1 Samuel

1 Samuel 4 ©

1 The Israelites are smitten by the Philistines at Eben-ezer. 3 They fetch the ark to the terror of their enemies; 10 but are smitten again, the ark taken, and the two sons of Eli slain. 12 Upon hearing the news Eli falleth backward, and breaketh his neck. 19 The wife of Phinehas through grief falleth in labour, is delivered of I-chabod, and dieth.

1

AND the word of Samuel 1came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside aEben-ezer: and the Philistines pitched in bAphek.

b Jos. 12.18; 15.53, or 19.30. 1Ki. 20.30.
2

And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when 2they joined battle, cIsrael was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the 3army in the field about four thousand men.

3

¶And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, dWherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? eLet us 4fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of fShiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.

4

So gthe people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the hark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth ibetween the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there jwith the ark of the covenant of God.

5

And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, kall Israel lshouted with a great shout, so that the earth mrang again.

6

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

n v.3-5.
7

And the Philistines owere afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing 5*heretofore.

8

Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that psmote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.

9

qBe strong, and *quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, ras they have been to you: 6quit yourselves like men, and fight.

10

¶And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled severy man into his tent: and there twas a very great slaughter; for there fell of uIsrael thirty thousand footmen.

11

And vthe ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, 7were slain.

12

¶And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with whis clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.

13

And when he came, lo, Eli xsat 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 told it, all the city cried out.

14

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

15

Now Eli ywas ninety and eight years old; and his eyes 8were dim, that he could not see.

16

And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What 9is there done, my son?

17

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

z v.10,11.
18

And it came to pass, awhen he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by bthe side of the gate, and his cneck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

19

¶And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near 10to 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 11came upon her.

20

And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, dFear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, 12neither did she regard it.

21

And she named the child 13I-chabod, saying, eThe glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.

22

And she said, fThe glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.