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.