And the word of Samuel
came to all Israel
. Now Israel
went out
against
the Philistines
to battle
, and pitched
beside Ebenezer
: and the Philistines
pitched
in Aphek
.
And the Philistines put themselves in array
against
Israel
: and when they joined
battle
, Israel
was smitten
before
the Philistines
: and they slew
of the army
in the field
about four
thousand
men
.
And when the people were come
into the camp
, the elders
of Israel
said
, Wherefore hath the LORD
smitten
us to day
before
the Philistines
? Let us fetch
the ark
of the covenant
of the LORD
out of Shiloh
unto us, that, when it cometh
among
us, it may save
us out of the hand
of our enemies
.
So the people sent
to Shiloh
, that they might bring
from thence the ark
of the covenant
of the LORD
of hosts
, which dwelleth
between the cherubims
: and the two
sons
of Eli
, Hophni
and Phinehas
, were there with the ark
of the covenant
of God
.
And when the ark of the covenant
of the LORD
came
into the camp
, all Israel
shouted
with a great
shout
, so that the earth
rang again
.
And when the Philistines heard
the noise
of the shout
, they said
, What meaneth the noise
of this great
shout
in the camp
of the Hebrews
? And they understood
that the ark
of the LORD
was come
into the camp
.
And the Philistines were afraid
, for they said
, God
is come
into the camp
. And they said
, Woe
unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore
.
Woe unto us! who shall deliver
us out of the hand
of these mighty
Gods
? these are the Gods
that smote
the Egyptians
with all the plagues
in the wilderness
.
Be strong, and quit
yourselves like men
, O ye Philistines
, that ye be not servants
unto the Hebrews
, as they have been
to you: quit
yourselves like men
, and fight
.
And the Philistines fought
, and Israel
was smitten
, and they fled
every man
into his tent
: and there was a very
great
slaughter
; for there fell
of Israel
thirty
thousand
footmen
.
And the ark of God
was taken
; and the two
sons
of Eli
, Hophni
and Phinehas
, were slain
.
And there ran a man
of Benjamin
out of the army
, and came
to Shiloh
the same day
with his clothes
rent
, and with earth
upon his head
.
And when he came, lo, Eli
sat
upon a seat
by the wayside
watching
: for his heart
trembled
for the ark
of God
. And when the man
came
into the city
, and told
it , all the city
cried out
.
And when Eli heard
the noise
of the crying
, he said
, What meaneth the noise
of this tumult
? And the man
came
in hastily
, and told
Eli
.
Now Eli was ninety
and eight
years
old
; and his eyes
were dim
, that he could
not see
.
And the man said
unto Eli
, I am he that came
out of the army
, and I fled
to day
out of the army
. And he said
, What is there done
, my son
?
And the messenger answered
and said
, Israel
is fled
before
the Philistines
, and there hath 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
.
And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark
of God
, that he fell
from off the seat
backward
by
the side
of the gate
, and his neck
brake
, and he died
: for he was an old
man
, and heavy
. And he had judged
Israel
forty
years
.
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.
And about the time of her death
the women that stood
by her said
unto her, Fear
not; for thou hast born
a son
. But she answered
not, neither did she regard
it .
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
.
And she said, The glory
is departed
from Israel
: for the ark
of God
is taken
.