1 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.
2 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.
3 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.
4 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.
5 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.
6 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.
7 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.
8 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.
9 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.
10 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.
11 And
the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were
slain.
12 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.
13 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.
14 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.
15 Now
Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not
see.
16 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?
17 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.
18 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.
19 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 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.
21 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 And
she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.
