1 E as palavras de Samuel chegavam a todo o povo de Israel.
Naquele tempo, Israel estava em guerra com os filisteus. O exército israelita tinha acampado perto de Ebenézer, e os filisteus acamparam em Afeque. 2 Os filisteus atacaram e derrotaram o exército de Israel, matando cerca de quatro mil homens. 3 Terminada a batalha, os soldados voltaram para o acampamento, e as autoridades de Israel se perguntaram: "Por que o Senhor causou nossa derrota diante dos filisteus? Vamos trazer a arca da aliança do Senhor desde Siló, para que esteja conosco e nos livre do poder do inimigo!".
4 Então enviaram homens a Siló para trazer a arca da aliança do Senhor dos Exércitos, que está entronizado entre os querubins. Hofni e Fineias, os dois filhos de Eli, acompanharam a arca da aliança de Deus. 5 Quando todos os israelitas viram a arca da aliança do Senhor entrando no acampamento, soltaram gritos de alegria tão altos que fizeram o chão tremer.
6 "O que está acontecendo?", perguntaram os filisteus. "Que significam esses gritos no acampamento dos hebreus?" Quando souberam que era porque a arca do Senhor havia chegado, 7 entraram em pânico. "Os deuses vieram ao acampamento deles!", disseram. "Estamos perdidos! Nunca enfrentamos uma coisa assim antes! 8 Estamos perdidos! Quem nos salvará desses deuses poderosos? São os mesmos deuses que destruíram os egípcios com pragas, quando Israel estava no deserto. 9 Tenham coragem, filisteus! Sejam homens! Do contrário, acabaremos como escravos dos hebreus, assim como eles se tornaram nossos escravos. Sejam homens e lutem!"
10 Então os filisteus saíram para a batalha, e Israel foi derrotado. A matança foi grande: trinta mil soldados israelitas morreram naquele dia. Os sobreviventes deram meia-volta e fugiram para suas tendas. 11 A arca de Deus foi tomada, e Hofni e Fineias, os dois filhos de Eli, foram mortos.
12 Um homem da tribo de Benjamim correu do campo de batalha e chegou a Siló ainda naquele dia. Tinha rasgado suas roupas e colocado pó sobre a cabeça. 13 Eli estava sentado numa cadeira, ao lado da estrada, esperando para ouvir as notícias da batalha, pois seu coração tremia pela segurança da arca de Deus. Quando o mensageiro chegou e contou o que havia acontecido, gritos ressoaram por toda a cidade.
14 Eli ouviu os gritos e perguntou: "O que é esse barulho todo?".
O mensageiro correu até Eli e contou-lhe a notícia. 15 Eli estava com 98 anos e já não conseguia enxergar. 16 "Acabo de chegar do campo de batalha", disse o mensageiro. "Fugi de lá hoje mesmo."
Eli perguntou: "O que aconteceu, meu filho?".
17 O mensageiro respondeu: "Israel foi derrotado pelos filisteus, e o povo foi massacrado. Seus dois filhos, Hofni e Fineias, também morreram, e a arca de Deus foi tomada".
18 Quando ele mencionou o que havia acontecido com a arca de Deus, Eli caiu da cadeira para trás, ao lado do portão. Quebrou o pescoço e morreu, pois era velho e pesado. Havia sido juiz em Israel durante quarenta anos.
19 A nora de Eli, esposa de Fineias, estava grávida e perto de dar à luz. Quando soube que a arca de Deus havia sido tomada e que o sogro e o marido estavam mortos, teve contrações violentas e deu à luz. 20 Ela morreu no parto, mas antes de falecer as parteiras tentaram animá-la. "Não tenha medo!", disseram. "Você teve um menino!" Mas ela não respondeu nem se importou.
21 Deu ao menino o nome de Icabode, e disse: "Foi-se embora a glória de Israel", pois a arca de Deus havia sido tomada, e seu sogro e seu marido estavam mortos. 22 Disse ainda: "Foi-se embora a glória de Israel, pois a arca de Deus foi tomada!".
1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.
2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel. And when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines; and they killed of the army in the field about four thousand men.
3 And when the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Why has LORD smitten us today before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of LORD out of Shiloh to us, that it may come among us, and save us out o
4 So the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of LORD of hosts, who sits [above] the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5 And when the ark of the covenant of LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.
6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What is the meaning of the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of LORD came into the camp.
7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God has come into the camp. And they said, Woe to us! For there has not been such a thing heretofore.
8 Woe to us! Who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods that smote the Egyptians with all manner of plagues in the wilderness.
9 Be strong, and strengthen yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Conduct yourselves like men, and fight.
10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man to 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 killed.
12 And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn, and with dirt upon his head.
13 And when he came, lo, Eli was sitting upon his 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 does the noise of this tumult mean? And the man hastened, and came and told Eli.
15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were dim so that he could not see.
16 And the man said to Eli, I am he who came out of the army, and I fled today out of the army. And he said, How did the matter go, my son?
17 And he who brought the news answered and said, Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has 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 [Eli] fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate. And his neck broke, and he died, for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty year
19 And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered. And when she heard the news that the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and brought forth, fo
20 And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, Fear not, for thou have brought forth a son. But she did not answer, neither did she regard it.
21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory has 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 has departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken.