Y llegaba la palabra de Samuel a todo Israel. Y salió Israel para enfrentarse en batalla con los filisteos y acampó junto a Eben-ezer^a, mientras que los filisteos habían acampado en Afec^b. 2 Los filisteos se pusieron en orden de batalla para enfrentarse a Israel. Entablado el combate, Israel fue derrotado¹ delante de los filisteos, quienes mataron como a cuatro mil hombres en el campo de batalla. 3 Cuando el pueblo volvió¹ al campamento, los ancianos de Israel dijeron: ¿Por qué nos ha derrotado² hoy el SEÑOR delante de los filisteos^a? Tomemos con nosotros, de Silo, el arca del pacto del SEÑOR^b, para que vaya en medio de nosotros y nos libre del poder³ de nuestros enemigos. 4 Y el pueblo envió a Silo, y trajeron de allí el arca del pacto del SEÑOR de los ejércitos que está¹ sobre los querubines^a; y los dos hijos de Elí, Ofni y Finees, estaban allí con el arca del pacto de Dios.

5 Y aconteció que cuando el arca del pacto del SEÑOR entró al campamento, todo Israel gritó con voz tan fuerte que la tierra vibró^a. 6 Al oír los filisteos el ruido del clamor, dijeron: ¿Qué significa el ruido de este gran clamor en el campamento de los hebreos? Entonces comprendieron que el arca del SEÑOR había llegado al campamento. 7 Y los filisteos tuvieron temor, pues dijeron: Dios ha venido al campamento. Y añadieron: ¡Ay de nosotros! Porque nada como esto ha sucedido antes^a. 8 ¡Ay de nosotros! ¿Quién nos librará de la mano de estos dioses poderosos? Estos son los dioses que hirieron a los egipcios en el desierto con toda clase de plagas. 9 Cobrad ánimo y sed hombres^a, oh filisteos, para que no lleguéis a ser esclavos de los hebreos como ellos han sido esclavos de vosotros; sed hombres, pues, y pelead^b. 10 Y pelearon los filisteos, Israel fue derrotado^1a y cada cual huyó a su tienda^b; la mortandad fue muy grande, pues de Israel cayeron treinta mil soldados de a pie. 11 El arca de Dios fue capturada, y murieron los dos hijos de Elí, Ofni y Finees^a.

12 Y un hombre de Benjamín corrió del campo de batalla, y llegó aquel mismo día a Silo, con sus vestidos rotos y polvo¹ sobre su cabeza^a. 13 Cuando llegó, he aquí que Elí estaba sentado en su asiento junto al camino esperando ansiosamente¹, porque su corazón temblaba por causa del arca de Dios^a. Así pues, el hombre fue a anunciarlo en la ciudad, y toda la ciudad prorrumpió en gritos. 14 Cuando Elí oyó el ruido de los gritos, dijo: ¿Qué significa el ruido de este tumulto? Entonces el hombre se acercó apresuradamente y dio la noticia a Elí. 15 Elí tenía noventa y ocho años, sus ojos se habían cegado¹ y no podía ver^a. 16 Y el hombre dijo a Elí: Yo soy el que vine del campo de batalla. Hoy escapé del campo de batalla. Y Elí preguntó: ¿Cómo fueron las cosas, hijo mío^a? 17 Respondió el que trajo la noticia y dijo: Israel ha huido delante de los filisteos, además ha habido gran matanza entre el pueblo, también han muerto tus dos hijos, Ofni y Finees, y el arca de Dios ha sido tomada. 18 Y sucedió que cuando mencionó el arca de Dios, Elí cayó de su asiento hacia atrás, junto a la puerta^a, se rompió la nuca y murió, pues¹ era entrado en años y pesaba mucho. Había juzgado a Israel cuarenta años.

19 Y su nuera, la mujer de Finees, estaba encinta y a punto de dar a luz, y al oír la noticia que el arca de Dios había sido tomada y que su suegro y su marido habían muerto, se arrodilló y dio a luz, porque le sobrevinieron los dolores. 20 Al tiempo que moría, las mujeres que estaban junto a ella le dijeron: No temas, porque has dado a luz un hijo^a. Pero ella no respondió ni prestó atención¹. 21 Y llamó al niño Icabod¹, diciendo: ¡Se ha ido la gloria de Israel^a!, por haber sido tomada el arca de Dios, y por la muerte de su suegro y de su marido^b. 22 Y dijo: Se ha ido la gloria de Israel, porque el arca de Dios ha sido tomada.

So the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle, and they camped beside ^aEbenezer, while the Philistines camped in ^bAphek. 2 Then the Philistines drew up in battle formation to meet Israel. When the battle ¹spread, Israel was ²defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the battlefield. 3 When the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “^aWhy has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? ^bLet’s take the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh, so that He may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.” 4 So the people sent men to Shiloh, and from there they carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD of armies ^awho is enthroned above the cherubim; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 And as the ark of the covenant of the LORD was coming into the camp, ^aall Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth resounded. 6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What does the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” Then they understood that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp. 7 So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp!” And they said, “^aWoe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. 8 Woe to us! Who will save us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. 9 ^aTake courage and be men, Philistines, or you will become slaves to the Hebrews, ^bas they have been slaves to you; so be men and fight!”

10 So the Philistines fought and ^aIsrael was defeated, and ^bevery man fled to his tent; and the defeat was very great, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell. 11 Moreover, the ark of God was taken; and ^athe two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

12 Now a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day with ^ahis clothes torn, and ¹dust on his head. 13 When he came, behold, ^aEli was sitting on his seat ¹by the road keeping watch, because his heart was anxious about the ark of God. And the man came to give a report in the city, and all the city cried out. 14 When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, “What does the noise of this commotion mean?” Then the man came hurriedly and told Eli. 15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and ^ahis eyes were ¹fixed and he could not see. 16 The man said to Eli, “I am the one who came from the battle line. Indeed, I escaped from the battle line today.” And he said, “^aHow are things, my son?” 17 Then the one who brought the news replied, “Israel has fled before the Philistines and there has also been a great defeat among the people, and your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas are also dead; and the ark of God has been taken.” 18 When he mentioned the ark of God, ^1aEli fell off the seat backward beside the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for ²he was old and heavy. And so he judged Israel for forty years.

19 Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was pregnant and about to give birth; and when she heard the news that the ark of God had been taken and that her father-in-law and her husband had died, she kneeled down and gave birth, because her pains came upon her. 20 And about the time of her death the women who were standing by her said to her, “^aDo not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention. 21 And she named the boy ¹Ichabod, saying, “^aThe glory has departed from Israel,” because ^bthe ark of God had been taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 So she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, because the ark of God has been taken.”

Thus the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle and camped beside ^aEbenezer while the Philistines camped in ^bAphek. 2 The Philistines drew up in battle array to meet Israel. When the battle spread, Israel was ¹defeated before the Philistines who killed about four thousand men on the battlefield. 3 When the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “^aWhy has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? ^bLet us take to ourselves from Shiloh the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that ¹it may come among us and deliver us from the power of our enemies.” 4 So the people sent to Shiloh, and from there they carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts ^awho sits above the cherubim; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 As the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, ^aall Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth resounded. 6 When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What does the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” Then they understood that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp. 7 The Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp.” And they said, “^aWoe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. 8 Woe to us! Who shall deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who smote the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. 9 ^aTake courage and be men, O Philistines, or you will become slaves to the Hebrews, ^bas they have been slaves to you; therefore, be men and fight.”

10 So the Philistines fought and ^aIsrael was ¹defeated, and ^bevery man fled to his tent; and the slaughter was very great, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11 And the ark of God was taken; and ^athe two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

12 Now a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day with ^ahis clothes torn and ¹dust on his head. 13 When he came, behold, ^aEli was sitting on his seat ¹by the road eagerly watching, because his heart was trembling for the ark of God. So the man came to tell it in the city, and all the city cried out. 14 When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, “What does the noise of this commotion mean?” Then the man came hurriedly and told Eli. 15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and ^ahis eyes were set so that he could not see. 16 The man said to Eli, “I am the one who came from the battle line. Indeed, I escaped from the battle line today.” And he said, “^aHow did things go, my son?” 17 Then the one who brought the news replied, “Israel has fled before the Philistines and there has also been a great slaughter among the people, and your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been taken.” 18 When he mentioned the ark of God, ^1aEli fell off the seat backward beside the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for ²he was old and heavy. Thus he judged Israel forty years.

19 Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’s wife, was pregnant and about to give birth; and when she heard the news that the ark of God was taken and that her father-in-law and her husband had died, she kneeled down and gave birth, for her pains came upon her. 20 And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, “^aDo not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention. 21 And she called the boy ¹Ichabod, saying, “^aThe glory has departed from Israel,” because ^bthe ark of God was taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 She said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God was taken.”