1 Samuel 4
4
Defeat and Loss of the Ark
1So it was that the word of Samuel went forth to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines in battle. They camped at Eben-ezer while the Philistines camped in Aphek.
2The Philistines drew up in battle array to meet Israel, and when the battle was fought, Israel was defeated before the Philistines, who killed 4,000 men on the battlefield.
3When the people came back to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did Adonai bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let’s fetch the ark of the covenant of Adonai from Shiloh that He may come among us and deliver us from the hand of our enemies.”
4So the people sent to Shiloh, and from there they carried the ark of the covenant of Adonai-Tzva’ot who sits above the cheruvim. Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5Now when the ark of the covenant of Adonai entered the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the ground resounded.
6When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they wondered, “What’s this noise of a great shout in the camp of the Hebrews?” When they realized that the ark of Adonai had come into the camp,
7the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp.” So they said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has ever happened before.
8Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of this mighty God? This is the God that struck down the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.
9Be strong, and conduct yourselves like men, O Philistines, or else you will become enslaved to the Hebrews as they have been to you. Be like men and fight!”
10So the Philistines did fight and Israel was defeated—they fled every man to his tent. The slaughter was very great, as 30,000 of Israel’s foot soldiers fell.
11Moreover, the ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons Hophni and Phinehas died.
12Now that same day a man of Benjamin ran from the battlefield and came to Shiloh with his clothes torn and dust on his head.
13When he arrived, behold, Eli was sitting on his seat by the wayside watching, for his heart was trembling for the ark of God. When the man arrived to announce it in the town, the entire town cried out.
14And when Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he asked, “What’s this noisy commotion?” So the man rushed and came and told Eli.
15Now Eli was 98 years old, and his eyes were fixed in a blind stare.
16Then the man said to Eli, “I am one coming from the battlefield—I escaped from the battlefield today.” “What is happening, my son?” he asked.
17And the messenger answered and said, “Israel fled before the Philistines and there has also been a great slaughter among the people. Also your two sons died—Hophni and Phinehas—and the ark of God was captured.”
18As soon as he mentioned of the ark of God, Eli fell backward from his seat beside the town gate. His neck broke and he died, for he was old and heavy. He had judged Israel 40 years.
19Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child and about to deliver. When she heard the report that the ark of God was captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she crouched down and gave birth because she was seized with her labor pains.
20As she was dying, the women attending her said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for you have brought forth a son!” But she did not respond or take it to heart.
21Then she named the child Ichabod saying, “The glory has departed from Israel”—because of the capture of the ark of God, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
22So she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been taken!”
Currently Selected:
1 Samuel 4: TLV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
I Samuel 4
4
1And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.
The Ark of God Captured
Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines, and encamped beside #1 Sam. 3:1, 4Ebenezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek. 2Then the #1 Sam. 7:12Philistines put themselves in battle array against Israel. And when they joined battle, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men of the army in the field. 3And when the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? #1 Sam. 12:9Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Shiloh to us, that when it comes among us it may save us from the hand of our enemies.” 4So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, #Num. 10:35; Josh. 6:6–21who dwells between #Ex. 25:18–21; 1 Sam. 6:2; Ps. 80:1the cherubim. And the #Num. 7:89two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook. 6Now when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What does the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” Then they understood that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp. 7So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp!” And they said, #1 Sam. 2:12“Woe to us! For such a thing has never happened before. 8Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. 9#Ex. 15:14Be strong and conduct yourselves like men, you Philistines, that you do not become servants of the Hebrews, #1 Cor. 16:13as they have been to you. Conduct yourselves like men, and fight!”
10So the Philistines fought, and #Judg. 13:1; 1 Sam. 14:21Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11Also #Lev. 26:17; Deut. 28:15, 25; 1 Sam. 4:2; 2 Sam. 18:17; 19:8; 2 Kin. 14:12; 2 Chr. 25:22the ark of God was captured; and #1 Sam. 2:32; Ps. 78:60, 61the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
Death of Eli
12Then a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line the same day, and #1 Sam. 2:34; Ps. 78:64came to Shiloh with his clothes torn and #2 Sam. 1:2dirt on his head. 13Now when he came, there was Eli, sitting on #Josh. 7:6; 2 Sam. 13:19; 15:32; Neh. 9:1; Job 2:12a 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. 14When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, “What does the sound of this tumult mean?” And the man came quickly and told Eli. 15Eli was ninety-eight years old, and #1 Sam. 1:9; 4:18his eyes were so dim that he could not see.
16Then the man said to Eli, “I am he who came from the battle. And I fled today from the battle line.”
And he said, #1 Sam. 3:2; 1 Kin. 14:4“What happened, my son?”
17So the messenger answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead; and the ark of God has been captured.”
18Then it happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell off the seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
Ichabod
19Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’s wife, was with child, due to be delivered; and when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and gave birth, for her labor pains came upon her. 20And about the time of her death #2 Sam. 1:4the women who stood by her said to her, “Do not fear, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer, nor did she regard it. 21Then she named the child #Gen. 35:16–19Ichabod, saying, #1 Sam. 14:3“The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.