Open Bible Data Home  About  News  OET Key

OETOET-RVOET-LVULTUSTBSBBLBAICNTOEBWEBBEWMBBNETLSVFBVTCNTT4TLEBBBEMoffJPSWymthASVDRAYLTDrbyRVWbstrKJB-1769KJB-1611BshpsGnvaCvdlTNTWyclSR-GNTUHBBrLXXBrTrRelatedTopicsParallelInterlinearReferenceDictionarySearch

OETBy DocumentBy Section By Chapter Details

OET GENEXOLEVNUMDEUJOBJOSJDGRUTH1SA2SAPSAAMOSHOS1KI2KI1CH2CHPROECCSNGJOELMICISAZEPHABJERLAMYNANAHOBADANEZEEZRAESTNEHHAGZECMALYHNMARKMATLUKEACTsYACGAL1TH2TH1COR2CORROMCOLPHMEPHPHP1TIMTIT1PET2PET2TIMHEBYUD1YHN2YHN3YHNREV

1SAIntroC1C2C3C4C5C6C7C8C9C10C11C12C13C14C15C16C17C18C19C20C21C22C23C24C25C26C27C28C29C30C31

Open English Translation 1SA Chapter 4

1SA 4 ©

Readers’ Version

Literal Version

4and Shemuel’s messages went to all Israel.

4and_he/it_was the_word of_Shəʼēl to/from_all/each/any/every Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) and_he/it_went_out Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) to_meet [the]_Fəlishtiy for_the_battle and_camped at the wwww and_Fəlishtiy they_encamped in/on/at/with_ʼAfēq.

4:2 The capture of the box with the agreement

At that time, Israel went to war against the Philistines. They camped at Eben-Ezer and the Philistines camped at Afek. 2Then 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. 3As 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.” 4So 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]

5As the box with Yahweh’s agreement was carried into the camp, all the Israelis shouted so loud that the ground shook. 6When 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 7and 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. 8Oh dear! Who will rescue us from these mighty gods? Those are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every plague in the wilderness. 9Now 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.”

10So 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. 11As well as that, the box with God’s agreement was taken, and Eli’s two sons Hofni and Finehas were killed.

2And_drew_up [the]_Fəlishtiy to_meet Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) and_spread the_battle and_defeated Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) to_(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before [the]_Fəlishtiy and_killed in/on/at/with_battle in_the_field about_four thousand(s) man.
3And_came the_troops into the_camp and_they_said the_elders of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) to/for_what defeated_us YHWH the_day to_(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before [the]_Fəlishtiy let_us_bring to_us from_Shiloh DOM the_ark of_the_covenant of_YHWH and_come in/on/at/with_midst_us and_save_us from_power enemies_our.
4And_sent the_people Shiloh and_brought from_there DOM the_ark of_the_covenant of_YHWH of_hosts [who]_sits the_cherubims and_there the_two the_sons of_ˊĒlī [were]_with the_ark of_the_covenant the_ʼElohīm Ḩāfə and_Fīnəḩāş.
5And_he/it_was when_came the_ark of_the_covenant of_YHWH into the_camp and_let_out all Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) a_shout great and_shook the_earth/land.
6And_heard [the]_Fəlishtiy DOM the_sound the_shouting and_they_said what [is]_the_sound the_shouting the_great the_this in/on/at/with_camp the_ˊIⱱrī/(Hebrews) and_they_knew if/because_that the_ark of_YHWH it_had_come into the_camp.
7And_they_saw the_Fəlishtiy if/because they_said he_has_come a_god into the_camp and_they_said woe to/for_us if/because not it_has_been like_this yesterday three_days_ago.
8Woe to/for_us who deliver_us from_hand the_ʼElohīm the_mighty the_these these they the_ʼElohīm the_struck DOM Miʦrayim/(Egypt) in_all plague in/on/at/with_wilderness.
9Show_yourselves_strong and_be like_men Oh_Fəlishtiy lest you_all_should_serve to_the_ˊIⱱrī just_as they_have_served to/for_you_all and_you_all_will_be like_men and_fight.
10And_fought [the]_Fəlishtiy and_defeated Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) and_fled each_man to_tent_his and_it_became the_slaughter great exceedingly and_fell of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) thirty thousand foot_soldier[s].
11And_ark of_god it_was_taken and_two the_sons of_ˊĒlī they_died Ḩāfə and_Fīnəḩāş.

4:12 The death of Eli

12A Benyamite man ran from the battle line back to Shiloh that day. His clothes were torn and he was covered in dirt. 13When 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. 14As Eli heard the wailing, he asked, “What’s that big commotion?” So the man ran over to Eli to tell him the news. 15At that time, Eli was ninety-eight years old, and he stared straight ahead because he couldn’t see. 16The 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.

17Israel 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.”

18The 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.

12And_ran the_man of_Binyāmīn from_the_battle_line and_came Shiloh in_the_day (the)_that and_clothes_his [were]_torn and_earth [was]_on his/its_head.
13And_arrived and_see/lo/see ˊĒlī [was]_sitting on the_seat [the]_side[fn] of_[the]_road watching if/because it_was his/its_heart trembling on the_ark the_ʼElohīm and_the_man he_came to_announce in/on/at/with_city and_cried_out all the_city.
14And_he/it_listened ˊĒlī DOM the_sound the_outcry and_he/it_said what [is]_the_sound the_commotion the_this and_the_man he_hurried and_came and_told to_ˊĒlī.
15And_ˊĒlī [was]_a_son of_ninety and_eight year[s] and_eyes_his it_was_set and_not he_was_able to_see.
16And_he/it_said the_man to ˊĒlī I the_come from the_battle_line and_I from the_battle_line I_have_fled the_day and_he/it_said what was_it the_things son_my.
17And_replied the_messenger and_he/it_said it_has_fled Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) to_(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before [the]_Fəlishtiy and_also a_slaughter great it_has_been in/on/at/with_people and_also the_two sons_your they_have_died Ḩāfə and_Fīnəḩāş and_ark the_ʼElohīm it_has_been_taken.
18and_he/it_was when_mentioned_he DOM the_ark the_ʼElohīm and_fell from_under the_seat backwards behind the_side the_gate and_broken neck_his and_he/it_died if/because he_was_old the_man and_heavy and_he he_had_judged DOM Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) forty year[s].

4:19 The death of Finehas’ widow

19Now 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. 20But 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. 21She 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. 22Then she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, because the sacred chest has been taken.”


4:3 It seems that most translations assume that this is referring to the remainder of the warriors staggering back into the camp (which is certainly a possibility), but we’ve interpreted it as the people coming together (with their elders as it says), to try to figure out why they were defeated. (Similarly for v4.)

4:4 And with Commander Yahweh sitting on, above, or between them.


19And_daughter-in-law_his the_wife of_Fīnəḩāş [was]_pregnant to_give_birth and_heard DOM the_news concerning the_being_taken of_the_ark the_ʼElohīm and_dead father-in-law_her and_husband_her and_bowed and_she/it_gave_birth if/because they_turned on/upon_it(f) pains_her.
20And_about_time death_she and_said the_attending on/upon_it(f) do_not be_afraid if/because a_son you_have_borne and_not she_answered and_not she_set her/its_heart.
21And_she/it_called/named to_the_boy wwww wwww to_say it_has_gone_into_exile glory from_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) because_of the_being_taken of_the_ark the_ʼElohīm and_near/to father-in-law_her and_husband_her.
22And_she/it_said it_has_gone_into_exile glory from_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel) if/because it_has_been_taken the_ark the_ʼElohīm.

4:13 Variant note: יך: (x-qere) ’יַ֥ד’: lemma_3027 morph_HNcbsc id_09KHf יַ֥ד

1SA 4 ©

1SAIntroC1C2C3C4C5C6C7C8C9C10C11C12C13C14C15C16C17C18C19C20C21C22C23C24C25C26C27C28C29C30C31