1 Samuel, Chapter 4

1. 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.    2. And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was struck down before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.    3. And when the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Why has the LORD struck us down today before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh to us, that, when it comes among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.    4. So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwells between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.    5. 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.    6. And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What does the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean? And they understood that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp.    7. And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there has not been such a thing until now.    8. Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.    9. Be strong, and show yourselves to be men, O you Philistines, that you be not servants to the Hebrews, as they have been to you: show yourselves to be men, and fight.    10. And the Philistines fought, and Israel was struck down, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.    11. And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.    12. And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes torn, and with earth upon his head.    13. 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.    14. And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What does the noise of this tumult mean? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli.    15. Now Eli was ninety eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see.    16. And the man said to Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled today out of the army. And he said, What happened there, my son?    17. And the messenger answered and said, Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people, and your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.    18. And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from 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. And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, about 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 labored in birth; for her pains came upon her.    20. And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said to her, Fear not; for you have borne a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.    21. 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. And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.