Open English Translation 1SA Chapter 4

At that time, Israel went to war against the Philistines. They camped at Eben-Ezer and the Philistines camped at Afek. 2 Then the Philistines lined up to meet Israel and the battle spread. Israel was defeated by the Philistines and they killed about 4,000 warriors in the battle line in the countryside. 3 As the people[fn] came into the camp, the Israeli elders asked themselves, “Why did Yahweh allow the Philistines to slaughter us today? Let’s get the box from Shiloh that contains the stone slabs with Yahweh’s agreement on them. Once it’s amongst us, surely it’ll save us from defeat by our enemies.” 4 So the people sent men to Shiloh and from there they lifted the box containing Yahweh’s agreement and the sacred platform with the winged creatures.[fn] Eli’s two sons, Hofni and Finehas, were there with the box containing God’s agreement.[ref]

5 As the box with Yahweh’s agreement was carried into the camp, all the Israelis shouted so loud that the ground shook. 6 When the Philistines heard the noise, they said, “What’s that loud shout in the Hebrews’ camp?” Then they realised that the box with Yahweh’s covenant had come into their camp 7 and they were afraid saying, “A god has come into the Israeli camp.” Then they said, “This means trouble, because it wasn’t like this yesterday or the previous days. 8 Oh dear! Who will rescue us from these mighty gods? Those are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every plague in the wilderness. 9 Now we Philistines really need to fight with passion, because if we don’t, we’ll ending up serving the Hebrews just like they’ve had to serve us. Now, gather your courage and fight for your lives.”

10 So the Philistines fought hard, and Israel was defeated. Many warriors fled back to their tents and it was a terrible slaughter—30,000 foot soldiers from Israel were killed. 11 As well as that, the box with God’s agreement was taken, and Eli’s two sons Hofni and Finehas were killed.

12 A Benyamite man ran from the battle line back to Shiloh that day. His clothes were torn and he was covered in dirt. 13 When he arrived there, Eli was sitting on a roadside seat watching, because he was very concerned about the sacred chest. As the man entered the city with the news, all the people started wailing loudly. 14 As Eli heard the wailing, he asked, “What’s that big commotion?” So the man ran over to Eli to tell him the news. 15 At that time, Eli was ninety-eight years old, and he stared straight ahead because he couldn’t see. 16 The man told him, “I’m the one who’s just come from the battle line. I had to fled from the battle line today.”

“What was the issue, my son?” Eli asked.

17 “Israel fled defeated from the Philistines,” said the messenger. “And also, there has been a terrible slaughter of our people. What’s more, your two sons, Hofni and Finehas, were killed, and the sacred chest has been captured.”

18 The moment he mentioned the capturing of God’s box, Eli fell backwards off the seat beside the city gate. Because he was old and very heavy, his neck broke and he died. Eli had led Israel for forty years.

19 Now Finehas’ wife (Eli’s daughter-in-law) was pregnant—about to give birth—when she heard the news about the sacred chest being taken, and that both her father-in-law and her husband had died. At that moment, she knelt down and gave birth because the birth pains suddenly started. 20 But she was dying, and the women who stood over her said, “Don’t be afraid, because you’ve given birth to a son.” But she didn’t answer or pay any attention. 21 She named the boy ‘Ikabod’ (which means ‘no glory’), saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,” about the sacred chest being taken, and about the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 Then she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, because the sacred chest has been taken.”