-
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.
02 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.
03 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.
04 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.
05 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.
06 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.
07 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.
08 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 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 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 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons
of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.
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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 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 meaneth the noise of this tumult? And
the man came in hastily, and told Eli.
15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and
his eyes were dim, that he could not see.
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 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 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 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 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 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.
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