09:004:001 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out
against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside
Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.
09:004:002 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel:
and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the
Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four
thousand men.
09:004:003 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of
Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before
the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the
LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it
may save us out of the hand of our enemies.
09:004:004 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from
thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which
dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli,
Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant
of God.
09:004:005 And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the
camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth
rang again.
09:004:006 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? And they understood that the ark of the LORD
was come into the camp.
09:004:007 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come
into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not
been such a thing heretofore.
09:004:008 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.
09:004:009 Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that
ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you:
quit yourselves like men, and fight.
09:004:010 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they
fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great
slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
09:004:011 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni
and Phinehas, were slain.
09:004:012 And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to
Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon
his head.
09:004:013 And when he came, lo, 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 told it, all the city cried
out.
09:004:014 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.
09:004:015 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim,
that he could not see.
09:004:016 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 is there
done, my son?
09:004:017 And the messenger answered and said, Israel 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.
09:004:018 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God,
that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the
gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man,
and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
09:004:019 And his daughter in law, Phinehas' 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 came
upon her.
09:004:020 And about the time of her death the women that stood by her
said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she
answered not, neither did she regard it.
09:004:021 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.
09:004:022 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark
of God is taken.