1 Samuel 4
4
1And Samuel’s word went out to all Israel.
The Philistines capture God’s chest
In those days the Philistines gathered for war against Israel,#4.1 LXX; MT lacks In those days… against Israel. so Israel went out to engage the Philistines in war. Israel camped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines camped at Aphek. 2The Philistines readied themselves to fight Israel. When the battle was joined, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the battlefield. 3When the troops returned to the camp, Israel’s elders said, “Why did the LORD defeat us today before the Philistines? Let’s bring the chest containing the LORD’s covenant from Shiloh so it can go with us and save us from our enemies’ power.” 4So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the chest containing the covenant of the LORD of heavenly forces, who sits enthroned on the winged heavenly creatures.#4.4 Heb cherubim Eli’s two sons Hophni and Phinehas were there with the chest containing God’s covenant.
5When the chest containing the LORD’s covenant entered the camp, all Israel let out such a loud shout that the ground shook. 6When the Philistines heard the sound of that shout, they asked, “What is that loud shouting in the Hebrew camp about?” When they learned that the LORD’s chest had come into the camp, 7the Philistines were afraid and said, “A god has come into that camp! We’re doomed,” they said, “because nothing like this has ever happened before. 8We’re doomed! Who will deliver us from the grip of these powerful deities? They are the same gods who struck the Egyptians in the desert with every kind of wound. 9Pull yourselves together and act like men, Philistines! Otherwise, you’ll serve the Hebrews like they’ve been serving you. Act like men and fight!”
10So the Philistines fought. Israel was defeated, and everyone fled to their homes. It was a massive defeat: thirty thousand Israelite foot soldiers fell, 11God’s chest was taken, and Eli’s two sons Hophni and Phinehas died.
12That very day, a Benjaminite ran from the battle to Shiloh. His clothes were torn, and dirt was on his head. 13When he got there, Eli was sitting in a chair beside the road, waiting because he was nervous about God’s chest. The man arrived and gave the news to the city, and the whole city cried out.
14Eli heard the sound of the cry and said, “What’s all this noise about?”
The man hurriedly went and told Eli the news. (15Now Eli was 98 years old, and his eyes stared straight ahead, unable to see.) 16The man told Eli, “I’m the one who just came from the battle. I fled from the battle today.”
“What’s the report, my son?” Eli asked.
17The messenger answered, “Israel has fled from the Philistines. The army has suffered a massive defeat. Also, your own two sons Hophni and Phinehas have died, and God’s chest has been taken!” 18At the mention of God’s chest, Eli fell backward off the chair beside the gate. His neck broke, and he died because he was an old man and overweight. Eli had judged Israel for forty years.
19Now Eli’s daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news that God’s chest had been captured and that her father-in-law and her husband had died, she doubled over and gave birth because her labor pains overwhelmed her. 20As she was about to die, the women standing by helping her said, “Don’t be afraid. You’ve given birth to a son!” But she didn’t answer or pay them any attention. 21She named the boy Ichabod,#4.21 Meaning Where is the glory? saying, “The glory has left Israel,” referring to the capture of God’s chest and the death of her father-in-law and her husband. 22“The glory has left Israel because God’s chest has been taken,” she said.
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
1 Kings 4
4
1And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight: and Israel went out to war against the Philistines, and camped by the Stone of help. And the Philistines came to Aphec,
2And put their army in array against Israel. And when they had joined battle, Israel turned their backs to the Philistines. And there was slain in that fight here and there in the fields about four thousand men.
3And the people returned to the camp: and the ancients of Israel said: Why hath the Lord defeated us to-day before the Philistines? Let us fetch unto us the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Silo: and let it come in the midst of us, that it may save us from the hand of our enemies.
4So the people sent to Silo; and they brought from thence the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts sitting upon the cherubims. And the two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were with the ark of the covenant of God.
5And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord was come into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, and the earth rang again.
6And the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, and they said: What is this noise of a great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.
7And the Philistines were afraid, saying: God is come into the camp. And sighing, they said:
8Woe to us: for there was no such great joy yesterday and the day before. Woe to us. Who shall deliver us from the hand of these high gods? These are the gods that struck Egypt with all the plagues in the desert.
9Take courage and behave like men, ye Philistines: lest you come to be servants to the Hebrews, as they have served you. Take courage and fight.
10So the Philistines fought; and Israel was overthrown; and every man fled to his own dwelling. And there was an exceeding great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
11And the ark of God was taken: and the two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were slain.
12And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Silo the same day, with his clothes rent, and his head strewed with dust.
13And when he was come, Heli sat upon a stool over against the way watching. For his heart was fearful for the ark of God. And when the man was come into the city, he told it: and all the city cried out.
14And Heli heard the noise of the cry, and he said: What meaneth the noise of this uproar? But he made haste, and came, and told Heli.
15Now Heli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, and he could not see.
16And he said to Heli: I am he that came from the battle, and have fled out of the field this day. And he said to him: What is there done, my son?
17And he that brought the news answered, and said: Israel has fled before the Philistines; and there has been a great slaughter of the people. Moreover thy two sons, Ophni and Phinees, are dead. And the ark of God is taken.
18And when he had named the ark of God, he fell from his stool backwards by the door, and broke his neck, and died. For he was an old man, and far advanced in years. And he judged Israel forty years.
19And his daughter-in-law the wife of Phinees, was big with child, and near her time. And hearing the news that the ark of God was taken, and her father-in-law, and her husband, were dead, she bowed herself and fell in labour: for her pains came upon her on a sudden.
20And when she was upon the point of death, they that stood about her said to her: Fear not, for thou hast borne a son. She answered them not, nor gave heed to them.
21And she called the child Ichabod, saying: The glory is gone from Israel, because the ark of God was taken, and for her father-in-law, and her husband.
22And she said: The glory is departed from Israel, because the ark of God was taken.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.