1 Samuel 4

And the word of Samuel was to all of Israel. Now Israel went out to meet the Philistines for battle. And they camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines camped at Aphek.

And the Philistines arrayed to meet Israel, and the battle spread, and Israel was struck to the face of the Philistines. And they struck in the array in the field about 4,000 men. \*

And the people came into the camp, and the elders of Israel said, “Why did God strike us today to the face of the Philistines? Let us take for ourselves from Shiloh the Box of the Covenant of God, and it will come in our midst, and it will save us from the palm of our enemies.”

So the people sent to Shiloh, and they carried from there the Box of the Covenant of God of Armies, sitter on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, {were} there with the Box of the Covenant of God. \*

And it happened at the coming of the Box of the Covenant of God into the camp that all of Israel shouted a great shout, and the earth resounded.

And the Philistines heard the sound of the shout, and they said, “What {is} the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews?” Then they learned that the Box of God had come into the camp. \*

And the Philistines feared, for they said, “A god has come into the camp!” And they said, “Woe to us! For it was not like this yesterday {or} the third day!

Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are they, the gods having struck the Egyptians with every plague in the wilderness.

Strengthen yourselves and be men, Philistines, lest you serve for the Hebrews, just as they have served for you. So be men and fight!” \*

And the Philistines fought, and Israel was struck and fled, a man to his tent. And it was a very great striking, for 30,000 foot soldiers from Israel fell.

And the Box of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died. \*

And a man of Benjamin ran from the array and entered Shiloh on that day. And his clothes were torn, and earth was on his head.

And he came, and behold, Eli was sitting on a seat at the side of the road, watching, for his heart {was} afraid concerning the Box of God. And the man came into the city to report, and all of the city cried out. \*

And Eli heard the sound of the outcry, and he said, “What {is} the sound of this tumult?” And the man hurried and came and reported to Eli.

Now Eli {was} a son of 98 years. And his eyes had set, and he was not able to see. \*

And the man said to Eli, “I {am} the one coming from the array, and I myself fled from the array today.” And he said, “What was the event, my son?”

And the one bringing news answered and said, “Israel fled to the face of the Philistines. And also a great slaughter has been among the people. And also the two of your sons, Hophni and Phinehas, have died, and the Box of God has been taken.”

And it happened, in his mentioning of the Box of God, that he fell backward from upon the seat at 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 40 years. \*

Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, {was} pregnant, {about} to give birth. And she heard the report about the Box of God being taken and {that} her father-in-law had died and her husband. And she knelt down and gave birth, for her pangs turned themselves upon her.

And about the time of her dying, then the ones standing over her said, “Do not fear, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer, for she did not set her heart. \*

And she called the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,” about the Box of God being taken and about her father-in-law and her husband.

Now she said “the glory has departed from Israel” because the Box of God had been taken. \*