Shemu’ĕl Aleph (1 Samuel) 4
4
1Thus the word of Shemu’ĕl was to all Yisra’ĕl. And Yisra’ĕl went out to battle against the Philistines, and encamped beside Eḇen Ha‛ĕzer, while the Philistines encamped in Aphĕq.
2And the Philistines put themselves in battle array against Yisra’ĕl. And when the battle spread, Yisra’ĕl was stricken by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men of the army in the field.
3And when the people came into the camp, the elders of Yisra’ĕl said, “Why has יהוה smitten us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of יהוה from Shiloh to us, so that He comes into our midst and save us from the hand of our enemies.”
4And the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of יהוה of hosts, dwelling between the keruḇim. And the two sons of Ěli, Ḥophni and Pineḥas, were there with the ark of the covenant of Elohim.
5And when the ark of the covenant of יהוה came into the camp, all Yisra’ĕl shouted so loudly that the earth shook.
6And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What is the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews?” And when they knew that the ark of יהוה had come into the camp,
7the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “Elohim has come into the camp!” And they said, “Woe to us! For it has never been like this before.
8“Woe to us! Who shall deliver us from the hand of these mighty Elohim? These are the Elohim who struck the Mitsrites with all the plagues in the wilderness.
9“Be strong and be men, you Philistines, that you do not become servants of the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!”
10And the Philistines fought, and Yisra’ĕl was smitten, and every man fled to his tent. And the slaughter was very great, and there fell of Yisra’ĕl thirty thousand foot soldiers.
11And the ark of Elohim was captured, and the two sons of Ěli died, Ḥophni and Pineḥas.
12And a man of Binyamin ran from the battle line the same day, and came to Shiloh with his garments torn and dirt on his head.
13And he came in and saw Ěli, sitting on a seat by the wayside watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of Elohim. And the man came into the city and reported it, and all the city cried out.
14And Ěli heard the noise of the outcry and said, “What is the noise of this uproar?” And the man came hastily and informed Ěli.
15Now Ěli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes were so dim that he was unable to see.
16And the man said to Ěli, “I am he who came from the battle. And I fled today from the battle line.” And he said, “What was the matter, my son?”
17And the messenger answered and said, “Yisra’ĕl has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. And your two sons have died, Ḥophni and Pineḥas, and the ark of Elohim has been captured.”
18And it came to be, when he made mention of the ark of Elohim, that Ěli 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 ruled Yisra’ĕl forty years.
19And his daughter-in-law, Pineḥas’ wife, was pregnant, about to bear. And when she heard the news that the ark of Elohim was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and gave birth, because her pains came upon her.
20And about the time of her death the 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 set her heart to it.
21And she called the child Iḵaḇoḏ, saying, “The esteem has departed from Yisra’ĕl!” because the ark of Elohim was taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
22And she said, “The esteem has departed from Yisra’ĕl, for the ark of Elohim was taken.”
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Shemu’ĕl Aleph (1 Samuel) 4: TS2009
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