The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
New Living Translation NLT
1 So the word of Sh'mu'el came to all Isra'el. Isra'el went out to fight against the P'lishtim, setting up camp at Even-'Ezer, while the P'lishtim camped at Afek.
1
And Samuel’s words went out to all the people of Israel. At that time Israel was at war with the Philistines. The Israelite army was camped near Ebenezer, and the Philistines were at Aphek.
2 The P'lishtim drew up in battle formation against Isra'el. The battle was fierce, and Isra'el was beaten by the P'lishtim - they killed about four thousand soldiers on the battlefield.
2
The Philistines attacked and defeated the army of Israel, killing 4,000 men.
3 When the army had returned to camp, the leaders of Isra'el asked, "Why has ADONAI defeated us today before the P'lishtim? Let's bring the ark for the covenant of ADONAI from Shiloh to us, so that he will come among us and save us from our enemies."
3
After the battle was over, the troops retreated to their camp, and the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the LORD allow us to be defeated by the Philistines?” Then they said, “Let’s bring the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD from Shiloh. If we carry it into battle with us, it will save us from our enemies.”
4 So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark for the covenant of ADONAI-Tzva'ot, who is present above the k'ruvim. The two sons of 'Eli, Hofni and Pinchas, were there with the ark for the covenant of God.
4
So they sent men to Shiloh to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, were also there with the Ark of the Covenant of God.
5 When the ark for the covenant of ADONAI entered the camp, all Isra'el gave a mighty shout that resounded through the land.
5
When all the Israelites saw the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD coming into the camp, their shout of joy was so loud it made the ground shake!
6 On hearing the shout, the P'lishtim asked, "What does this great shout in the Hebrews' camp mean?"Then they realized that the ark of ADONAI had arrived in the camp,
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“What’s going on?” the Philistines asked. “What’s all the shouting about in the Hebrew camp?” When they were told it was because the Ark of the LORD had arrived,
7 and the P'lishtim became afraid. They said, "God has entered the camp! We're lost! There was no such thing yesterday or the day before.
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they panicked. “The gods have come into their camp!” they cried. “This is a disaster! We have never had to face anything like this before!
8 We're lost! Who will rescue us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods that completely overthrew the Egyptians in the desert.
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Help! Who can save us from these mighty gods of Israel? They are the same gods who destroyed the Egyptians with plagues when Israel was in the wilderness.
9 Be strong; and behave like men, you P'lishtim; so that you won't become slaves to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Behave like men, and fight!"
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Fight as never before, Philistines! If you don’t, we will become the Hebrews’ slaves just as they have been ours! Stand up like men and fight!”
10 The P'lishtim fought, Isra'el was defeated, and every man fled to his tent. It was a terrible slaughter - 30,000 of Isra'el's foot soldiers fell.
10
So the Philistines fought desperately, and Israel was defeated again. The slaughter was great; 30,000 Israelite soldiers died that day. The survivors turned and fled to their tents.
11 Moreover, the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of 'Eli, Hofni and Pinchas, died.
11
The Ark of God was captured, and Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were killed.
12 One of the soldiers, a man from Binyamin, ran and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes torn and earth on his head [as a sign of mourning].
12
A man from the tribe of Benjamin ran from the battlefield and arrived at Shiloh later that same day. He had torn his clothes and put dust on his head to show his grief.
13 As he arrived, 'Eli was sitting on his seat by the road, watching; because he was trembling with anxiety over the ark of God. When the man entered the city and told the news, the whole city began crying out.
13
Eli was waiting beside the road to hear the news of the battle, for his heart trembled for the safety of the Ark of God. When the messenger arrived and told what had happened, an outcry resounded throughout the town.
14 On hearing the cries, 'Eli asked, "What does this uproar mean?" So the man hurried, came to 'Eli and told him.
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“What is all the noise about?” Eli asked. The messenger rushed over to Eli,
15 'Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his gaze was fixed, because he was blind.
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who was ninety-eight years old and blind.
16 The man said to 'Eli, "I'm the soldier that came; I escaped today from the battlefield." He asked, "How did things go, my son?"
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He said to Eli, “I have just come from the battlefield—I was there this very day.” “What happened, my son?” Eli demanded.
17 The one who had come with the news answered, "Isra'el fled before the P'lishtim, and there was a terrible slaughter among the people. Your two sons, Hofni and Pinchas, also are dead; and the ark of God was captured.
17
“Israel has been defeated by the Philistines,” the messenger replied. “The people have been slaughtered, and your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were also killed. And the Ark of God has been captured.”
18 As soon as he mentioned what had happened to the ark of God, 'Eli fell backward off his seat next to the gate, broke his neck and died; for he was an old man, and heavy. He had judged Isra'el forty years.
18
When the messenger mentioned what had happened to the Ark of God, Eli fell backward from his seat beside the gate. He broke his neck and died, for he was old and overweight. He had been Israel’s judge for forty years.
19 His daughter-in-law, Pinchas's wife, was pregnant and near delivery-time. When she heard the news that the ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and husband were dead, she went into abnormal labor, bent over and gave birth.
19
Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near her time of delivery. When she heard that the Ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth.
20 As she was dying, the women standing by her said to her, "Don't be afraid, because you have given birth to a son." But she didn't answer or show any sign of recognition.
20
She died in childbirth, but before she passed away the midwives tried to encourage her. “Don’t be afraid,” they said. “You have a baby boy!” But she did not answer or pay attention to them.
21 She named the child I-Khavod [without glory], saying, "The glory has departed from Isra'el"; because the ark of God had been captured, and because of her father-in-law and husband.
21
She named the child Ichabod (which means “Where is the glory?”), for she said, “Israel’s glory is gone.” She named him this because the Ark of God had been captured and because her father-in-law and husband were dead.
22 She said, "The glory of Isra'el has gone into exile, because the ark of God has been captured."
22
Then she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.”
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.