1 Samuel 4

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
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 the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Eben-ezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that 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 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.
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, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, 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 Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.
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 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 Eli heard the sound and asked, 'What does this uproar mean?' The man hurried on and told Eli.	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 Eli was ninety-eight years old; his gaze was fixed; he was blind.	15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that 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 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?
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 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.
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 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.
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, 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.
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 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.
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 named the child I-chabod, 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 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: for the ark of God is taken.