1 Samuel 4
The Philistines Capture
the Ark |
1 |
And the word of Samuel came to all
Israel.
Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle,
and pitched beside Ebene'zer: and the Philistines pitched in
Aphek.
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2 |
And the Philistines put themselves in
array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was
smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the
field about four thousand men.
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3 |
And when the people were come into the
camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us today before the Philistines? Let us
fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out
of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out
of the hand of our enemies.
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4 |
So the people sent to Shiloh, that they
might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the
cherubim: Ex. 25.22 and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phin'ehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
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5 |
And when the ark of the covenant of the
LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted
with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.
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6 |
And when the Philistines heard the noise
of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great
shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark
of the LORD was come into the camp.
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7 |
And the Philistines were afraid; for they
said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for
there hath not been such a thing heretofore.
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8 |
Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of
the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote
the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.
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9 |
Be strong, and quit yourselves like men,
O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they
have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.
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10 |
And the Philistines fought, and Israel
was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a
very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand
footmen.
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11 |
And the ark of God was taken; and the two
sons of Eli, Hophni and Phin'ehas, were slain.
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12 |
And there ran a man of Benjamin out of
the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and
with earth upon his head.
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13 |
And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat
by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God.
And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the
city cried out.
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14 |
And when Eli heard the noise of the
crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And
the man came in hastily, and told Eli.
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15 |
Now Eli was ninety and eight years old;
and his eyes were dim, that he could not see.
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16 |
And the man said unto Eli, I am he
that came out of the army, and I fled today out of the army. And he
said, What is there done, my son?
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17 |
And the messenger answered and said,
Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a
great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and
Phin'ehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.
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18 |
And it came to pass, when he made mention
of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the
side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old
man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
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19 |
And his daughter-in-law, Phin'ehas'
wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she
heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her
father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and
travailed; for her pains came upon her.
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20 |
And about the time of her death the women
that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast borne a
son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.
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21 |
And she named the child Ich'abod, 1 saying,
The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken,
and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
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22 |
And she said, The glory is departed from
Israel: for the ark of God is taken.
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