1
And the word of Shemu’el came to all Yisra’el. And Yisra’el went out to meet the Pelishtim for battle, and they encamped beside Even-HaEzer, while the Pelishtim encamped at Afeq.
2
And the Pelishtim arranged themselves to meet Yisra’el, and the battle spread out, and Yisra’el was struck before the Pelishtim. And they struck from the army in the field about four thousand ish.
3
And the people came to the camp, and the elders of Yisra’el said, “Why has Yahuah struck us this day before the Pelishtim? Let us take to ourselves from Shiloh the ark of the covenant of Yahuah, that it may come into our midst and save us from the hand of our enemies.”
4
And the people sent to Shiloh, and they carried from there the ark of the covenant of Yahuah of Hosts, who dwells between the keruvim. And the two sons of Eli, Chofni and Pinechas, were there with the ark of the covenant of Elohim.
5
And it came to pass, when the ark of the covenant of Yahuah came into the camp, that all Yisra’el shouted with a great shout, and the earth trembled.
6
And the Pelishtim heard the sound of the shout and said, “What is the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Ivrim?” And they knew that the ark of Yahuah had come into the camp.
7
And the Pelishtim feared, for they said, “Elohim has come into the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us, for there has not been such a thing as this before.
8
Woe to us! Who shall deliver us from the hand of these mighty elohim? These are the elohim who struck Mitzrayim with every plague in the wilderness.
9
Strengthen yourselves and be men, Pelishtim, lest you serve the Ivrim as they have served you. Be men, and fight!”
10
And the Pelishtim fought, and Yisra’el was struck, and each ish fled to his tent. And the slaughter was exceedingly great, and there fell from Yisra’el thirty thousand ish on foot.
11
And the ark of Elohim was captured, and Chofni and Pinechas, the two sons of Eli, died.
12
And an ish of Binyamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh on that day, with his garments torn and earth upon his head.
13
And he came, and see, Eli was sitting upon the seat beside the way, watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of Elohim. And the ish came to declare it in the city, and all the city cried out.
14
And Eli heard the sound of the outcry and said, “What is the sound of this tumult?” And the ish hurried and came and declared it to Eli.
15
And Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were fixed, and he was not able to see.
16
And the ish said to Eli, “I am the one who came from the battle line, and I fled from the battle line today.” And he said, “What happened, my son?”
17
And the one who brought the report answered and said, “Yisra’el fled before the Pelishtim, and there was also a great slaughter among the people. And your two sons also, Chofni and Pinechas, are dead, and the ark of Elohim has been captured.”
18
And it came to pass, when he mentioned the ark of Elohim, that Eli fell backward from upon the seat beside the gate, and his neck was broken, and he died, for the ish was old and heavy. And he had judged Yisra’el forty years.
19
And his daughter-in-law, the ishah of Pinechas, was pregnant, near to giving birth. And she heard the report that the ark of Elohim had been captured, and that her father-in-law and her ish had died. And she bowed herself and gave birth, for her pains turned upon her.
20
And at the time of her death, the women standing beside her said, “Do not fear, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer, nor did she set her heart upon it.
21
And she called the young man Ikhavod, saying, “Glory has gone into exile from Yisra’el,” because the ark of Elohim had been captured, and because of her father-in-law and her ish.
22
And she said, “Glory has gone into exile from Yisra’el, for the ark of Elohim has been captured.”