Parallel Bible results for "1 samuel 4"

1 Samuel 4

Common English Bible CEB

1 And Samuel's word went out to all Israel. In those days the Philistines gathered for war against Israel, so Israel went out to engage the Philistines in war. Israel camped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines camped at Aphek.

2 The Philistines readied themselves to fight Israel. When the battle was joined, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the battlefield.

3 When the troops returned to the camp, Israel's elders said, "Why did the LORD defeat us today before the Philistines? Let's bring the chest containing the LORD's covenant from Shiloh so it can go with us and save us from our enemies' power."

4 So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the chest containing the covenant of the LORD of heavenly forces, who sits enthroned on the winged heavenly creatures. Eli's two sons Hophni and Phinehas were there with the chest containing God's covenant.

5 When the chest containing the LORD's covenant entered the camp, all Israel let out such a loud shout that the ground shook.

6 When the Philistines heard the sound of that shout, they asked, "What is that loud shouting in the Hebrew camp about?" When they learned that the LORD's chest had come into the camp,

7 the Philistines were afraid and said, "A god has come into that camp! We're doomed," they said, "because nothing like this has ever happened before.

8 We're doomed! Who will deliver us from the grip of these powerful deities? They are the same gods who struck the Egyptians in the desert with every kind of wound.

9 Pull yourselves together and act like men, Philistines! Otherwise, you'll serve the Hebrews like they've been serving you. Act like men and fight!"

10 So the Philistines fought. Israel was defeated, and everyone fled to their homes. It was a massive defeat: thirty thousand Israelite foot soldiers fell,

11 God's chest was taken, and Eli's two sons Hophni and Phinehas died.

12 That very day, a Benjaminite ran from the battle to Shiloh. His clothes were torn, and dirt was on his head.

13 When he got there, Eli was sitting in a chair beside the road, waiting because he was nervous about God's chest. The man arrived and gave the news to the city, and the whole city cried out.

14 Eli heard the sound of the cry and said, "What's all this noise about?" The man hurriedly went and told Eli the news. (

15 Now Eli was 98 years old, and his eyes stared straight ahead, unable to see.)

16 The man told Eli, "I'm the one who just came from the battle. I fled from the battle today." "What's the report, my son?" Eli asked.

17 The messenger answered, "Israel has fled from the Philistines. The army has suffered a massive defeat. Also, your own two sons Hophni and Phinehas have died, and God's chest has been taken!"

18 At the mention of God's chest, Eli fell backward off the chair beside the gate. His neck broke, and he died because he was an old man and overweight. Eli had judged Israel for forty years.

19 Now Eli's daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news that God's chest had been captured and that her father-in-law and her husband had died, she doubled over and gave birth because her labor pains overwhelmed her.

20 As she was about to die, the women standing by helping her said, "Don't be afraid. You've given birth to a son!" But she didn't answer or pay them any attention.

21 She named the boy Ichabod, saying, "The glory has left Israel," referring to the capture of God's chest and the death of her father-in-law and her husband.

22 "The glory has left Israel because God's chest has been taken," she said.

The Message Bible MSG

1 Whatever Samuel said was broadcast all through Israel. Israel went to war against the Philistines. Israel set up camp at Ebenezer, the Philistines at Aphek.

2 The Philistines marched out to meet Israel, the fighting spread, and Israel was badly beaten - about 4,000 soldiers left dead on the field.

3 When the troops returned to camp, Israel's elders said, "Why has God given us such a beating today by the Philistines? Let's go to Shiloh and get the Chest of God's Covenant. It will accompany us and save us from the grip of our enemies."

4 So the army sent orders to Shiloh. They brought the Chest of the Covenant of God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the Cherubim-Enthroned-God. Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, accompanied the Chest of the Covenant of God.

5 When the Chest of the Covenant of God was brought into camp, everyone gave a huge cheer. The shouts were like thunderclaps shaking the very ground.

6 The Philistines heard the shouting and wondered what on earth was going on: "What's all this shouting among the Hebrews?"

7 The Philistines panicked: "Their gods have come to their camp! Nothing like this has ever happened before.

8 We're done for! Who can save us from the clutches of these supergods? These are the same gods who hit the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues out in the wilderness.

9 On your feet, Philistines! Courage! We're about to become slaves to the Hebrews, just as they have been slaves to us. Show what you're made of! Fight for your lives!"

10 And did they ever fight! It turned into a rout. They thrashed Israel so mercilessly that the Israelite soldiers ran for their lives, leaving behind an incredible 30,000 dead.

11 As if that wasn't bad enough, the Chest of God was taken and the two sons of Eli - Hophni and Phinehas - were killed. Glory Is Exiled from Israel

12 Immediately, a Benjaminite raced from the front lines back to Shiloh. Shirt torn and face smeared with dirt,

13 he entered the town. Eli was sitting on his stool beside the road keeping vigil, for he was extremely worried about the Chest of God. When the man ran straight into town to tell the bad news, everyone wept.

14 They were appalled. Eli heard the loud wailing and asked, "Why this uproar?" The messenger hurried over and reported.

15 Eli was ninety-eight years old then, and blind.

16 The man said to Eli, "I've just come from the front, barely escaping with my life." "And so, my son," said Eli, "what happened?"

17 The messenger answered, "Israel scattered before the Philistines. The defeat was catastrophic, with enormous losses. Your sons Hophni and Phinehas died, and the Chest of God was taken."

18 At the words, "Chest of God," Eli fell backwards off his stool where he sat next to the gate. Eli was an old man, and very fat. When he fell, he broke his neck and died. He had led Israel forty years.

19 His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and ready to deliver. When she heard that the Chest of God had been taken and that both her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she went to her knees to give birth, going into hard labor.

20 As she was about to die, her midwife said, "Don't be afraid. You've given birth to a son!" But she gave no sign that she had heard.

21 The Chest of God gone, father-in-law dead, husband dead, she named the boy Ichabod (Glory's-Gone),

22 saying, "Glory is exiled from Israel since the Chest of God was taken."