1The word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out to fight the Philistines. They camped beside Ebenezer, and the Philistines camped at Aphek.
2The Philistines lined up their army against Israel. When the battle began, Israel was beaten by the Philistines. About four thousand men of the army were killed in the field.
3When the people came back into the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has the LORD let the Philistines beat us today? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh to us. Then, when it comes among us, it may save us from the hand of our enemies."
4So the people sent men to Shiloh to bring back the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who sits between the cherubim. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5When the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel gave a great shout, so that the ground rang with the sound.
6When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, "What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?" Then they learned that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp.
7The Philistines were afraid, for they said, "God has come into the camp." And they said, "How terrible for us! Nothing like this has happened before."
8How terrible for us! Who will save us from the hand of these mighty Gods? These are the Gods that struck the Egyptians with every kind of plague in the wilderness.
9"Be strong, Philistines, and act like men, so that you do not become slaves to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Act like men, and fight."
10So the Philistines fought, and Israel was beaten, and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell.
11The ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were killed.
12A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh that same day. His clothes were torn, and there was earth on his head.
13When he arrived, there was Eli, sitting on a seat by the wayside, watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. When the man came into the city and told the news, all the city cried out.
14When Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, "What does this uproar mean?" The man came quickly and told Eli.
15Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see.
16The man said to Eli, "I am the one who came from the battle line. I fled from the battle today." And Eli said, "What happened, my son?"
17The messenger answered, "Israel has fled from the Philistines. There has been a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured."
18When he spoke of the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his seat by the side of the gate. His neck was broken, and he died, for he was an old man and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.
19His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near the time 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 bowed down and gave birth, for her pains came upon her.
20About the time of her death, the women standing by her said to her, "Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son." But she did not answer, and she paid no attention.
21She named the child Ichabod, saying, "The glory has departed from Israel," because the ark of God was captured, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
22And she said, "The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured."