1 Samuel 4

₁The Israelites made war_against the Philistines. They put up their tents in the town of Ebenezer and the Philistines put up their tents in the town of Aphek. ₂The Philistines started to fight against the Israelites and the Philistines defeated them and killed about 4 000 men of Israel. ₃When the Israelites came back to their camp, their leaders asked: ‘Why did God make us lose to the Philistines today? We must bring the covenant box of the Lord from Shiloh to us. If it is here, it will save us from our enemies.’

₄They sent men to the town of Shiloh to get the covenant box of the Lord who rules over all and who sits on his throne between the cherub-angels. Hophni and Phinehas, the 2 sons of Eli, were there with the covenant box of the Lord. ₅When the covenant box of the Lord came to the camp, all the Israelites shouted_so_loudly that the ground started to shake. ₆When the Philistines heard the Israelites shouting, they said: ‘Why do the Hebrews shout_so_loudly?’

Then they knew that the covenant box of the Lord had come into the camp of the Israelites. ₇They were afraid and said: ‘The gods have come to the camp of the Israelites. We have a lot of trouble. Something like this has never happened before. ₈We have big trouble. Who will save us from these strong gods? These are the same gods who punished the Egyptian people in the desert. ₉Philistines, you must be strong, and you must be brave. If you are not strong, you will have to work for the Hebrews as they have worked for you. You must be brave, and you must fight hard.’

₁₀The Philistines fought and they defeated the Israelites and they killed 30 000 of them. The other Israelites ran away to their homes. ₁₁The Philistines also took the covenant box of the Lord. Eli's 2 sons, Hophni and Phinehas were also killed.

₁₂On that same day a man from the Benjamin tribe ran from the place where they made war and he came to the town of Shiloh. He tore his clothes and he put sand on his head. ₁₃When he came into Shiloh, Eli was sitting on his chair. He was waiting for someone to tell him what had happened to the covenant box of the Lord because he was very worried. When the man came into the town to tell them what had happened, all the people in the town started to cry and shout. ₁₄Eli heard them shouting and he asked: ‘Why do the people shout like that?’

Then the man ran to Eli and he told him what had happened. ₁₅Eli was 98 years old and he could not see anymore. ₁₆The man told Eli: ‘I come from where they were at war and I ran away today.’ Eli asked: ‘My son, what happened?’ ₁₇Then the messenger said: ‘The Israelites ran away from the Philistines. Many men died. Your 2 sons, Hophni and Phinehas, have also died. And the Philistines took the covenant box of the Lord.’

₁₈When Eli heard what he said about the covenant box of the Lord, he immediately fell backward off his chair. He broke his neck and died because he was old and fat. Eli had been the leader of Israel for 40 years. ₁₉Eli's daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and it was almost time for her to have her baby. When they told her that the Philistines had taken the covenant box of the Lord and that her father-in-law and her husband had died, her pain started. She bowed down because the pain was too much for her and her baby was born. ₂₀As she was dying, the women with her said: ‘Don't worry, you have a son.’

She did not hear them or answer them. ₂₁She said her son's name was Ichabod, because the glory of the Lord had gone away from the land_of_Israel. She said that because the Philistines had taken the covenant box of the Lord and because her father-in-law and her husband had died. ₂₂She said: ‘Yes, the glory of God is gone from the land_of_Israel, because the Philistines have taken the covenant box of the Lord.’