1 The word of Samuel came to all Israel. Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle, and they camped at Ebenezer while the Philistines camped at Aphek.

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.

2 The Philistines set their forces against Israel, and the battle began. Israel was defeated by the Philistines, and about four thousand men were killed on the battlefield.

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.

3 When the troops returned to the camp, the elders of Israel said, 'Why has the Lord allowed us to be defeated today by the Philistines? Let us fetch the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh so it can come among us and deliver us from the power of our enemies.'

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.

4 So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of Hosts, who is enthroned between the cherubim. Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, accompanied the Ark of the Covenant of God.

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.

5 When the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord arrived at the camp, all Israel shouted with such a great shout that the ground shook.

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.

6 The Philistines heard the sound of the shouting and said, 'What is this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews?' They realized that the Ark of the Lord had come into the camp.

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.

7 The Philistines became afraid, saying, 'A god has come into the camp!' They exclaimed, 'Woe to us! Nothing like this has ever happened before!

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.

8 Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every kind of plague in the wilderness.

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.

9 Be strong and act like men, Philistines, or you will become slaves to the Hebrews as they were slaves to you. Be men and fight!

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 The Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated. Each man fled to his tent, and the slaughter was very great—thirty thousand Israelite foot soldiers fell.

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 The Ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.

12 A man from the tribe of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh that same day, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.

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 When he arrived, Eli was sitting on his seat by the side of the road, watching, for his heart trembled for the Ark of God. When the man entered the city to report the news, the entire city cried out.

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 Eli heard the sound of the outcry and said, 'What is the meaning of this uproar?' Then the man hurried over to Eli and told him the news.

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-eight years old, and his eyes were fixed, so he could not see.

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

16 The man said to Eli, 'I have come from the battle; I fled from the battlefield today.' Eli asked, 'What happened, my son?'

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 The messenger answered, 'Israel has fled before the Philistines, there has been a great slaughter among the people, your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the Ark of God has been captured.'

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 When he mentioned the Ark of God, Eli fell backward off his seat by the gate. His neck was broken, and he died, for he was an old and heavy man. He had judged Israel for forty years.

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 Now Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near the time of delivery. When she heard the news that the Ark of God had been captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth, overwhelmed by her labor pains.

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 As she was dying, the women attending her said, 'Don’t despair, you have given birth to a son.' But she did not answer or pay attention.

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 She named the boy Ichabod, saying, 'The glory has departed from Israel,' because the Ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband.

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 She said, 'The glory has departed from Israel, because the Ark of God has been captured.'

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