1 Samuel 4

1 And the word of Samuel is to all Israel, and Israel goeth out to meet the Philistines for battle, and they encamp by Eben-Ezer, and the Philistines have encamped in Aphek,

The word of Samuel came to all of Israel. Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They set up camp at Ebenezer, and the Philistines set up camp at Aphek.

2 and the Philistines set themselves in array to meet Israel, and the battle spreadeth itself, and Israel is smitten before the Philistines, and they smite among the ranks in the field about four thousand men.

The Philistines lined up for battle against Israel. When the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle.

3 And the people cometh in unto the camp, and the elders of Israel say, 'Why hath Jehovah smitten us to-day before the Philistines? we take unto us from Shiloh the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and it cometh into our midst, and He doth save us out of the hand of our enemies.'

When the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has Yahweh defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of Yahweh here from Shiloh, that it may be here with us, that it might keep us safe from the hands of our enemies.”

4 And the people sendeth to Shiloh, and they take up thence the ark of the covenant of Jehovah of Hosts, inhabiting the cherubs, and there [are] two sons of Eli, with the ark of the covenant of God, Hophni and Phinehas.

So the people sent men to Shiloh; from there they carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh of hosts, who sits above the cherubim. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 And it cometh to pass, at the coming in of the ark of the covenant of Jehovah unto the camp, that all Israel shout — a great shout — and the earth is moved.

When the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came into the camp, all of the people of Israel gave a great shout, and the earth resounded.

6 And the Philistines hear the noise of the shouting, and say, 'What [is] the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews?' and they perceive that the ark of Jehovah hath come in unto the camp.

When the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, “What does this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” Then they realized that the ark of Yahweh had come into the camp.

7 And the Philistines are afraid, for they said, 'God hath come in unto the camp;' and they say, 'Woe to us, for there hath not been like this heretofore.

The Philistines were afraid; they said, “A god has come into the camp.” They said, “Woe to us! Nothing like this has happened before!

8 Woe to us, who doth deliver us out of the hand of these honourable gods? these [are] the gods who are smiting the Egyptians with every plague in the wilderness.

Woe to us! Who will protect us from the strength of these mighty gods? These are the gods who attacked the Egyptians with many different kinds of plagues in the wilderness.

9 Strengthen yourselves, and become men, O Philistines, lest ye do service to Hebrews, as they have done to you — then ye have become men, and have fought.'

Take courage, and be men, you Philistines, or you will become slaves to the Hebrews, as they have been slaves to you. Be men, and fight.”

10 And the Philistines fight, and Israel is smitten, and they flee each to his tents, and the blow is very great, and there fall of Israel thirty thousand footmen;

The Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated. Every man fled to his house, and the slaughter was very great; for thirty thousand foot soldiers from Israel fell.

11 and the ark of God hath been taken, and the two sons of Eli have died, Hophni and Phinehas.

The ark of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

12 And a man of Benjamin runneth out of the ranks, and cometh into Shiloh, on that day, and his long robes [are] rent, and earth on his head;

A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day, arriving with his clothes torn and earth on his head.

13 and he cometh in, and lo, Eli is sitting on the throne by the side of the way, watching, for his heart hath been trembling for the ark of God, and the man hath come in to declare [it] in the city, and all the city crieth out.

When he arrived, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching because his heart trembled with concern for the ark of God. When the man entered the city and told the news, the whole city cried out.

14 And Eli heareth the noise of the cry, and saith, 'What — the noise of this tumult!' And the man hasted, and cometh in, and declareth to Eli.

When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, “What is the meaning of this uproar?” The man quickly came and told Eli.

15 And Eli is a son of ninety and eight years, and his eyes have stood, and he hath not been able to see.

Now Eli was ninety-eight years old; his eyes did not focus, and he could not see.

16 And the man saith unto Eli, 'I [am] he who hath come out of the ranks, and I out of the ranks have fled to-day;' and he saith, 'What hath been the matter, my son?'

The man said to Eli, “I am the one who came from the battle line. I fled from the battle today.” Eli said, “How did it go, my son?”

17 And he who is bearing tidings answereth and saith, 'Israel hath fled before the Philistines, and also a great slaughter hath been among the people, and also thy two sons have died — Hophni and Phinehas — and the ark of God hath been captured.'

The man who brought the news answered and said, “Israel fled from the Philistines. Also, there has been a great defeat among the people. Also, your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been taken.”

18 And it cometh to pass, at his mentioning the ark of God, that he falleth from off the throne backward, by the side of the gate, and his neck is broken, and he dieth, for the man [is] old and heavy, and he hath judged Israel forty years.

When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate. His neck was broken, and he died, because he was old and heavy. He had judged Israel for forty years.

19 And his daughter-in-law, wife of Phinehas, [is] pregnant, about to bear, and she heareth the report of the taking of the ark of God, that her father-in-law and her husband have died, and she boweth, and beareth, for her pains have turned upon her.

Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news that the ark of God was captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she knelt down and gave birth, but her labor pains overwhelmed her.

20 And at the time of her death, when the women who are standing by her say, 'Fear not, for a son thou hast borne,' she hath not answered, nor set her heart [to it];

About the time of her death the women attending to her said, “Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.” But she did not answer or take what they said to heart.

21 and she calleth the youth I-Chabod, saying, 'Honour hath removed from Israel,' because of the taking of the ark of God, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.

She named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has gone away from Israel!” for the ark of God had been captured, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.

22 And she saith, 'Honour hath removed from Israel, for the ark of God hath been taken.'

She said, “The glory has gone away from Israel, because the ark of God has been captured.”