, and fight.

10 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.

And the Philistines fought, and Israel was routed, and they fled every man to his tent; and there was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.

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

And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

12 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,

And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the battle, and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes rent and with earth upon his head.

13 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.

And when he came, behold, Eli was sitting upon the seat by the way-side watching; for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And the man came to tell it in the city, and all the city cried out.

14 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.

And Eli heard the noise of the crying, and said, What is the noise of this tumult? And the man came hastily, and told Eli.

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

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

16 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?

And the man said to Eli, I am he that came out of the battle, and I have fled to-day out of the battle. And he said, What has taken place, my son?

17 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.

And the messenger answered and said, Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.

18 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.

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

19 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.

And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered; and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her.

20 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.

And as she was dying, the women that stood by her said, Fear not; for thou hast borne a son. But she did not answer, neither did she take it to heart.

21 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,

And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel; because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.

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

And she said, The glory is departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken.