1 Samuel 4

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 and, for al Israel, the word of Samuel was as the word of Yahweh; since Eli was very old and his sonspersisted in their wicked behaviour towards Yahweh. It happened at that time that the Philistines mustered tomake war on Israel and Israel went out to meet them in war, pitching camp near Ebenezer while the Philistinespitched camp at Aphek.	1 And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight: and Israel went out to war against the Philistines, and camped by the Stone of help. And the Philistines came to Aphec,
2 The Philistines drew up their battle-line against Israel, the fighting was fierce, and Israel was beaten bythe Philistines: about four thousand men in their ranks were kil ed on the field of battle.	2 And put their army in array against Israel. And when they had joined battle, Israel turned their backs to the Philistines, and there was slain in that fight here and there in the fields about four thousand men.
3 When the troops returned to camp, the elders of Israel said, 'Why has Yahweh caused us to be beatenby the Philistines today? Let us fetch the ark of our God from Shiloh so that, when it goes with us, it may save usfrom the clutches of our enemies.'	3 And the people returned to the camp: and the ancients of Israel said: Why hath the Lord defeated us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch unto us the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Silo, and let it come in the midst of us, that it may save us from the hand of our enemies.
4 So the troops sent to Shiloh and brought away the ark of Yahweh Sabaoth enthroned on the wingedcreatures; the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, came with the ark.	4 So the people sent to Silo, and they brought from thence the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts sitting upon the cherubims: and the two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were with the ark of the covenant of God.
5 When the ark of Yahweh arrived in the camp, al Israel raised a great war cry so that the earthresounded.	5 And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord was come into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, and the earth rang again.
6 When the Philistines heard the noise of the war cry, they said, 'What can this great war cry in theHebrew camp mean?' And they realised that the ark of Yahweh had come into the camp.	6 And the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, and they said: What is this noise of a great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.
7 At this, the Philistines were afraid; for they said, 'God has come into the camp. Disaster!' they said. 'Fornothing like this has ever happened before.	7 And the Philistines were afraid, saying: God is come into the camp. And sighing, they said:
8 Disaster! Who will rescue us from the clutches of this mighty God? This was the God who struck downEgypt with every kind of misfortune in the desert.	8 Woe to us: for there was no such great joy yesterday and the day before: Woe to us. Who shall deliver us from the hand of these high gods? these are the gods that struck Egypt with all the plagues in the desert.
9 But take courage and be men, Philistines, or you wil become slaves to the Hebrews as they have beenslaves to you. Be men and fight.'	9 Take courage and behave like men, ye Philistines: lest you come to be servants to the Hebrews, as they have served you: take courage and fight.
10 So the Philistines gave battle and Israel was defeated, each man fleeing to his tent. The slaughter wasvery great: on the Israelite side, thirty thousand foot soldiers fel .	10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was overthrown, and every man fled to his own dwelling: and there was an exceeding great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
11 The ark of God was captured too, and Hophni and Phinehas the two sons of Eli died.	11 And the ark of God was taken: and the two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were slain.
12 A Benjaminite ran from the battle-line and reached Shiloh the same day, his clothes torn and dust onhis head.	12 And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Silo the same day, with his clothes rent, and his head strewed with dust.
13 When he arrived, Eli was sitting on his seat beside the gate watching the road, for his heart wastrembling for the ark of God. The man came into the town and told the news, whereupon cries of anguish fil edthe town.	13 And when he was come, Heli sat upon a stool over against the way watching. For his heart was fearful for the ark of God. And when the man was come into the city, he told it: and all the city cried out.
14 Eli heard the sound and asked, 'What does this uproar mean?' The man hurried on and told Eli.	14 And Heli heard the noise of the cry, and he said: What meaneth the noise of this uproar? But he made haste, and came, and told Heli.
15 Eli was ninety-eight years old; his gaze was fixed; he was blind.	15 Now Heli was ninety and eight years old, and his eyes were dim, and he could not see.
16 The man said to Eli, 'I have come from the camp. I escaped from the battle-line today.' 'My son,' saidEli, 'what happened?'	16 And he said to Heli: I am he that came from the battle, and have fled out of the field this day. And he said to him: What is there done, my son?
17 The messenger replied, 'Israel has fled before the Philistines; the army has been utterly routed. Whatis worse, your two sons are dead and the ark of God has been captured.'	17 And he that brought the news answered, and said: Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter of the people: moreover thy two sons, Ophni and Phinees, are dead: and the ark of God is taken.
18 When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backwards off his seat by the gate and broke his neck anddied, for he was old and heavy. He had been judge of Israel for forty years.	18 And when he had named the ark of God, he fell from his stool backwards by the door, and broke his neck, and died. For he was an old man, and far advanced in years: and he judged Israel forty years.
19 Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was with child and near her time. When she heard thenews that the ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and husband were dead she croucheddown and gave birth, for her labour pains had come on.	19 And his daughter in law the wife of Phinees, was big with child, and near her time: and hearing the news that the ark of God was taken, and her father in law, and her husband, were dead, she bowed herself and fell in labour: for her pains came upon her on a sudden.
20 When she was at the point of death, the women at her side said, 'Do not be afraid; you have givenbirth to a son.' But she did not answer and took no notice.	20 And when she was upon the point of death, they that stood about her said to her: Fear not, for thou hast borne a son. She answered them not, nor gave heed to them.
21 She named the child Ichabod, saying, 'The glory has gone from Israel,' al uding to the capture of theark of God and to her father-in-law and husband.	21 And she called the child Ichabod, saying: The glory is gone from Israel, because the ark of God was taken, and for her father in law, and her husband:
22 She said, 'The glory has gone from Israel, because the ark of God has been captured.'	22 And she said: The glory is departed from Israel, because the ark of God was taken.