(KJV) 1 Samuel 4¹

⥃The Philistines Capture the Ark

[1] And the word of Samuel came² to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Eben–ezer³: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek⁴.⁵ [2] And the Philistines put⁶ themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle⁷, Israel⁸ was smitten before the Philistines: and they⁹ slew of the army¹⁰ in the field about four thousand men.

[3] [¶]And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore¹¹ hath the Lord smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us¹² fetch¹³ the ark¹⁴ of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save¹⁵ us out of the hand of our enemies. [4] So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth¹⁶ [between] the cherubims¹⁷: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni¹⁸ and Phinehas, [were] there with the ark¹⁹ of the covenant of God. [5] And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel²⁰ 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 [meaneth²¹] 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] And the Philistines were afraid²², for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore²³. [8] Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these [are] the Gods that smote²⁴ the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. [9] Be strong²⁵, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have²⁶ been to you: quit yourselves like men²⁷, and fight.

[10] And the Philistines fought, and Israel²⁸ was smitten, and they fled every man²⁹ into his tent: and there was a very great³⁰ slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. [11] And the ark³¹ of God was taken; and the two sons³² of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain³³.

⥃The Death of Eli

[12] And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent³⁴, and with earth³⁵ upon his head. [13] And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon³⁶ a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart³⁷ 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 [meaneth³⁸] the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli. [15] Now Eli was ninety³⁹ and eight years old; and his eyes⁴⁰ were dim⁴¹, that he could not see. [16] 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 done⁴², my son⁴³? [17] And the messenger answered and said, Israel⁴⁴ 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] And it came to pass, when he made⁴⁵ mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck⁴⁶ brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had⁴⁷ judged Israel forty years.

[19] 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] And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not⁴⁸; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard [it⁴⁹]. [21] And she named the child I–chabod⁵⁰, saying, The glory⁵¹ is 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 glory⁵² is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.