1 Samuel 4

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN 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 Samuel spoke to all Israel.
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 The Philistines then drew up in battle formation against Israel. After a fierce struggle Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who slew about four thousand men on the battlefield.
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 When the troops retired to the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has the LORD permitted us to be defeated today by the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the LORD from Shiloh that it may go into battle among us and save us from the grasp 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 and brought from there the ark of the LORD of hosts, who is enthroned upon the cherubim. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were with the ark of God.
5 When the ark of Yahweh arrived in the camp, al Israel raised a great war cry so that the earthresounded.	5 When the ark of the LORD arrived in the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth resounded.
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 The Philistines, hearing the noise of shouting, asked, "What can this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?" On learning that the ark of the LORD had 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 the Philistines were frightened. They said, "Gods have come to their camp." They said also, "Woe to us! This has never happened before.
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! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods that struck the Egyptians with various plagues and with pestilence.
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 be manly, Philistines; otherwise you will become slaves to the Hebrews, as they were your slaves. So fight manfully!"
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 The Philistines fought and Israel was defeated; every man fled to his own tent. It was a disastrous defeat, in which Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers.
11 The ark of God was captured too, and Hophni and Phinehas the two sons of Eli died.	11 The ark of God was captured, and Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were among the dead.
12 A Benjaminite ran from the battle-line and reached Shiloh the same day, his clothes torn and dust onhis head.	12 A Benjaminite fled from the battlefield and reached Shiloh that same day, with his clothes torn and his head covered with dirt.
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 When he arrived, Eli was sitting in his chair beside the gate, watching the road, for he was troubled at heart about the ark of God. The man, however, went into the city to divulge his news, which put the whole city in an uproar.
14 Eli heard the sound and asked, 'What does this uproar mean?' The man hurried on and told Eli.	14 Hearing the outcry of the men standing near him, Eli inquired, "What does this commotion mean?"
15 Eli was ninety-eight years old; his gaze was fixed; he was blind.	15 (Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes would not focus, so 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 The man quickly came up to Eli and said, "It is I who have come from the battlefield; I fled from there today." He asked, "What happened, 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: "Israel fled from the Philistines; in fact, the troops suffered heavy losses. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are among the dead, and the ark of God has been captured."
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 At this mention of the ark of God, Eli fell backward from his chair into the gateway; since he was an old man and heavy, he died of a broken neck. He had judged Israel for 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 His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was with child and at the point of giving birth. When she heard the news concerning the capture of the ark and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband, she was seized with the pangs of labor, and gave birth.
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 She was about to die when the women standing around her said to her, "Never fear! You have given birth to a son." Yet she neither answered nor paid any attention.
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 (She named the child Ichabod, saying, "Gone is the glory from Israel," with reference to the capture of the ark of God and to 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 She said, "Gone is the glory from Israel," because the ark of God had been captured.