1 S o the news of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They set up their tents beside Ebenezer while the Philistines stayed at Aphek.

¶ And Samuel spoke unto all Israel. Now at that time Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle and pitched their camp beside Ebenezer; and the Philistines pitched theirs in Aphek.

2 T he Philistines came dressed for battle to meet Israel. When the battle spread, Israel lost to the Philistines. The Philistines killed about 4, 000 men on the battle-field.

And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel; and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines, who slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.

3 W hen the people returned to the tents, the leaders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord made us lose today to the Philistines? Let us bring the special box that holds the Law of the Lord here from Shiloh. Then He may come among us and save us from the power of those who fight against us.”

And when the people returned into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Why has the LORD smitten us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us that when it comes among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.

4 S o the people sent men to Shiloh to take the special box with the Law of the Lord of All Who sits above the cherubim. Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the special box with the Law of God.

So the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of the hosts, who dwells between the cherubim; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 W hen the box with the Law of the Lord came among the tents, all Israel called out with a loud noise, so that the earth shook.

And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with such a great shout that the earth trembled.

6 W hen the Philistines heard the noise, they said, “What does this loud noise among the Hebrews mean?” Then they understood that the special box of the Lord had come among the Israelites.

And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What great shout of joy is this in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp.

7 T he Philistines were afraid. They said, “A god has come among the tents. Trouble has come to us! Nothing like this has happened before.

And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God has come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! For yesterday and day before yesterday it was not so.

8 T rouble has come to us! Who will save us from the hand of these powerful gods? These are the gods who destroyed the Egyptians with all kinds of troubles in the desert.

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 B e strong and act like men, O Philistines. Or you will be made to work for the Hebrews, as they have been made to work for you. Be men and fight.”

Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye not serve the Hebrews as they have served you; quit yourselves like men and fight.

10 S o the Philistines fought, and Israel lost. Every man ran to his tent. And many were killed, for 30, 000 foot soldiers of Israel fell.

¶ And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled each one into his tent, and there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand footmen of Israel fell.

11 T he special box of God was taken. And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died. Death of Eli

And the ark of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.

12 A man of Benjamin ran from the battle and came to Shiloh the same day. His clothes were torn and he had dust on his head.

¶ And running out of the battle, a man of Benjamin came to Shiloh that same day with his clothes rent and with earth upon his head.

13 W hen he came, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for he was very worried about the special box of God. The man told the news in the city, and all the city cried out.

And when he came, behold 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 gave the news, all the city cried out.

14 W hen Eli heard the noise in the city, he said, “What does this noise mean?” Then the man came in a hurry and told Eli.

And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What is the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily and told Eli.

15 N ow Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were weak so that he could not see.

Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes had become dim so that he could not see.

16 T he man said to Eli, “I have come from the battle. I ran from the battle today.” And Eli said, “How did it go, my son?”

And the man said unto Eli, I come from the battle; I fled today out of the army. And he said unto him, What has happened, my son?

17 T he one who brought the news answered, “Israel has run from the Philistines and there have been many people killed. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead. And the special box of God has been taken.”

And the messenger answered and said, Israel fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God was taken.

18 W hen he told about the special box of God, Eli fell back off the seat by the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.

And it came to pass when he made mention of the ark of God, Eli fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck broke, and he died; for he was an old man and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

19 N ow his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was going to have a child and about to give birth. When she heard the news that the special box of God was taken and that her father-in-law and husband had died, she started to give birth, for her pains came upon her.

¶ And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’s 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 had come upon her.

20 A bout the time of her death, the women who stood by her said to her, “Do not be afraid. For you have given birth to a son.” But she did not answer or listen to them.

And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not, for thou hast given birth to a son. But she did not answer, neither did she regard it.

21 S he gave the boy the name Ichabod, saying, “The honor has left Israel,” because the special box of God was taken and because of her father-in-law and husband.

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 S he said, “The honor has left Israel, for the special box of God was taken.”

Therefore, she said, The glory is departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken.