1 Samuel 4
4
The Philistines Capture the Ark
1And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.
Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at #[ch. 5:1; 7:12] Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at #ch. 29:1; Josh. 12:18Aphek. 2The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle spread, Israel was defeated before the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle. 3And when the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord here #Josh. 18:1from Shiloh, that it#4:3 Or he may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.” 4So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, #Ex. 25:22; 2 Sam. 6:2; Ps. 80:1; 99:1; [Num. 7:89]who is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5As soon as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel #Josh. 6:5, 20gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded. 6And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, “What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” And when they learned that the ark of the Lord had come to the camp, 7the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “A god has come into the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. 8Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness. 9#[2 Sam. 10:12; 1 Cor. 16:13] Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews #Judg. 13:1as they have been to you; be men and fight.”
10So the Philistines fought, #ver. 2; Ps. 78:62; [Lev. 26:17; Deut. 28:25] and Israel was defeated, #2 Sam. 18:17; 19:8; 2 Kgs. 14:12; 2 Chr. 25:22and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell. 11#[ch. 2:32; Ps. 78:60, 61] And the ark of God was captured, #ch. 2:34; Ps. 78:64and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
The Death of Eli
12A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day, #See Josh. 7:6with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head. 13When he arrived, #ver. 18; ch. 1:9Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told the news, all the city cried out. 14When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, “What is this uproar?” Then the man hurried and came and told Eli. 15Now Eli was ninety-eight years old #1 Kgs. 14:4; [ch. 3:2]and his eyes were set so that he could not see. 16And the man said to Eli, “I am he who has come from the battle; I fled from the battle today.” And he said, #2 Sam. 1:4“How did it go, my son?” 17He who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” 18As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward #ver. 13from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.
19Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant, about to give birth. 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 and gave birth, for her pains came upon her. 20And about the time of her death the women attending her said to her, #Gen. 35:17“Do not be afraid, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention. 21And she named the child #ch. 14:3 Ichabod, saying, #Ps. 78:61; [Ps. 26:8] “The glory has departed#4:21 Or gone into exile; also verse 22 from Israel!” because #ver. 11the 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, #[See ver. 21 above]for the ark of God has been captured.”
Currently Selected:
1 Samuel 4: ESV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Sign up to receive news and updates about the ESV:
1 Samuel 4
4
1And Samuel’s words came to all Israel.
The Ark Captured by the Philistines
Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle and#4:1 LXX reads In those days the Philistines gathered together to fight against Israel, and Israel went out to engage them in battle. They camped at Ebenezer#1Sm 7:12 while the Philistines camped at Aphek.#Jos 12:18; 1Sm 29:1 2The Philistines lined up in battle formation against Israel, and as the battle intensified, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who struck down about four thousand men on the battlefield.
3When the troops returned to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord defeat us today before the Philistines?#Jos 7:7–8 Let’s bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh. Then it#4:3 Or he will go with us and save us from our enemies.”#Nm 10:35; Jos 6:6 4So the people sent men to Shiloh to bring back the ark of the covenant of the Lord of Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim.#Ex 25:22; Nm 7:89 Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. 5When the ark of the covenant of the Lord entered the camp, all the Israelites raised such a loud shout that the ground shook.#Jos 6:5,20
6The Philistines heard the sound of the war cry and asked, “What’s this loud shout in the Hebrews’ camp?” When the Philistines discovered that the ark of the Lord had entered the camp, 7they panicked. “A god has entered their camp!” they said. “Woe to us! Nothing like this has happened before. 8Woe to us! Who will rescue us from these magnificent gods? These are the gods that slaughtered the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. 9Show some courage and be men, Philistines!#1Co 16:13 Otherwise, you’ll serve the Hebrews just as they served you.#Jdg 13:1; 1Sm 14:21 Now be men and fight!”
10So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated,#Dt 28:15,25; 1Sm 4:2 and each man fled to his tent.#2Sm 18:17; 2Kg 14:12 The slaughter was severe — thirty thousand of the Israelite foot soldiers fell. 11The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.#1Sm 2:34; Ps 78:56–64
Eli’s Death and Ichabod’s Birth
12That same day, a Benjaminite man ran#Jos 7:22; 1Sm 8:11 from the battle and came to Shiloh. His clothes were torn,#Jos 7:6; 2Sm 1:2; 15:32; Neh 9:1 and there was dirt on his head. 13When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair beside the road waiting,#1Sm 1:9; 4:18 because he was anxious about the ark of God. When the man entered the city to give a report, the entire city cried out.
14Eli heard the outcry and asked, “Why this commotion?” The man quickly came and reported to Eli. 15At that time Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes didn’t move#4:15 Lit his eyes stood; 1Kg 14:4 because he couldn’t see.#1Kg 14:4
16The man said to Eli, “I’m the one who came from the battle.#4:16 LXX reads camp I fled from there today.”
“What happened, my son?” #2Sm 1:4 Eli asked.
17The messenger answered, “Israel has fled from the Philistines, and also there was a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are both dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” 18When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off the chair by the city gate,#1Sm 4:13 and since he was old and heavy, his neck broke and he died. Eli had judged Israel forty years.
19Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news about the capture of God’s ark and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband, she collapsed and gave birth because her labor pains came on her. 20As she was dying,#4:20 LXX reads And in her time of delivery, she was about to die the women taking care of her said, “Don’t be afraid. You’ve given birth to a son!” #Gn 35:16–19 But she did not respond or pay attention. 21She named the boy Ichabod,#4:21 = Where Is Glory? saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,”#Ps 26:8; Jr 2:11 referring to the capture of the ark of God#1Sm 4:11 and to the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband. 22“The glory has departed from Israel,” she said, “because 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
© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers