1 Samuel 4

Philistines Take the Ark in Victory

1Thus the wordH1697 of SamuelH8050 cameH1961 to allH3605 IsraelH3478. Now IsraelH3478 wentH3318 out to meetH7122 the PhilistinesH6430 in battleH4421 and campedH2583 besideH5921 1EbenezerH72 while the PhilistinesH6430 campedH2583 in 2AphekH663. 2The PhilistinesH6430 drewH6186 up in battleH6186 array to meetH7122 IsraelH3478. When the battleH4421 spreadH5203, IsraelH3478 was 3defeatedH5062 beforeH6440 the PhilistinesH6430 who killedH5221 about fourH702 thousandH505 menH376 on the battlefieldH4634H7704. 3When the peopleH5971 cameH935 into the campH4264, the eldersH2205 of IsraelH3478 saidH559, “4WhyH4100 has the LordH3068 defeatedH5062 us todayH3117 beforeH6440 the PhilistinesH6430? 5Let us takeH3947 to ourselves from ShilohH7887 the arkH727 of the covenantH1285 of the LordH3068, that 6it may comeH935 amongH7130 us and deliverH3467 us from the powerH3709 of our enemiesH340.” 4So the peopleH5971 sentH7971 to ShilohH7887, and from thereH8033 they carriedH5375 the arkH727 of the covenantH1285 of the LordH3068 of hostsH6635 7who sitsH3427 above the cherubimH3742; and the twoH8147 sonsH1121 of EliH5941, HophniH2652 and PhinehasH6372, were thereH8033 with the arkH727 of the covenantH1285 of GodH430.

5As the arkH727 of the covenantH1285 of the LordH3068 cameH935 into the campH4264, 8allH3605 IsraelH3478 shoutedH7321 with a greatH1419 shoutH8643, so that the earthH776 resoundedH1949. 6When the PhilistinesH6430 heardH8085 the noiseH6963 of the shoutH8643, they saidH559, “WhatH4100 does the noiseH6963 of thisH2088 greatH1419 shoutH8643 in the campH4264 of the HebrewsH5680 mean?” Then they understoodH3045 that the arkH727 of the LordH3068 had comeH935 into the campH4264. 7The PhilistinesH6430 were afraidH3372, for they saidH559, “GodH430 has comeH935 into the campH4264.” And they saidH559, “9WoeH188 to us! For nothingH3808 like thisH2088 has happenedH1961 beforeH8543H8032. 8WoeH188 to us! WhoH4310 shall deliverH5337 us from the handH3027 of theseH428 mightyH117 godsH430? TheseH428 are the godsH430 who smoteH5221 the EgyptiansH4714 with allH3605 kinds of plaguesH4347 in the wildernessH4057. 910TakeH2388 courageH2388 and be menH376, O PhilistinesH6430, orH6435 you will becomeH5647 slavesH5647 to the HebrewsH5680, 11as they have beenH5647 slavesH5647 to you; therefore, be menH376 and fightH3898.”

10So the PhilistinesH6430 foughtH3898 and 12IsraelH3478 was 13defeatedH5062, and 14everyH376 manH376 fledH5127 to his tentH168; and the slaughterH4347 was veryH3966 greatH1419, for there fellH5307 of IsraelH3478 thirtyH7970 thousandH505 footH7273 soldiersH7273. 11And the arkH727 of GodH430 was takenH3947; and 15the twoH8147 sonsH1121 of EliH5941, HophniH2652 and PhinehasH6372, diedH4191.

12Now a manH376 of BenjaminH1144 ranH7323 from the battleH4634 lineH4634 and cameH935 to ShilohH7887 the sameH1931 dayH3117 with 16his clothesH4055 tornH7167 and 17dustH127 on his headH7218. 13When he cameH935, beholdH2009, 18EliH5941 was sittingH3427 on his seatH3678 19by the roadH1870 eagerly watchingH6822, becauseH3588 his heartH3820 was tremblingH2730 for the arkH727 of GodH430. So the manH376 cameH935 to tellH5046 it in the cityH5892, and allH3605 the cityH5892 criedH2199 out. 14When EliH5941 heardH8085 the noiseH6963 of the outcryH6818, he saidH559, “WhatH4100 does the noiseH6963 of thisH2088 commotionH1995 mean?” Then the manH376 cameH935 hurriedlyH4116 and toldH5046 EliH5941. 15Now EliH5941 was ninety-eightH8673H8083 yearsH8141 oldH1121, and 20his eyesH5869 were setH6965 so that he couldH3201 not seeH7200. 16The manH376 saidH559 to EliH5941, “I am the one who cameH935 from the battleH4634 lineH4634. Indeed, I escapedH5127 from the battleH4634 lineH4634 todayH3117.” And he saidH559, “21HowH4100 did thingsH1697 goH1961, my sonH1121?” 17Then the one who broughtH1319 the newsH1319 repliedH6030, “IsraelH3478 has fledH5127 beforeH6440 the PhilistinesH6430 and there has alsoH1571 beenH1961 a greatH1419 slaughterH4046 among the peopleH5971, and your twoH8147 sonsH1121 alsoH1571, HophniH2652 and PhinehasH6372, are deadH4191, and the arkH727 of GodH430 has been takenH3947.” 18When he mentionedH2142 the arkH727 of GodH430, 2223Eli fellH5307 offH4480H5921 the seatH3678 backwardH322 besideH5704H3027 the gateH8179, and his neckH4665 was brokenH7665 and he diedH4191, for 24he was oldH2204 and heavyH3515. Thus he judgedH8199 IsraelH3478 fortyH705 yearsH8141.

19Now his daughter-in-lawH3618, Phinehas’sH6372 wifeH802, was pregnantH2030 and about to giveH3205 birthH3205; and when she heardH8085 the newsH8052 that the arkH727 of GodH430 was takenH3947 and that her father-in-lawH2524 and her husbandH376 had diedH4191, she kneeledH3766 downH3766 and gaveH3205 birthH3205, for her painsH6735 cameH2015 upon her. 20And about the timeH6256 of her deathH4191 the women who stoodH5324 by her saidH1696 to her, “25Do not be afraidH3372, for you have givenH3205 birthH3205 to a sonH1121.” But she did not answerH6030 or payH7896 attentionH3820. 21And she calledH7121 the boyH5288 26IchabodH350, sayingH559, “27The gloryH3519 has departedH1540 from IsraelH3478,” becauseH413 28the arkH727 of GodH430 was takenH3947 and becauseH413 of her father-in-lawH2524 and her husbandH376. 22She saidH559, “The gloryH3519 has departedH1540 from IsraelH3478, for the arkH727 of GodH430 was takenH3947.”