1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle, and encamped beside Ebenezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.
2 And the Philistines put themselves in battle array against Israel. And when they joined the battle, Israel was struck down before the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men at the battle line in the field.
3 And when the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Why has Jehovah struck us down today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of Jehovah from Shiloh to us, that when it comes among us it may save us from the hand of our enemies.
4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of Jehovah of Hosts, who dwells between 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 Jehovah came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout so that the earth shook.
6 And when the Philistines heard the sound of the shout, they said, What is this sound of great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews? Then they understood that the ark of Jehovah had come 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 such a thing has never happened before.
8 Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck Egypt with all the plagues in the wilderness.
9 Be strong and be like men, you Philistines, that you do not become servants of the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be like men, and fight!
10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was struck down, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers.
11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
12 And a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line the same day, and came to Shiloh with his clothes torn and earth on his head.
13 And when he came, behold Eli was sitting on a seat by the wayside, watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and reported, all the city cried out.
14 When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, What is this sound of tumult? And the man came quickly and reported to Eli.
15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes had become set that he could not see.
16 And the man said to Eli, I am the one who came from the battle line, and I have fled today from the battle line. And he said, What happened, my son?
17 And the messenger answered and said, Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, have died; and the ark of God has been taken.
18 And it happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell off the seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
19 And his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was with child, due 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 had died, she bowed herself and gave birth, for her pangs came upon her.
20 And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, Do not fear, for you have borne a son. But she did not answer, nor was her heart set on it.
21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory has departed from Israel! because the ark of God had been 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 has been taken.