1And the word of Samuel came to all Israel . Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle , and encamped beside Eben-ezer: and the Philistines encamped in Aphek. 2And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel : and when they joined battle , Israel was smitten before the Philistines ; and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men . 3And when the people were come into the camp , the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath Jehovah smitten us to-day before the Philistines ? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of Shiloh unto us , that it may come among us , and save us out of the hand of our enemies. 4So the people sent to Shiloh ; and they brought from thence the ark of the covenant of Jehovah of hosts , who sitteth above the cherubim : and the two sons of Eli , Hophni and Phinehas , were there with the ark of the covenant of God . 5And when the ark of the covenant of Jehovah came into the camp , all Israel shouted with a great shout , so that the earth rang again . 6And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout , they said , What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews ? And they understood that the ark of Jehovah was come into the camp . 7And the Philistines were afraid , for they said, God is come into the camp . And they said, Woe unto us ! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore . 8Woe unto us ! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? these are the gods that smote the Egyptians with all manner of plagues in the wilderness . 9Be strong , and quit yourselves like men , O ye Philistines , that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews , as they have been to you : quit yourselves like men , and fight . 10And the Philistines fought , and Israel was smitten , and they fled every man to his tent: and there was a very great slaughter ; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen . 11And the ark of God was taken ; and the two sons of Eli , Hophni and Phinehas , were slain .
The Philistines' Response and Victory
12And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army , and came to Shiloh the same day , with his clothes rent , and with earth upon his head . 13And when he came , lo , Eli was sitting upon his seat by the wayside watching ; for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city , and told it , all the city cried out . 14And when Eli heard the noise of the crying , he said , What meaneth the noise of this tumult ? And the man hasted , and came and told Eli . 15Now Eli was ninety and eight years old ; and his eyes were set , so that he could not see . 16And 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 , How went the matter , my son ? 17And he that brought the tidings answered and said , Israel 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 . 18And it came to pass , when he made mention of the ark of God , that Eli fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate ; and his neck brake , and he died : for he was an old man , and heavy . And he had judged Israel forty years . 19And 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 brought forth ; for her pains came upon her . 20And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her , Fear not ; for thou hast brought forth a son . But she answered not , neither did she regard it . 21And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel ; because the ark of God was taken , and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22And she said, The glory is departed from Israel ; for the ark of God is taken .