1 Samuel 4

Og Israel rykkede ud til Kamp imod Filisterne og lejrede sig ved Eben-Ezer, medens Filisterne lejrede sig ved Afek.

Filisterne stillede sig op til Kamp mod Israel, og Kampen blev hed; Israel blev slået af Filisterne, og de dræbte i Slaget på åben Mark omtrent 4000 Mand.

Så sendte Folket Bud til Silo og hentede Hærskarers HERREs Pagts Ark, han, som troner over Keruberne; og Elis to Sønner Hofni og Pinehas fulgte med Guds Pagts Ark.

Da nu HERRENs Pagts Ark kom til Lejren, brød hele Israel ud i et vældigt Jubelråb, så Jorden rystede derved.

Ve os! Hvem skal fri os af denne vældige Guds Hånd? Det er den Gud, som slog Ægypterne med alle Hånde Plager og Pest.

Så begyndte Filisterne Kampen, og Israel blev slået, og de flygtede hver til sit; Nederlaget blev meget stort; der faldt 30000 Mand af det israelitiske Fodfolk,

Guds Ark blev gjort til Bytte, og Elis to Sønner Hofni og Pinehas faldt.

En Benjaminit løb bort fra Slaget og nåede samme Dag til Silo med sønderrevne Klæder og Jord på sit Hoved.

Da han kom derhen, se, da sad Eli på sin Stol ved Porten og spejdede hen ad Vejen; thi hans Hjerte var uroligt for Guds Ark. Da Manden så kom ind i Byen og fortalte det, opløftede hele Byen et Skrig,

Men Eli var otte og halvfemsindstyve År gammel, og hans Øjne var blevet sløve, så han ikke kunde se.

Og da han nævnede Guds Ark, faldt Eli baglæns ned af Stolen ved Siden af Porten og brækkede Halsen og døde; thi Manden var gammel og tung. Han havde været Dommer for Israel i fyrretyve År.

Men da hans Sønnekone, Pinehas's Hustru, der var højt frugtsommelig, hørte Efterretningen om, at Guds Ark var taget, og at hendes Svigerfader og hendes Mand var døde, sank hun om og fødte, thi Veerne kom over hende.

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. {came: or, came to pass: Heb. was}

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. {they joined...: Heb. the battle was spread} {army: Heb. array}

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. {fetch: Heb. take unto us}

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.

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.

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.

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. {heretofore: Heb. yesterday, or, the third day}

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.

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. {quit...: Heb. be men}

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.

And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain. {were slain: Heb. died}

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.

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.

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.

Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see. {were dim: Heb. stood}

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? {is...: Heb. is the thing}

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.

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.

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. {be delivered: or, cry out} {came: Heb. were turned}

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}. {neither...: Heb. set not her heart}

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. {Ichabod: that is, Where is the glory? or, There is no glory}

And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.