I Samuelis 4
1 Et factum est in diebus illis, convenerunt Philisthiim in pugnam: egressus est namque Israel obviam Philisthiim in praelium, et castrametatus est iuxta Lapidem adiutorii. Porro Philisthiim venerunt in Aphec,
Thus the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now the Israelites went out to meet the Philistines in battle and camped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines camped at Aphek.
2 et instruxerunt aciem contra Israel. Inito autem certamine, terga vertit Israel Philisthaeis: et caesa sunt in illo certamine passim per agros, quasi quattuor millia virorum.
The Philistines arrayed themselves against Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who struck down about four thousand men on the battlefield.
3 Et reversus est populus ad castra: dixeruntque maiores natu de Israel: Quare percussit nos Dominus hodie coram Philisthiim? Afferamus ad nos de Silo arcam foederis Domini, et veniat in medium nostri, ut salvet nos de manu inimicorum nostrorum.
When the troops returned to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why has the LORD brought defeat on us before the Philistines today? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh, so that it may go with us to save us from the hand of our enemies.”
4 Misit ergo populus in Silo, et tulerunt inde arcam foederis Domini exercituum sedentis super Cherubim: erantque duo filii Heli cum arca foederis Domini, Ophni et Phinees.
So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD of Hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5 Cumque venisset arca foederis Domini in castra, vociferatus est omnis Israel clamore grandi, et personuit terra.
When the ark of the covenant of the LORD entered the camp, all the Israelites raised such a great shout that it shook the ground.
6 Et audierunt Philisthiim vocem clamoris, dixeruntque: Quaenam est haec vox clamoris magni in castris Hebraeorum? Et cognoverunt quod arca Domini venisset in castra.
On hearing the noise of the shout, the Philistines asked, “What is this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews?” And when they realized that the ark of the LORD had entered the camp,
7 Timueruntque Philisthiim, dicentes: Venit Deus in castra. Et ingemuerunt, dicentes:
the Philistines were afraid. “The gods have entered their camp!” they said. “Woe to us, for nothing like this has happened before.
8 Vae nobis: non enim fuit tanta exultatio heri et nudiustertius: vae nobis. Quis nos salvabit de manu Deorum sublimium istorum? hi sunt Dii, qui percusserunt Aegyptum omni plaga, in deserto.
Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.
9 Confortamini, et estote viri, Philisthiim: ne serviatis Hebraeis, sicut et illi servierunt nobis: confortamini, et bellate.
Take courage and be men, O Philistines! Otherwise, you will serve the Hebrews just as they served you. Now be men and fight!”
10 Pugnaverunt ergo Philisthiim, et caesus est Israel, et fugit unusquisque in tabernaculum suum: et facta est plaga magna nimis: et ceciderunt de Israel triginta millia peditum.
So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and each man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great—thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell.
11 Et arca Dei capta est: duo quoque filii Heli mortui sunt, Ophni et Phinees.
The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
12 Currens autem vir de Beniamin ex acie, venit in Silo in die illa, scissa veste, et conspersus pulvere caput.
That same day a Benjamite ran from the battle line all the way to Shiloh, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.
13 Cumque ille venisset, Heli sedebat super sellam contra viam spectans. Erat enim cor eius pavens pro arca Dei. Vir autem ille postquam ingressus est, nunciavit urbi: et ululavit omnis civitas.
When he arrived, there was Eli, sitting on his chair beside the road and watching, because his heart trembled for the ark of God. When the man entered the city to give a report, the whole city cried out.
14 Et audivit Heli sonitum clamoris, dixitque: Quis est hic sonitus tumultus huius? At ille festinavit, et venit, et nunciavit Heli.
Eli heard the outcry and asked, “Why this commotion?” So the man hurried over and reported to Eli.
15 Heli autem erat nonaginta et octo annorum, et oculi eius caligaverant, et videre non poterat.
Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his gaze was fixed because he could not see.
16 Et dixit ad Heli: Ego sum qui veni de praelio, et ego qui de acie fugi hodie. Cui ille ait: Quid actum est fili mi?
“I have just come from the battle,” the man said to Eli. “I fled from there today.” “What happened, my son?” Eli asked.
17 Respondens autem ille, qui nunciabat, Fugit, inquit, Israel coram Philisthiim, et ruina magna facta est in populo: insuper et duo filii tui mortui sunt, Ophni et Phinees: et arca Dei capta est.
The messenger answered, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are both dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”
18 Cumque ille nominasset arcam Dei, cecidit de sella retrorsum iuxta ostium, et fractis cervicibus mortuus est. Senex enim erat vir et grandaevus: et ipse iudicavit Israel quadraginta annis.
As soon as the ark of God was mentioned, Eli fell backward from his chair by the city gate, and being old and heavy, he broke his neck and died. And Eli had judged Israel forty years.
19 Nurus autem eius, uxor Phinees, praegnans erat, vicinaque partui: et audito nuncio quod capta esset arca Dei, et mortuus esset socer suus, et vir suus, incurvavit se et peperit: irruerant enim in eam dolores subiti.
Now Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news of the capture of God’s ark and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband, she collapsed and gave birth, for her labor pains overtook her.
20 In ipso autem momento mortis eius, dixerunt ei quae stabant circa eam: Ne timeas, quia filium peperisti. Quae non respondit eis, neque animadvertit.
As she was dying, the women attending to her said, “Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son!” But she did not respond or pay any heed.
21 Et vocabit puerum, Ichabod, dicens: Translata est gloria de Israel, pro socero suo et pro viro suo;
And she named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,” because the ark of God had been captured and her father-in-law and her husband had been killed.
22 et ait: Translata est gloria ab Israel, eo quod capta esset arca Dei.
“The glory has departed from Israel,” she said, “for the ark of God has been captured.”
